Several hundred tons of metal and magic shudder to life beneath her haunches. The candle's lit. An almighty rumbling pours into her ears. Her helmet does little to dull the noise, which escalates quickly with every passing second.

Her shoulders slam back into the seat. Feels like her eyes are going to flatten against the back of their sockets. Speed, faster than she'd ever thought possible, faster than they ever tested her for.

That must have been the reactor warming up.

Sure enough, the horizon blurs. Somewhere behind her, a fountain of flame is gushing. The cockpit groans and rattles with protest.

Now the fun part --- she groans with something between anxiety and discomfort --- the rail rears skyward, and the ship follows, accelerating furiously. There's a mountain on her chest, on every inch of her. She's turned to liquid and puddled inside her suit. Stars above, the noise!

Clouds whip by. From the corner of her eye, she sees Cloudsdale, perched above the mountain. Growing smaller every second. It's hard to breathe properly. She tries to regulate as best as she can, like they taught her. In, one. Two. Three. Four. Five. Out, one. Two. Three, and she's sucking wind again, to Tartarus with that. Her heart's jackhammering against her ribs. Was she supposed to be going this fast? Not for the first time, she wonders if this was a good idea. Too late now. Far too late.

A colossal lurch. Somehow the noise changes --- less of screaming metal on metal, more boneshaking bass roar --- and the com crackles to life. A crackling, masculine voice speaks. "Control, Galaxy, confirm phase two separation."

Her eyes dart across the cockpit, at the staggering amount of dials and switches and flashing lights, seeking out one in particular. There it is. Green, like it should be. "Hraaughh... st-t-t-taaage releeaase sat, over-r-r." She can barely speak, lungs crushed under the weight of the speed.

"Say again, Galaxy."

"R-r-elease confirm! Release c-c-onfirm!" She wheezes into the microphone dangling near her jaw. They must have got the message, because she was left alone to the banshee wail of the ship as it punched a smoky trail through the clouds.

A glint in her eye. Through the vibrating window to her right, she spies the sea growing over the horizon, sunlight flickering off distant whitecaps. She can almost imagine the taste of salt in the air.

The sky above begins to darken, gradually at first, but faster with every passing second. She was told of this, how the gasses in the atmosphere tinged it blue, that far enough up, they'd fade, and she'd see the blackness and the stars at nine o'clock in the morning. Sure enough, they come into view through the fading cerulean, punching into existence from behind the fabric of sky.

She hears a faint click, then a whoosh, the taste of iron, and her senses sharpen. She hadn't been aware they'd dulled. That must have been the air purifier kicking in. Not enough to breathe at this altitude, anyway.

The ship bucks and heaves, and then there's a strange stillness. She can still feel the speed, the sheer acceleration pushing her down, but smoother, almost like she was sliding through the air instead of ripping it apart. A gauge confirms a hunch; she's above the atmosphere, now.

Another light flickers on. "Galaxy, Control."

"Control, go ahead."

She smirks. "One-hundred thousand and rising. I can see my continent from here."

Through the com, she can hear a sudden outburst of cheering, faded into the background. No doubt they were going wild down there. "Copy that, Galaxy." It sounded like whomever was on the other end was trying to fight off a grin. "Orbital flight achieved. Standby for burn."

"Standing by."

The world turns beneath her. Her ship is corkscrewing ever so slowly, and she watches in awe. She can see lonely islands, rugged mountain ranges, surging storms, swampy river deltas, windswept deserts, pale coastlines, dense forests, abyssal oceans, endless plains, arid badlands, frigid tundra...

Suddenly, shadow. She blinks at the sun sinking behind the horizon. Everything goes black. She's passed around the dark side of the planet. Her cockpit is illuminated by a soft green glow from the many buttons and displays. But outside, life blooms. "Oooh..."

Civilization. From here, she can see whole nations. Cities, mighty urban sprawls that stretch for miles of organized rivers of light. Tiny villages, nothing more than pinpricks nestled among a darkened countryside.

She hits a button on the side of her helmet. The visor hisses upwards, and she turns to press her face against the cold glass and watch the world pass by. It's icy to the touch, and her breath fogs it up. Absently, she draws a picture with the tip of her nose.

A small stick pony takes shape. Just a foal.

Her breath hitches.

A larger figure next to the little one. Stronger, thicker lines. This one is male. She kisses it when she's done.

"Control, Galaxy," her com squawks, "you are coming into alignment. Commence burn procedure."

Jerking from the window, she skims her hooves across the cockpit, tweaking a lever here, throwing a switch there. She is a maestro, and this is her instrument. Nopony can make Galaxy dance like her. "Preparing to burn." She's primed the reactor, ready to unleash the beast that will propel her faster than any living thing has ever gone, ever. Nothing for it, now.

A hoof rests on the throttle. It's shivering slightly.

"Galaxy? This is the Director." A new voice crackles over the com, one she's familiar with. She glances back down at the world again as it drifts farther and farther away.

"Go ahead, Princess Sparkle."

"On behalf of all of us down here, I'd like to thank you. You have gone above and beyond what anypony could have hoped," a slight pause, followed by a chuckle, "both figuratively and literally, I suppose. Your courage, resilience, and spirit will live on forever in our hearts. Equestria lies behind you, infinity lies before you."

"When they put my statue in Canterlot, make sure they don't exaggerate my plot," she jokes, if halfheartedly.

"Hehe. I... I know it isn't regulation, but I managed to pull a few strings. There's a couple ponies here who want to wish you well."

The feed rattles and shakes again, and the next voice she hears nearly stops her heart cold. A sensor actually goes off, but she ignores it.

"Mama?"

It's almost too much. Squeezing her eyes shut, she whispers, "I'm here, baby. M-mama's here."

"The Princess thinks I didn't get to hug you enough before you got on the rocket, so I'm here now. I can't hug you through a microphone, though! Silly Princess. I hope you have a nice time in space, Mama. Daddy said you'll be gone for a long time."

"I will... I'm gonna miss you so much, baby. Never forget I love you, okay?"

"Hee! 'Kay. Love you too, Mama."

"And don't forget to do your chores." She has to take a breath or she'll break. "Or your homework. Or flying! And mind your father. And Grandma. And... and..." It's coming out in a rush now. "And don't even think about bringing a colt over without your father in the house..!"

"Ew! Mooooom!" Giggling. She hopes she never forgets the sound.

"I love you so much, baby. Be good."

"I promise. Oh! Uhm, Daddy wants to talk. Goo'bye and have fun!"

Another new voice, baritone and slightly accented. "Stella?"

Tears are pouring down her face. It's all she can do to hitch out, "I can't do this..."

"Don't say that, Stella. You're the only one who can."

"Hun, I just... I miss you all already... my heart is..." She's openly sobbing now. It was hard enough putting on a brave face for her daughter, but she can't help it. "Dammit..."

"Listen to me, alright? We're all rooting for you. Everypony back home is crowded in that tiny little shack with Uncle Ruckus and his dingy radio set for the broadcast. I know you can do this. I miss you, too, but..."

"Y-yeah. Rather go out now than waste away. Are you g-going to tell her?"

"One day. Not anytime soon, but... something fatal like you have... not something for her yet. She won't be able to reason why until she's much older."

"Yeah..."

"Stella?"

"Mmm?" She wipes at her nose with the sleeve of her suit.

"I love you."

"I know. Love you, too. Just make sure you be happy without me. And stay strong for our daughter." Even now, she can't resist cracking one, "If you end up with a witch of a second wife ten years down the road, so help me, I'll turn this thing around and plow it through the roof."

"That's my mare. The galaxy won't know what hit it."

Another pause. A beeping told her that it was almost time.

"Stella, I've got to go now... I... I'll never stop loving you. Goodbye..."

"G-goodbye, hun."

"Control, Galaxy." The Director was back on the line.

"Go ahead... and thank you, Your Majesty."

"It was no trouble. Consider it a last favor," said the com. "You're in the clear. Sensors reading green across the board, activate the reactor at your discretion. Stars guide you, Stella. Over and out."

Her hoof twitches again. It's like her body is ready to go... but her heart... she needs to say one last goodbye.

Looking back, she witnesses the entirety of her Equestria in the window. A single dewdrop of oceans and forests and mountains and storms, just floating there, still and calm and silent. She squints through an eye, placing her hoof upon the glass. It completely covers the receding planet.

And in that instant, she's alone.

She throws the switch before she can stop herself. Somewhere behind her, the reactor screams. Stars streak across the cockpit. Everything's hot and bright and unimaginably dense.

Stellar Lights breathes a deep breath as the computer begins to cycle in the gas. She won't feel a thing. Not as the temperature drops, not as her body slips into a deep, deep sleep.

It's going to be a long ride.