I woke up after a night of horrid dreams, most having to do with the creature laid against my chest. I had taken a gigantic risk even getting close to her, yet I did so much more. But what could I do, could I have just left her alone out here, I probably should have. Thinking about it now was hindsight, I needed to focus on what happens next, and judging by the fact that the tiny thing is still curled up on my chest, I'm going to say I'm mostly safe.

I took in my surroundings as I prepped to go back outside. The girl stirred as I pulled my helmet back on, "No..." She wrapped her hooves around my helmet and pulled herself tight against me, "Not yet...I don't wanna go back outside yet."

I wrapped my arm around her as I started to depressurization, "I'm sorry...but I have to go for a little bit." I popped the cabin open, lifting the girl in the paper hat over my shoulder and landing softly on the lunar surface. I set her down, a little wobbly at first but she evened out, and went to check my instruments.

Rotational speed...adequate, gravity...livable, oxygen percentages...nominal. This was it, this was what we needed. I felt a smile grow over my face. A new home for billions of people, "This is amazing...."

"What is?" The girl walked over and sat next to me, "Equestria?"

I looked at the girl, "Is that what you call it? All I have is a code...E-twenty seven."

She cocked her head, "What the hay does that mean?"

I flipped up my visor, "If I remember right...fifth planet from the sun is E...system number is twenty seven. I think...it's been a long time since they told me."

"Since who told you?"

I had started to pack up my equipment, but I stopped cold as she questioned me, "...A man named Cain...my leader." I pulled my equipment free of the ground and started packing it up, "He sent people like me all over, he told us: find us a new world, or die trying." A sudden realization hit me, how long had I been traveling?!

I dropped some equipment and ran to the ship. I pulled myself into the cockpit and pulled up the engine diagnostic. "Fuel reserves minimal...no...no!" I kicked the console, "No damn it!"

"Mister?" a navy mane popped onto the side of my cabin, "What happened?"

"Fu-" I stopped myself. I braced myself on the edge of the cabin, "God no...this is it." I felt a rush of sorrow cake my being. This was it...they weren't going to come for me if I don't give them a planet.

Cain said it himself, "I will not risk the lives of our race for the lives of you...understand what you are getting yourselves into here. When we find a planet I am committing every ship, every crew, every man, women, and child: to taking it for ourselves! If you can make it back...then do so, but understand I am not about to waste time sending ships to unfit planets. If any of you want to back out...now's your chance."

My panic overcame me, "Mister are you okay? Please be okay." The girl climbed up onto my ship and inside the cabin, "Don't be sad...I'm here." She forced her way into my hand and nuzzled it, "Don't be sad...please?"

My heart slowly crawled out of my chest. This girl had no idea...not a clue. I ran my hand through her mane, ending by letting it pull through my fingers, a pale blue dot sitting behind it.

I was safe...I had what they wanted, they would come and save me!

I brightened up as I leaped from the cabin, "I'm alright...I'm gonna be alright!" I screamed to myself, scooping the tools up and packing them away, "I-"

"Mister...Hastings?" She girl tapped my leg, "Are you alright...you were sad...but now you're really happy. It's kinda scary."

My gut sank. Even if I was gonna make it, I couldn't stay up here. If my engines die that's it for me, no more air, no more life.... "Kid...I...I know I said I wasn't going to leave but..." I knelt down next to her, "I promise you...I promise I'll come visit." I pulled the confused filly agaist me, "Please don't hate me...but I have to go."

I could feel her chin fall onto my shoulder, "I don't...I don't hate you...you're my friend...I don't wanna hate my friend." She croaked out on the verge of tears. I slowly held her back, examining her slowly moistening eyes, "It's okay...I'm used to being alone...and...you said you'll visit."

I felt my face twitch. I quickly went to pull my visor down, stopped by a hoof on my faceplate, "Kid I...I'm sorry." I pulled her tight against me, "I don't want to leave you alone up here...but I can't stay up here too long...I'll die."

Things got quiet. I ignored it and focused on the soft body with the paper hat, "So you're going down there? To live with the other ponies?"

I looked behind me at the planet below, "I think that's the only way...but I promise you, I'll come back." I let her go and walked to the rear of my ship. Popping the cargo hatch once again, I found an thermal blanket. I quickly pulled the blanket free of the scientific equipment and shook it out. I walked back to the crying girl, draping the blanket over her and carrying her to a safe distance, "I promise I'll be back...some day...I'll be back."

I set her down and darted off. The girl cried out a final time, "Tell her I'm sorry...if you see her...tell her I'm sorry!"

I didn't bother wasting any time pressurizing the cabin and simply started the engine. Dust kicked up all around me as I lifted off. I slowly started towards, what the scanners noted as, a populated area. Where there's life...there's food.

I caught a final glimpse of the girl, paper hat stuck tight to her head, blanket wrapped around her. "I'll come back...I promise."

"Entering atmosphere...and-" A felt a heavy thud resonate through my ship, "I'm in. Perfect." I mumbled to myself as I drew closer and closer to the surface. A large clearing seemed a good a place as any.

I counted down as I reached the planet's surface, "...Two...one, and down." I let out a deep breath as I landed. After a short repressurization to help pop the cabin, I was free. I checked some final readings before turning my helmet and pulling it off. A warm breeze rushing across my face.

A new home at last...so many years drifting...so many wasted opportunities. "Halt!" A commanding voice caught me off guard once again, this one sending a different kind of panic through me. "What in the name of Equestria are you!?"

I went to turn around, only to have myself shoved against my ship, "Salem Hastings: Pioneer!" I yelled.

"What are you!?" The voice commanded.

"Human: Pioneer!" I slowly felt something draw breath past my head.

"And why are you here?" The voiced seemed to be calming.

"To find a home for my people!"

The voice gave a quick laugh, "A home? Do you not have a home already?"

"No...we don't." The voice immediately stopped laughing.

I felt the grip on me relax, "Face me." I obeyed. in front of me stood a fully grown horse, a good foot taller than myself, "Where did you come from little thing?"

I stared at the white beast, "Earth...more recently your moon." I pointed up to the sky, "I...I came down to-"

The mare's eyes shot wide as she telekineticly picked me up and slammed me into my ship, "The moon!? You came from the moon!?" She asked as if unsure of her own question.

"Yes! There was-" I was cut off by another round of being battered.

"Why did you go there!? What did you do!?" the white mare repeatedly slammed my agaist my ship, "Answer me!"

I winced from the pain, "Measurements- I took measurements!"

"And!?" The mare leaned in over me, staring me down, "Did she send you!?"

My mind flashed back to the girl on the moon, "Yes! She sent-" Once again I was cut off by being slammed, this time into the ground. I was quickly pinned beneath her hooves, "Why!? She said-"

"I banished Nightmare moon, I will not let her flunkeys pollute Equestria!"

She slowly increased her pressure on my head, "She said- ah- she said to tell her...sorry-" The weight stopped. My head was splitting from the weight, "She said...if she saw "her" tell her sorry...that she was sorry."

She stepped off of me, "L-Liar! Nightmare Moon would never-"

I picked myself off the ground, "She called herself Luna. She was just a little girl." I was unable to stand the pain, falling on my back and facing the sky, "She told me to tell her sorry...I don't know who...but she said to say sorry." I blacked out.

I woke up being carried somewhere, "What happened?" I asked the air.

"Be quiet...we have much to discuss but not out in the open."

I scanned my bobbing view. Shorter versions of the mare were staring at me as I passed. They looked to be about six foot, horses with some strange features. What was most striking was the colors, bright pastels blurred in my hazy vision. The ponies looked repulsed by me, was this first contact for them? Can't be...the mare on the moon...

My thoughts faded as I once again drifted off into the void.