Her highness Princess Celestia sat on her throne in Canterlot castle, addressing the various problems a leader is faced with. A drought in Appleloosa, a few cases of cutie pox in Baltimare, Princess Twilight Sparkle's visit to the Crystal Empire, and many more random issues.
Celestia's gaze wandered from the letter she was holding to an open window. From the high castle, she could see over most of Canterlot and even beyond.
Hmmm. That's odd. A flaming speck appeared to be falling though Equestria's atmosphere. Celestia stood and walked over to the window. Her royal guards instantly straightened and saluted her. She narrowed her eyes at the flame in the distance and racked her brain for an explanation. A falling pegasus? No, definitely not. A pegasus would not be large enough to see from Canterlot, and why would he be on fire?
Celestia whirled and used her alicorn magic to call a sheet of paper and quill to her.
Dearest Twilight…

"What?"
"I said the Redemption is failing, Master." Ahsoka Tano told her master again, but even folded arms and an impatient look couldn't hide her fear. "And the Tranquility is beyond repair. Master Obi-wan is going to have to evacuate."
Anakin Skywalker whirled back to the massive viewport of the Jedi cruiser Redemption. "Get me Obi-wan!"
Seconds later, a hologram of Anakin's former master jumped to life.
"Anakin, we have serious problems."
"So I've heard. Get everyone onto the Redemption pronto." Anakin glanced over at the flaming figure of the Tranquility. "But I'm afraid we're going to have to make an emergency retreat somewhere. Redemption isn't going to last long against those Sep frigates." As if to confirm his statement, the largest Separatist cruiser fired hard at the Redemption causing her to shudder. "Admiral Yularen! Calculate hyperspace jump to Naboo."
Yularen nodded and disappeared from view.
A clone arrayed with orange and white armor entered the hologram and said something to Obi-wan. Anakin's former master nodded, then turned back to Anakin. "Time to evacuate. I'll see you in awhile." Obi-wan's hologram disappeared, and another blast racked the ship, almost knocking Anakin off his feet.
"General!" Admiral Yularen called. "They've hit the left engine! We can't make it to Naboo; it's too far."
Anakin clenched his teeth. What other planet was nearby?
"Sir, there's a planet in reach," one of the clone officers said.
"Which one?"
"Unknown, Sir. There's no information on it."
Anakin made a split second decision. "Program the Nava-computer, and as soon as Obi-wan's on board make the jump."
"Yes, Sir!"

* * *

Tiegan Drake felt the Redemption shoot into hyperspace and let out a relieved sigh. That had been really close. She glanced around the cruiser's main hanger noting the amount of injured clones and the number of still functional air craft. It appeared that about a dozen of the starfighters and most of the gunships had survived the space battle against General Grievous.
That means we can transport troops, but our dog-fighting abilities won't be too impressive.
"Tiegan, come. We need to discus our next move on the bridge." Obi-wan said, walking briskly away. Tiegan sprinted to his side and they made their way to a turbo lift, then to the Redemption's bridge. Anakin and Ahsoka were standing side-by-side in front of the viewport while clone officers hurried around them.
Anakin sensed Obi-wan and Tiegan's approach and turned. He gave Tiegan a nod and she felt the corners of her mouth twitch.
Hey, Big Brother.
"How long until we reach Naboo?" Obi-wan asked Anakin.
Anakin rubbed the back of his neck, showing that he was nervous. "Uh…yeah, about that. Naboo was out of reach, so we're headed for a mystery planet."
Obi-wan stroked his beard in that I'm-pondering-might-issues way. "A mystery planet? But that makes no sense. There should be no unknown planets around Naboo."
"Right." Anakin shot a glance at the Nava-computer. "Well, you ready to make a new discovery?."
Mere moments later, the Redemption exited hyperspace with a hard jolt. Out of the corner of her eye, Tiegan could see the massive flaming wings of the Jedi cruiser. That doesn't look too good.
"General Skywalker." Admiral Yularen said in his calm, collected voice. "I am afraid that we are unable to avoid a crash on the planet. Shall we resort to the escape pods?"
"Will the crash be lethal?" Anakin said.
"No," Admiral Yularen answered. "we should be able to slow our decent enough to cause minimal damage."
"Then we'll stay with the ship. Everyone, prepare for crash landing!"

Twilight Sparkle suddenly felt her horn surge. A letter? She activated her magic and a neatly folded piece of paper appeared in the air.

Dearest Twilight,

From my place in Canterlot Castle I have seen an odd anomaly. Not far from your current location, a large flaming object is descending towards the ground.

Twilight immediately trotted over to a window and scanned the sky. Sure enough, towards the west, a large unidentified object was falling swiftly through the air. Twilight's eyes widened at the sight and she hurriedly continued to read the letter.

This matter needs to be assessed. I would like you to investigate. Report to me when you have completed this task. Sincerely, Princess Celestia

"Okay," Twilight said to herself. "stay calm, Twilight. All the princess wants you to do is scout out a really big flaming ball…you can do this." Before she could change her mind, Twilight threw open the door to her castle and leaped into the air.

"Where you going, Twilight?"

The voice surprised Twilight so much that she almost fell out of the sky. "Rainbow Dash!" The blue pegasus soared to Twilight's side, grinning.
"

Yup. Did I scare you?"

Twilight gave her a hard look. "To answer your first question, I am on an errand for Princess Celestia."

"Oooo!" Rainbow threw herself into a spin. "Does it involve danger?"

"It might. If you think falling mystery fire is dangerous."

"I HAVE SO GOT TO SEE THIS!"

After a few minutes of trying to change Rainbow's mind, Twilight agreed to let the dare-devil pegasus accompany her. When the two reached a row of tall, leafy trees, they crouched low. They stared at the "fire ball" with puzzlement.

"That doesn't look like anything I've ever seen." Rainbow Dash said, giving the object a sideways look.

Twilight nodded, then whispered, "Look!"

A group of beings emerged from the mass, who's flames were starting to die down. Twilight's eyes widened and she exchanged a glance with Rainbow. Twilight turned back to the scene before them and strained her ears to listen.

"I've never seen a planet like this before." The male on the left said.

A bird alighted on one of the two female's shoulder. She gave it a surprised look. "Oh." The bird nuzzled her cheek, then flew away. "That was strange," She said to the man on the left.

"Should we look for intelligent life?" The other female said. "I sense many beings somewhere close. And the Force is really clear."

The man with reddish-yellow hair and a beard stared in Twilight's direction. Uh-oh. "Come on," Twilight whispered to Rainbow. "I think we should help them."

Heart pounding, Twilight stepped out of her cover, forcing herself to say calm. "Hello, strangers. Welcome to Equestria."

There was instant silence when that being stepped out of the forest and addressed them. Anakin stared at her. She was a odd creature, with a stark fuchsia coat and striped purple and lavender hair. She also had a horn sticking out of her head and a pair of wings on her back. Seconds later, another being came out of the forest, this one blue with rainbow hair. This one was lacking the horn, but had a pair of wings.

Obi-wan was the first to speak, living up to his nickname of "the Negotiator". "Thank you, friend. You said that we are in a place called Equestria?"

The purple being nodded. "Yes. I am Twilight Sparkle"-the rainbow-haired one elbowed her- "Princess Twilight Sparkle. And this is Rainbow Dash."

Obi-wan gave her a bow. "Obi-wan Kenobi, Princess. And these are my companions; Anakin Skywalker, Tiegan Drake, Ahsoka Tano, and Captain Rex."

"What is that?" The one named Rainbow Dash asked, almost rudely.

"That is our ship." Ahsoka said, narrowing her eyes at Rainbow Dash's disrespectful tone. Ahsoka hated it when people failed to treat her with due respect.

Rainbow Dash started to flap over to the ship, but she was suddenly halted by a unknown force. Anakin stared in surprise as she was dragged back to Twilight Sparkle's side. The princess's horn appeared to be the cause of the mysterious force.

Obi-wan broke the silence. "Do you know where we can get help? We have wounded, and we need a way off this planet."

"Planet?" Rainbow Dash snorted. "You make it sound as if there are other planets out there."

Tiegan spoke for the first time. "Yes, there are many star systems in the galaxy," Her voice sounded as if she was quoting a textbook. "All of them unique and beautiful in their own way." She gestured to the massive downed cruiser. "We use cruisers like this one to travel from planet to planet."

"That thing can fly?" Twilight Sparkle said, shocked. "But how? It has no wings to flap or hot air to make it rise."

Obi-wan changed the subject. "We can explain later. We really do need help."

"Right." Twilight Sparkle said. "I can take you to Princess Celestia in Canterlot. She is the one who sent me here."

"Very well," Obi-wan nodded. "Take us to her."

Humans. There were humans in Equestria.

---

Princess Celestia was going to faint. Okay, maybe she wouldn't faint, but she would certainly be surprised.
Twilight watched as two of the humans re-entered the "ship" and disappeared for about five minutes. When the humans returned they, the humans, Rainbow, and Twilight, headed towards Canterlot.

Only about a minute into the walk, the man named Anakin said, "If we take one of the gunships this trip would be quicker."

"Yes, but we don't want to scare the locals," Obi-wan said. "We need to make a good first impression."

"I guess." Anakin lowered his voice, but Twilight could still hear him. Apparently he didn't yet know that Equestrians had superb hearing. "What do you make of the beings here?"

Oooo. This conversation was getting interesting.

Obi-wan quieted down as well. "They seem highly intelligent. The princess's mind moves at an incredible rate."

My MIND? He can't read my mind…can he? Twilight risked shooting him a glance. She couldn't pick up any hint that he had heard her thoughts, but she'd have to keep an eye on him.

"Agreed." Anakin said. "But there's something else that intrigued me. The princess used some kind of force to hold Rainbow Dash in place. Some kind of magic, perhaps?"

"Hmph." Obi-wan said with an amused tone in his voice. "Maybe. But of all the magic I've encountered, very little has been used for good."

Very little used for good…she'd show him.

Twilight should have responded by now. Celestia stopped pacing around her room and flopped down on her elaborately woven floor pillow.

The minutes stretched longer. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-

Somepony knocked on her door.

Celestia stood and smoothed her stark white coat. "Come in."

Oh. It was one of her royal guards. "Princess Celestia!" He said anxiously. "Princess Twilight has come to Canterlot." He lowered his voice. "And she bought humans."

Celestia only barely stopped the gasp that came up her throat. Humans. She hadn't spoken with a human since…

"Do they come in peace or war?"

"Peace…I think."

"Lead me to them."

The guard saluted her and quickly walked down a hallway. They turned left at the end of the corridor, and the unicorn guard used his magic to open the door to Canterlot Castle's throne room. Celestia raised her head and shifted into a flowing gait. She stood in front of her throne, not bothering to sit down.

"Escort them in." Celestia ordered her guards.

Twilight and her friend Rainbow Dash led in a group of four humans. Celestia studied them until her eyes came to rest on a metal rod on one of the men's belt. She quickly checked the others, and sure enough, the three others also had them. Lightsabers. Jedi.

"Princess Celestia," Twilight began, then she introduced the humans. Obi-wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Tiegan Drake, and Anakin Skywalk-wait, Skywalker? A flood of memories washed over Celestia. But then she pushed them away. This Jedi was obviously not her former Padawan.

"Our ship crashed not far from here, Princess," Obi-wan Kenobi said. "We have wounded. I am positive we can repay you for whatever supplies you offer."

"I will help you." Celestia gave one of her guards a nod, then turned back to the Jedi. "But only under the condition that you do not mention this repaying again. I strongly believe in offering help to those in need." She gave them a small wink and a smile. "Besides, Equestria has always been allied with the Jedi."

---

Allied with the Jedi? Tiegan's eyebrows jumped at Celestia's statement.

So that means that this is not a new planet. Celestia knows about us. But how? I don't remember anything about Equestria in the Jedi Archives. And if we had an allegiance with them then certainly there should be some record of it. Something isn't adding up.

As Tiegan tried to come up with plausible answers to her questions, Anakin decided to say what everyone was thinking. "Allied with the Jedi? Care to elaborate?"

Celestia smiled again. "In time."

The door to the throne room was thrown open with a bang, and every head snapped around to look. A regal, midnight blue Equestrian strode into the room. Her long shimmering hair looked much like the night sky.

"Luna," Celestia said to the new arrival.

"Luna" tossed her head and strode to Celestia's side.

"This is my sister Luna." Celestia explained.

She's independent. Quiet, but not as arrogant as she looks. See the way she keeps glancing at Celestia? She cares what her sister thinks.

Luna; that means "night". Hmmm. Fitting. She has a crescent moon on her hip. She's also dark colored. I wonder what it all means.

Like Celestia, Luna wore a chest plate, crown, and shoes made of crystal. She appeared to be intrigued by the Jedi, but not as shocked as Tiegan had expected. So maybe Luna knows about us too.
Instead of addressing the Jedi, Luna turned to her sister. "I thought we were going flying."

"Luna, meet our newcomers."

Luna raised an eyebrow and glanced at them. "Hmph. Jedi. I haven't seen one of you for awhile."

"Yes, we were just getting to that." Obi-wan said. "Princess Celestia?"

Celestia straightened and said. "Very well. Follow me."

The Equestrian princess called Celestia led the Jedi into a corridor full of stained glass windows. Anakin glanced at each of the windows as he passed. They appeared to be images of events.

Celestia reached the end of the hallway and took a sharp left that led to a tall, wide door. She pulled back, and inserted the tip of her glowing horn into a hole in the door. A web of bright amber shot through it and it opened with a flash.

They entered the new hallway as shafts of light shone through the new stained glass windows, casting a multi-colored aura on the floor. Celestia took time to study each of the scenes, but she paused even longer at one of them. As Anakin passed, he also took the time to acknowledge the image.

It was a beautiful illustration of a young human girl. She was holding a blue bladed lightsaber in her right hand and a amber bladed in her left hand. Anakin kept his eyes on the glass as he walked away. Was that a Jedi that Celestia knew, or just a gesture to show Equestria's loyalty?

Instead of trying to ponder this mystery by himself, Anakin slid over to Tiegan's side. His sister had undoubtedly come up with some ideas.

"What do you make of that?" Anakin asked quietly, gesturing to the mage of the Jedi.
Tiegan pursed her lips and looked back. "I'm not sure. But is it just me, or does that Jedi look oddly familiar?"

"She does. But how could we know a Jedi from the Old Republic? Most of the archives from that time were destroyed by the Sith."

"Maybe Celestia will give us some insight." Tiegan said, turning back to the front.
Should I mention it? Anakin thought, glancing at Tiegan. It won't hurt. He lowered his voice even more. "Did you notice how Celestia reacted when Twilight said my name?"

Tiegan nodded. "It was really strange. How could Celestia know who you are?"

"That's what I was wondering" He shrugged. "An ancestor perhaps?"

"Maybe. But…" Tiegan broke off as Obi-wan joined them. Tiegan flashed Anakin a hand signal-I'll talk to you later.

Anakin gave a slight nod and addressed his former master.

"Celestia is ready to give us a history lesson." Obi-wan said, and the three joined the rest of the group as they looked up at an image of a younger Celestia and Luna.

"Luna and I were high ranking members of the Republic, and close friends with the Jedi. But there was always the threat of invasion from the Sith. One day, our darkest nightmare came true." She moved on to the next window. "Luna and I returned to Equestria with Republic troops and a trio of Jedi." She shook her head sadly. "But alas, we were no match for the Sith and their army. Luna and I sent all off-worlders off our planet and, aided by the Elements of Harmony, we cast a spell to rid us of the Sith."

Luna joined in. "That spell also sent our system away from your galaxy. And now, for reasons we cannot explain, we have returned."

"We hope you bring us news of peace in the galaxy," Celestia said, causing Obi-wan and Anakin to glance at each other.

"I'm afraid not, Princess." Obi-wan said. "We are in the midst of a civil war. Sith Count Dooku has invaded planets under the Republic's rule, and we have been forced to defend them."

Celestia lowered her head. "I see."

"Princess Celestia," Tiegan said. "if you were a friend of the Jedi, then why do we not have any record of Equestria?"

"A fair question, Padawan." Celestia waved her horn at the image of the human Jedi. "She was my friend. A kind, loyal Jedi who was part of the effort to liberate Equestria." She sighed, a noticeable sadness in her voice. "Before Luna and I cast our spell, I asked her to erase any mention of Equestria from Jedi and Republic records. She was heartbroken. I wish she could be here to see Equestria now."

A friend. So I was right.

"I will gather a group of healers to help you with your wounded." Celestia said. Her horn surged and she vanished in a flash of amber.

We just stared at the spot where she disappeared. How in the galaxy…

"Magic portal." Luna said, beginning to stride back down the hall.

"Well, that makes perfect sense," Ahsoka said with a huff.

"Insecure. She feels rejected. Outshined by her sister?" Tiegan muttered.
Anakin stared at her. He hadn't really thought about Luna that way. He straightened and stared straight ahead.

This world was getting stranger by the moment.

Celestia did as she said, and soon a group of Equestrian healers were gathered by the Redemption. The wounded clones and officers gathered in a group around Twilight. Tiegan smiled as she recalled the expressions on the clone's faces when they saw the Equestrian Princess. And it went both ways. The Equestrians had been more than a little surprised to find humans on their planet.

Alongside the Republic doctors; Snowflake, Aide, Amethyst, and Glory helped distribute bacta and other medical supplies. As unicorns, Aide and Glory used their magic to repair any damaged medical equipment.

After her help being turned down more than once by over respectful clones, Tiegan found herself sitting in the shade a respectful distance away from the cruiser. She felt a wave in the Force as Anakin strolled over to join her.

"Princess Twilight seems to have everything under control." Tiegan said looking up at her big brother.
Anakin snorted a laugh. "That is the most organized person I have ever met."

"Defiantly."

"…What was your impression of Celestia?"

Tiegan cocked her head. "You're asking me?"

"Why not? I heard what you said about Luna. You know, about her being insecure…"

Tiegan's eyes widened. "I said that out loud?"

Anakin chuckled. "Yeah, but I think I'm the only one who heard it. I didn't know you paid that much attention to people." He paused. "But anyway, back to my question. Anything you saw in Celestia?"

"Well…she's really knowledgeable, and the society she has established is incredible. I still don't understand their magic, but from what Twilight was saying, Celestia seems like she could hold her own in a battle. What I don't get is that Jedi that Celestia was talking about. So she erased the files? But still, you would think stories would be passed down. I'd never heard anything about Equestria until today."

"Agreed. But maybe the Republic saw Equestria's disappearance as a sign of treason. That could've made them reluctant to talk about it." He shrugged. "Just a thought."

Tiegan nodded. "I hadn't thought about that. You might be right. But I guess with no records it's just going to remain a mystery."

---

Luna burst into her sister's quarters. "Tia! Word from the Crystal Empire." Celestia stood swiftly, and Luna continued. "I just received a letter from Cadence. She says they are under attack from an 'army of metal', as she described it."

"Under attack? With no discussion?"

Luna shook her head, "Cadence said that they came in and started tearing the Empire apart looking for someone named Kenobi."

"Kenobi? Isn't he one of the Jedi?"

"Exactly." Luna glared at Celestia. "Your new friends have brought war to Equestria."

"Luna. You know better than anyone why we couldn't turn them down."

"Because your Padawan said so?" The younger sister snorted. "This beats all. Now we're taking orders from children."

Celestia ignored Luna's last remark. Instead of replying, she swung open the doors to a cabinet in one swift movement and pulled out a jeweled chest.

Luna's eyes widened. "Tia…you can't be serious."

"I am." She opened the chest and pulled out two lightsabers. "I have no doubt this army is the one led by this Count Dooku. The Jedi can help us be rid of them." Celestia slipped off her chest plate and replaced it with a smaller, more bland one.

Luna followed suite. "Shining Armor is currently holding off the Sith with one of his protection spells. It will not last for long."

"Then let us make haste."

Anakin was as surprised as anyone when Luna and Celestia entered the downed Redemption and requested a private conversation with Obi-wan. Upon hearing this, Anakin slid back under the Redemption's main control panel.

"Ahsoka, hand me that wrench, would you?"

Ahsoka walked over to the tool, picked it up, and slid it into Anakin's hand. "What do you think Celestia and Luna wanted with Obi-wan?"

Anakin looked up and noticed that Ahsoka was still staring at the door where they had exited. He shrugged and returned to his task. "Don't know. Maybe they found a way for us to get off of this planet."

"Do you think they'll join the Republic?"

"I need those bolts. …Thanks." Anakin grunted as he fastened two metal rods together. "And to answer your question; I have no idea. They might, but Celestia may decide to stay neutral for as long as possible."

"How long do you think that'll be? If the Seps find something useful here they'll be all over it."

"Right. But Equestria could have a stronger defense system then we think. Either way, I think Celestia will do what is best for her planet. She doesn't seem like one of those leaders who are only in it for the glory."

Ahsoka started to answer, but the door to the bridge slid open and Obi-wan marched in.

"Well, Master," Anakin said, climbing out from under the panel. "you look unhappy."

"Anakin, we have problems."

"Problems?" Ahsoka said, rolling her eyes. "That doesn't sound good."

Obi-wan folded his arms. "Apparently the Separatists are attacking the Crystal Empire."

"Crystal Empire?" Anakin asked.

"Northern Equestria. Led by Equestrians named Cadence and Shining Armor."

"What are we going to do about it?"

Obi-wan began to stroll out of the room. "Meeting, now."

---

Less than ten minutes later, the royal Equestrian sisters, the Jedi, and several clone leaders were gathered outside the Redemption. Celestia's horn was ablaze with amber as she projected a map of Equestria.

"The Crystal Empire lies here, just before the Crystal mountains," Celestia began. "According to Princess Cadence's letter, they are under attack by an army that we believe to be your Separatists."

"Our forces are broken," Anakin said. "We are not equipped for a full blown battle."

"Understood, Master Jedi," Luna said. "but we would be slaughtered if we tried to fight alone."

"What Luna is saying," Celestia said, shutting down the map. "is that we are asking for your help.

Together, our forces can push back this Count Dooku."

Anakin shook his head. "Princess, I don't think you understand the might of the Separatist's droid army. We will need reinforcements."

Celestia and Luna exchanged a glance.

"Luna?" Celestia said, cocking her head.

"There is an ancient Jedi Temple in the heart of the Crystal Mountains." Luna began, and she instantly caught the attention of her listeners. "I don't know if it's still there, but there was once a telepathic object located in the temple. It responded only to your Force, and therefore no one has used it for over a thousand years. There is a possibility you could use it to call for reinforcements."

Obi-wan stroked his beard. "If we split up, then one group could assault the Separatists; while a squad located this Jedi temple."

Anakin raised a hand. "I'll lead the temple squad."

"And I'll join you." Luna said with a nod.

"Then it's settled." Obi-wan said. "Anakin and Luna will call for our reinforcements, while Celestia and I hold off the Seps for as long as we can. Good luck everyone."

Anakin and his men swiftly loaded into two of the twelve surviving gunships, and they were on their way to the Crystal Mountains. Anakin, Ahsoka and several clones occupied the lead gunship, while Luna and more clones rode in the other.

They were all equipped with cold weather gear, due to Luna's information that the mountains were permanently in winter. Proving her words, as they drew closer, a snowstorm began to hit. After a few more klicks, the storm began to get serious.

Hawk, the clone pilot, called a warning. "General Skywalker, we can't see anything in this storm, and the engines are getting weak from the cold."

Anakin pursed his lips and waved Luna's ship closer. "Luna! We're going to have to land; the gunships can't fly in this storm!"

Luna looked around at the swirling whirlwind of white, and nodded. "I'll lead you to a clearing!" A bright blue glow erupted from her horn, and she leapt out of the ship. Her wings spread wide and she battled the storm, the light of her horn guiding the pilots.

Soon, she hovered above a field of pure white, and the gunships landed on either side of her. Anakin could feel the ships sink a few inches into the snow, only their wide bases keeping them from sinking fully.

The clones and the Jedi scrambled out of the gunships, making sure to strap on snowshoes. Anakin pulled down his goggles and checked to make sure Ahsoka did the same, then he turned to the hovering Luna. "Can you lead us to the temple from here?"

Luna turned and brightened the glow of her horn. "I think so." She yelled over the howling wind. "I have not been there in so long. It might be better to wait out the storm."

Ahsoka saw Anakin's conflicted expression. "Master, no," she said. "Obi-wan and Tiegan need those reinforcements now. I know it's a risk, but we have to press on!"

Nodding, Anakin looked back to Luna. "You heard her, let's go!"

---

That was quite the invasion force. Tiegan lowered her electro-binoculars and turned to her master. "So, what's the plan?"

Obi-wan also lowered his binoculars. "We have three options. Rush in firing and probably get killed, try to ambush, or have Shining Armor let us in his shield and position there."

"Getting inside the shield sounds like the best option to me."

"Yes, but letting down the shield means that we risk exposing the Equestrians."

"Yeah, but that shield isn't going to last long anyways." She shrugged. "We might as well be in there to defend them when it does come down."

A shadow fell on Obi-wan's crouched form. "I believe your Padawan is right, General Kenobi. We need to be ready when Captain Armor's force field breaks." She studied the bright fuchsia energy shield and winced as another set of Sep cannon fire slammed into the dome. It flickered twice before holding fast. "We must hurry." Celestia spread her wings. "I will enter first, and create a magic barrier that will hold off the enemy for a few moments. You can then land your ships in a defensive formation inside the city."

Obi-wan waved a hand and the gunship pilots ran for the ships. "With all due respect, Princess. How will you enter the shield without it coming down completely?"

The Equestrian smiled. "I have my ways." Then, with a mighty flap, she sped away.

Now standing, Obi-wan laid a hand on Tiegan's shoulder. "Are you ready for this?"

"Is one ever truly ready for a battle?"

"You are wise beyond your years, Padawan." Obi-wan said with a smile. Then he sprinted for the gunships.

Tiegan smiled, feeling like she could conquer the world. Finally, she shook off the feeling and ran after her master.

Again, reviews are encouraged! Thanks for reading!

Celestia approached the force field carefully, as not to alert the enemy. She quietly touched her horn to the shield and used her magic to open a fair sized rectangle. After she had slipped through, she let the hole close and once again took to the air.

Shining Armor and Cadence were standing alone in the center of the city. Shining Armor looked exhausted from the strain of holding off an entire army single handedly.

Celestia hovered above them and watched as Shining Armor shot another surge of energy into his shield. After confirming that the Jedi were ready, Celestia swooped down and landed softly a short distance away from the pair. Cadence heard her land, squealed softly, and ran over to give her a hug.

"Celestia, what is going on?" Cadence asked with fear.

"I'll explain in a moment." Celestia scanned the area. "Where are the Crystal ponies?"

Cadence pulled away. "We sent them to the castle. It was the only thing we could think of to keep them safe. They're terrified that they'll be enslaved again."

"I'll do my best to ensure that doesn't happen." Celestia walked over to Shining Armor. When the three were together, Celestia explained the plan.

---

Anakin lifted a hand in a useless attempt to block oncoming snow and wind. "Luna!" He yelled at the blue blob in front of him. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

The Jedi jogged to the Equestrian's side. Luna didn't look to confident. She was sifting from side to side and scanning the landscape.

"I-I don't recognize this place. The light from my horn can only show me so much. Can you sense anything?" Luna said, looking up at him hopefully.

Insecure. Just as Tiegan said. "I'm sorry. I can't sense nonliving things. Besides, this storm, combined with my men's stress, is clouding the Force."

"I understand." A blast of wind almost knocked Luna off her feet. "I'm sorry, Anakin, we're going to have to take cover. We'll just freeze to death in this cold!"

Anakin nodded. "There's a large cave about fifty meters back."

Once the group was safely parked inside the cave, Ahsoka approached Anakin as he scraped ice off his gear.

"Master?"

Anakin spared her a nod.

She sighed. "I'm sorry for getting us into this. I should've listened to Princess Luna."

"It's not your fault, Ahsoka. I'm the one who make the decision to press on."

"I know, but now I've put my best friend in more danger than was needed."

Anakin couldn't resist a smile. He started to answer her, but the wind suddenly changed direction and a blanket of snow washed into the cave. There was a howl of disapproval from his troops.

Then suddenly, the cave was clear again. Luna was using her magic to push back the storm. Anakin watched in amazement as the blue princess shoved the snow back where it belonged, and then, with a flick of her head, raised a barrier to cover the mouth of the cave.

Anakin and Ahsoka exchanged a glance. These Equestrians never cease to amaze me. How many other royals would rise to the challenge themselves? Well, Padme does, of course. Anakin suddenly felt guilty. He hadn't even thought about his secret wife since they had crashed on Equestria. Wow, would he have a story to tell her.

Celestia's magic barrier held just long enough for the gunships to get into position. She drew back behind the barrier of ships just as Shining Armor labored to raised his shield again.

The clone troopers and Celestia's royal guards poured out of the ships and readied their weapons-Shining Armor's shield may have been up, but it wouldn't hold for long.

Tiegan laid a hand on her lightsaber. The cold metal felt comforting against her skin. Too bad she couldn't fight with her wings uncovered where they could be useful, instead being a hindrance. Argh. Why do things have to be this way? Why can't I be who I'm meant to be? She centered herself. No. Stop. Don't think about the negative. You can do this.

The imposing sound of laser fire slamming into energy ripped Tiegan out of her thoughts. She heard Obi-wan yell, "Hold your position!"

The shield flickered and Shining Armor fell to his knees as the protection that had held for so long finally gave its last breath.

Tiegan ignited her lightsaber, and the world around her grew dim as she met the oncoming forces. Poise, sever, deflect. Poise, sever, deflect. She let the feelings of anger for her downed troops fuel her power.

Her lightsaber was a whirlwind of green as she brought down droid after droid. She could hear the sounds of laser fire and wounded troopers outside of her zone. These men are dying! Protect them!

---

General Grievous smiled mentally. The Jedi were so predictable. Sure, that irritating shield had been a crimp in his day, but Grievous had just used it in his favor. The Jedi would never turn away a cry for help, and now his droids were marching through their forces. The clones would be defeated. It was only a matter of time.

---

Admittedly, he was surprised when Luna beat him to it. The snow storm had finally let up, and a snoopy probe droid had almost spotted Anakin and his forces. But with a swift beat of her wings and a perfectly aimed magic blast, Luna took care of the droid problem.

Anakin deactivated his lightsaber. "There'll be more where that one came from," he said with a nod toward the scrapped droid.

"Then let us make haste."

Ahsoka and the clones appeared on top of a snowy hill, and they followed Luna's lead. Hopefully, their destination was not far away.

Droid parts exploded as Celestia flew over the immense metal army. She threw herself into a spin as a blaster bold whizzed by her ear. She called on her magic and sent an amber beam shooting out of her horn. More droids went down.

Celestia flared out her wings and hovered in the air. She could see the flashes of lightsabers in the distance as Master Kenobi and his Padawan pressed forward. He was a strange one, Kenobi. No apparent excitement or even reserve about this planet that he knew nothing about.

And then there was Skywalker. From what she had seen of him, he was almost Kenobi's complete opposite. Not to mention his familiar last name. Be careful, Luna. Remember your training.

BAM!

Something behind her exploded. Celestia whirled, her horror mounting. The droids had made it to the Crystal Castle. The Equestrian princess sped towards the flaming building, weaving and spinning her way through laser blasts.

"Master Kenobi!" Celestia slid past him and rammed her horn through an approaching battle droid.

The Jedi snapped out of his trance. "Celestia-the civilians."

Time seemed to go by in slow motion as the Crystal castle was pummeled by laser cannons. And there was nothing Celestia could do about it.

---

A piercing cry sliced through the cold air. "There!"

Finally, Anakin thought. He crested the last snowy hill and stood before an ancient, crumbling building. At his side, Luna ruffled her wings. "Follow my lead."

They walked through the temple, weapons ready. It seemed that the cold had taken all life away from the barren place. Broken down barracks and weapon rooms filled the place. It was creepy, is what it was.

Wait a minute… Anakin suddenly halted and sprinted through an arched doorway. He knelt by a pile of ashes and gently uncovered a metal cylinder. It was a lightsaber; in Old Republic style with an elaborate hilt. He noticed a small bump on it that was smeared with dirt. Once uncovered, it was a glittering ruby. Igniting the blade, Anakin turned to see that Luna had followed him. Silently they joined back with the group.

Anakin couldn't stop thinking about the new lightsaber clipped to his belt. Who's was it? Maybe the Jedi Archives would have some answers. If we ever get back.

"Wait," Anakin said, opening up to the Force. There was something strong, very strong…in that direction. "This way!"

The telepathic crystal was in a large, round room. I hope this works. Anakin thought as he plunged himself into the Force.

---

Grand Master Yoda was meditating when something suddenly blasted into his mind. Anakin. Danger. Near Naboo. Separatists. Then an image entered his head of a regal looking female being. It then turned into a landscape of rolling hills and clear skies. Equestria. Equestria in danger. Then a desperate plea: help.

The vision left and Yoda was left stunned. He did not even know what this Equestria was. Then a set of numbers entered his mind. Coordinates. Somehow, Anakin had reached him and he needed help.

Anakin snapped out of his trance and shook the fog out of his head. Argh, what a headache.

"Sir, are you okay?" Fives asked from behind him.

Anakin nodded. "Yeah." He took a deep breath. "I think that worked. Help should be on its way." He felt a tremor in the Force and turned to face his squad. "Let's go. Obi-wan needs us."

---

Vibrations shook the earth as an imposing black shuttle landed in the midst of the battle droids. A familiar, dark figure strolled down the ramp. "Master Kenobi," the figure said with a raspy voice.

"Grievous," Obi-wan snarled. He ignited his lightsaber just in time to fend off Grievous' attack. The two warriors traded blows, but Grievous was strong and fast. He slammed Obi-wan onto the floor, sending jolts of pain through Obi-wan's skull. The Jedi barely manage to throw himself out of the way as Grievous rammed one of his lightsabers through the ground. Leaping to his feet, Obi-wan shoved Grievous backwards with a Force push. But it wasn't hardly enough to stop the cyborg monster. He quickly corrected himself, and charged at Obi-wan, enraged. The Jedi neatly sidestepped, but Grievous lashed out with his lightsaber at the last moment. The attack was quick and Obi-wan barely had time to react. The two lightsabers slammed together with such a force that he was thrown off balance for a split second. That split second was enough for Grievous.

All of Obi-wan's years of training flashed by him as the cyborg general slammed him into a pillar of crystal and everything went black.

---

Celestia stepped into the cyborg's path.

"Who is this?" he rasped, glaring at Celestia. Several droids marched up to flank the cyborg.

Celestia spread her wings. "You have threatened my peaceful society. I do not condone war, but I will protect my subjects from you!" She leaped into the air and sent a powerful magic beam flying towards the general. He roared in fury and snapped his pair of lightsabers up to meet the attack. The sabers instantly absorbed the magic.

The Equestrian princess threw attack after attack at the evil general. Finally, one broke through his defenses and blasted a hole through one of his metal arms. He roared in fury and launched himself at Celestia.

She had no choice. In the blink of an eye, she whipped out her lightsaber and met the cyborg's blade. Amber met indigo as Celestia and Grievous pressed hard against each other, grunting with the effort. For the first time in years, Celestia felt the Force flow through her. She danced around Grievous, her lightsaber a whirl. She had been a top duelist in her time.

But Grievous was getting angrier by the moment, and his cyborg speed and strength outmatched all Celestia's skill. Before she could think, the alicorn was thrown to the ground. Black spots splashed her vision. A lightsaber blade came streaking toward her...

Luna crested the hill just in time to see her sister be thrown down by a massive cyborg. "No!" she shrieked and threw herself at them. But she couldn't make it. Luna desperately threw her head up and raised a magic wall between her sister and her attacker. It worked-but barely. The cyborg's blade slammed down on the wall, making it shudder, then bounced back with a powerful force.

Luna slid to a stop just as the cyborg scrambled to his feet. Behind him she saw Anakin slip behind the cyborg and ignite his lightsaber. Another snap-hiss sounded to her right and she saw Master Kenobi approaching to her right, but he was holding his side, injured.

The cyborg knew he was out flanked. Suddenly, a trio of round droids rolled into the mix. They started firing rapidly, forcing the Jedi back. Flying over the droids, Luna pursued the cyborg as he ran for his ship. She launched a magic bolt and it clipped his leg. Roaring in fury, he limped up the ramp of his ship as the Equestrian princess raced toward him.

A massive roar erupted overhead. Luna flared her wings and looked up. A huge triangular cruiser cut through the Equestrian sky. Luna was torn back to earth by the howl of the cyborg's ship as it shot into the air. She slowly dropped to the ground, then sprinted back to the Jedi.

---

Tiegan heard the Republic Cruiser even before she sensed it. Relief flooded her entire body, then a battle droid reminded her that there was still a battle going on. It didn't stay standing very long. Then the path was suddenly clear. Tiegan looked up in surprise and saw the Separatist forces retreating. At that moment the adrenaline wore off.

Ow, ow, ow.

She winced. This was the time she wished she wore armor like her clone troopers. Time to see how we fared, she thought woefully.

She made her way back to where Anakin and Obi-wan were tending to the injured and speaking with the Republic reinforcements. Time went by in a blur as medics scurried about and men were transported to the cruiser. Finally, Tiegan found herself standing in front of Kit Fisto, the Jedi who had been sent to their aid.

"I hear that you fought bravely, Padawan," Fisto smiled, looking down at her.

Tiegan straightened, making sure to have the proper posture expected of a Jedi. "I did my best, Master."

"Good." His expression turned serious. "But Tiegan? Sometimes it's better to just relax." Then he walked away, leaving Tiegan confused. Relax? But Jedi masters expect us Padawans to be perfect. She shrugged to herself. Oh, well. Add that to the mysteries list.

She heard her name being called, and ran to find where she was needed.

Courasaunt. The center of the galaxy. It held the headquarters of the Republic, and its citizens felt safe and secure, much unlike the rest of the galaxy that was gripped in turmoil.

In the center spire of the massive Jedi Temple stood Anakin. At his side, Luna, facing the twelve members of the Jedi Counsil, relayed the history of her planet. She was a compelling story teller. When she was finished, Master Yoda spoke, "Welcome you back we do, Princess Luna. Sorry we are for the invasion of your planet."

Luna nodded, then she got straight to the point. "My sister and I have agreed to support the Republic in your war. However, we do not wish to turn our planet into a battleground."

"You will need ships and more...modern technology to bring Equestria back into the galaxy," Anakin said.

"And information to educate your subjects," added Adi Gallia.

Luna nodded. "Agreed."

The Counsil members looked around at each other. Then Yoda spoke, "Speak to young Skywalker alone, we should."

Luna swept into a bow, spreading her wings, then she left the room. Anakin watched her walk away before turning to the Jedi Counsil.

"You made an interesting discovery on Equestria, according to your report," Mace Windu said, leaning forward.

Anakin unhooked the extra lightsaber from his belt and held it aloft above his hand. "Yes. I found this in the old temple where we found the telepathic crystal."

"Hmmm," Yoda said. "Look into this you will."

"Yes, Master."

---

Padme Amidala approached Anakin and the Equestrian Princess named Luna. Padme couldn't quite suppress her surprise when she had first met Luna. Magic? Beings who could control the sun and moon? A disappearing planet? What? And now she had been chosen to travel to Equestria to see the new world and make an agreement with its head ruler, Celestia.

She reached Luna and Anakin. "Princess Luna. Master Skywalker." She met Anakin's gaze. His eyes appeared to sparkle with thrill. Look what I found, they seemed to say. Padme barely squashed her smile. He would tell her the story later. She would make sure of it.

"Senator," Anakin said politely and Luna bowed.

Padme took her eyes off Anakin. It was time to be businesslike. "Princess Luna, I have been asked by the senate to accompany you back to Equestria. The Chancellor wants me to gather information on your planet for our records."

"Of course," Luna agreed. She was a…a pony of few words. That was fine by Padme; she thought that most royalty dawdled too much. "I am glad that the Republic agreed to accept us after so many years of absence."

Padme nodded. "We can use all the help we can get in this war."

"Well, we shall do everything in our power to ensure that it is over swiftly and neatly." Then the Equestrian princess and the Naboo senator walked off into whatever new adventures awaited them.

Wow! It's finally finished! Hope y'all liked it. Reviews are appreciated!