Starbound Ascension: The Next Generation

Chapter Fourteen: A Hero's Goodbye

“And so it is time to say farewell to Major Flip Flash. A pony I had privilege and honor to have under my command. A life is only important in proportion to its impact on the lives of others. By this standard, Major Flip ranks among one of our very best. He leaves behind family, friends, fellow soldiers, and a grateful nation,” Ship was at the head of the funeral next to Flip's coffin. Contrail came up to pay his respects to his dead brother. Flip's sister sobbed in the background.

All of the active NGJSF members paid their respects to their dead comrade as he was lowered into his grave. All of them in their respective uniforms from their own branches: Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy. Even Red October, Hornet, Simon, and Iron Cross all wore their native country's military uniforms for this day and yet there was a constant symbol each of them wore around their necks: the four pointed star of United Equus that cemented them as a unified entity. All their parents were there as well. Each stood next to their children enlisted in the NGJSF. Among those that attended the funeral were members of Nimbus Squadron, Hokum Squadron, Task Force Frostbite, The E.U.F leaders, Queen Chrysalis and her officers, as well as the members of Lylat's Elite Squadron Seven. They all came together for one last goodbye.

Rainbow Dash was holding Avia close as her daughter sobbed. Jet was also there for his sister and he knew full well what went on between Flip and Avia.

Rainbow continued to stroke her daughter's mane as she cried into her shoulder, “There there... It's okay my baby girl. I've been through this too.”

Rainbow herself flashed back to the death of Jet's father. She started to cry with her daughter as she felt the pain return to her.

“Honey,” Soaren held her up, “Be strong. I'm here for you now, that's what he would have wanted.”

“I get it Soaren! But that still doesn't bring him back dammit! Look, I know you both agreed that if Sky Buster ever died you'd be here to take care of me. But at the same time you of all ponies know that I am still loyal to him,” Rainbow snapped, “And can't you see our daughter's going through the exact same thing?!”

“I-I'm sorry... For the both of you,” Soaren embraced his wife and daughter. Jet and Nelly also came into the group hug.

“We got you sis,” Jet held onto his sister, “If there is anything at all, talk to any of us.”

“Hey,” Troy, the CEO of the Earth United Force approached the huddled ponies, “ If it makes you feel any better, from what I've heard that plane that shot him down: that was made by the Pulsar Militia. Listen, the EUF wants to get even with those bastards as well! They were the ones that commissioned for one of my friends, Mira, to die because the Galactic Combine was supporting their efforts! We, your human allies, will fight with you against this new threat.”

“So are we,” the President himself of the UPF came forward, “Tanya.”

“Yes President Micheal?”

“See to it that the forces of United Equus have our full support in dealing with these terrorists. I want them brought to justice for harassment and endangerment of the Federation!” President Micheal gave his word, “Admiral Ghost, Senator Zak?”

“Of course,” the cyber-eyed Zorua nodded in agreement.

“It's been a long time since the UPF has kicked some serious ass. I approve of this measure!” Senator Zak Sintari smiled.

“NGJSF,” a fox anthro from Squadron Seven joined in, “I'm Commander Xzayvior Onyx of Lylat's Squadron Seven. It was you guys who bailed us out of that asteroid field. I want to let you know that Lylat has your back as well. We will fight with you!”

Princess Celestia, Luna, and Prince Comic Sketch trotted right up next to the allied leaders. All the ponies at the funeral bowed down.

“And this brings me to my next point,” Princess Celestia had a hint of zeal in her voice, “All NGJSF rise.”

“Yes ma'am!” the soldiers all stood up one by one to salute the regal princess.

“You are hereby disbanded as the Next Generation Joint Strike Force...”

They all gasped at the sudden decommissioning of the whole unit. Even the allied leaders were taken back to the statement.

“But Princess! We!”

“Hold on there, Rear Admiral Ship, you didn't let me finish. The NGJSF may be disbanded but I will now reform the unit under your command as the First United Equus Next Generation Joint Task Force! You will be in command of your own fleet in response to the increased threat from the Pulsar Militia. Make me proud, Heroes of Equus,” Celestia pinned a medal to Ship's uniform. Luna and the Prince also went around to pin medals and promotions to all of the former NGJSF members, now NGJTF, “Carry on!”

“With pleasure Princesses!”

“I also believe a few new recruits are in order,” Princess Luna folded her wings to reveal two ponies ready to join the ranks of the NGJTF.

“Former Brigadier General Night Glider of the North Equestrian Air Force! I am ready to serve United Equus as a Captain part of the Next Generation Joint Task Force!”

“Night Glider?! All right! Glad to see you made it out okay. And with a new cutie mark too!” Jet smiled.

“You saved my life. It's the least I could do to repay all of you,” Night Glider looked to her cutie mark now emblazoned on her flanks, “Thank you.”

“No problem! Welcome to the team!” Jet put out his hoof, “Come on!”

“Um,” Night Glider looked in curiosity, “What are you doing?”

“It's called a brohoof. Don't you know what that is?”

“Um, no. In the regime we aren't allowed to greet each other like that. I still have much to learn about the outside world,” Glider scrunched her face, “How do I do it?”

“You take your hoof and just tap mine! Like this!” He put his brohoof to Ship which they demonstrated, “There!”

“Okay, I will do the brohoof,” Glider tapped hooves with Jet to celebrate, “That felt strange.”

“Don't worry you'll get used to it. Anyway, what about you?” Jet looked over to the orange pegasus mare with a red half curled mane and yellow eyes.

“My name's First Lieutenant Feather Phoenix. United Equus Air Force sir!”

“At ease Lieutenant,” Ship came forward, “Thank you for joining in our time of need.”

“Thank you ma'am!” Feather saluted as a flight of fighters flew over the funeral in a missing man formation, “We'll get back at them.”

“For Flip...”

“For Flip,” Ship turned to Jet and nodded.

“Now that you've been well acquainted I want all of you to rendezvous with your new fleet in orbit. Go, we will need you now more than ever,” Princess Celestia bowed, “Good luck, Heroes of Equus.”

“Yes ma'am!” all of the ponies in the NGJTF saluted to the royal princesses. They turned back and marched in unison as the funeral ended.

-----

A few hours later the ace pilots of the newly formed NGJTF launched into orbit to see their new fleet. Jump Jet was at the head of the formation.

“Vertical here. Where's the party?”

“Yo!” Contrail came over the radio, “Luna herself requested us to join your fleet. Our carrier is coming out of the warp now!”

The massive grey space carrier passed through a wormhole ripped in space and time. With the four pointed star of United Equus adorned on its bow and the flag of the NLR Navy flown on its mast. It was similar in construction to the EMS Sky Buster but with more heavy gun turrets and a surprise located at the very front of the ship.

“Let's be clear here. Even though your Rear Admiral commands this whole fleet, and that you see each other as equals Major Jump Jet, I should not take orders from you unless overridden,” Cirrus made herself clear.

“Sounds about right. You are older than me and a Major too,” Jet looked on as the Fairview pulled up next to the Sky Buster.

“Fairview 2, this is Rear Admiral Ship. Do you have your supporting fleet with you?”

“Roger that we are under your command Admiral!”

“Good, standby for the rest of the Task Force,” Ship radioed out and looked to Sagittarius, “Sagittarius, ETA on the next carrier joining in?”

“Should be coming out of the warp now! Here she comes!” Sagittarius pointed out of the window as he looked up from his holograms. Another carrier flew through the wormhole.

“Sorry we're late. This is Rear Admiral Rumble of the United Equus Navy. The Princesses themselves requested that we join our combined fleet!” a veteran looking pony with a light bluish grey coat and dark greyish sapphire blue mane was in command of the EMS Rainbow Dash, “My wife should be flying in formation with your fighters as we speak.”

“Wait! Aunt Scootaloo?!” Jet looked up to see a heavily modified F-8X Crusader updated to generation six fighter standard. The stealthy, yet extremely old aircraft was the trademark of his aunt. Scootaloo is the last pilot to fly that type of aircraft.

“I gotcha kiddo,” she flew right over Jet's F/A-38 and joined in with his formation, “You've grown up so fast.”

“I've been through a lot,” Jet sighed, “When you lose one of your best friends you can't help but think that it should have been you instead. Why does one pony die and the others live?”

“Hey, it's gonna be alright. I heard Babs is gonna join in the fun too!” Scoots winked to her nephew, “Feather, Pound Cake, Bass Drop form up with the squadron!”

“Roger that flight lead!” Feather, daughter of Goldblaze Phoenix and Keyframe, flew an ATD-XE fighter imported from Neighpon. It was a slightly modified version for the export market and one of the smallest stealth fighters on the market.

“Pound Cake here. Roger that,” the twin brother of Pumpkin Cake flew a brand new YR-302 Fregata fighter-bomber. With four engines combined together for explosive thrust coupled with a heavy weapons package this aircraft is more than a match for any To-119 or A-164 Wipeout.

“Ready for some wubs of destruction?” Bass Drop appeared on Jet's HUD. He was the son of Vinyl Scratch and Neon Lights. His plane was an SU-35X mounted with experimental sound based weapons under its wings. These acted like the shockwave from a Fenrir's shockwave missile but with a more directed pattern and concentration, “I'll clean up these Pulsar guys like I wash my dishes!”

“That makes no sense whatsoever Bass,” Jet gave him a confused look.

“You'll see,” Bass smirked. His dark grey spikey mane contrasted with his white coat and red eyes. With a flip of a switch his visor went from clear to a tint of purple.

“Be advised Admiral Ship. The EMS Manehatten is warping in,” Mac Book alerted to his commanding officer. Another ship came out of the rift, this time a battleship. It wasn't just any battleship either, the EMS Manehatten was the most powerful ship in the United Equus Navy. It was a Raptor class battleship outfitted with thirty two eighteen inch guns mounted all over the ship. At the bridge of the fast battleship Admiral Babs Seed looked on to join the fleet.

“This is the EMS Manehatten. Heroes of Equus, Battleship Babs is here! Where do ya want me?”

“In formation with the rest of us thank you!” Ship moved her holograms to the side and viewed her new fleet under her command, “What a fleet...”

“Hold ya horses there. We ain't done yet. Commander Button Mash himself said he'd bring the Purple Dart in. Here he comes now!” Babs appeared as a hologram to Ship on the bridge of the Sky Buster. The EMS Purple Dart joined into the Task Force's formation. The cruiser was a supporting ship outfitted with scores of anti-air turrets, SAM emplacements, and was also optimized for electronic warfare and intelligence gathering capabilities.

“Commander Button Mash here. Ready to join the fleet!” Button announced in victory as he looked to a pendent on his neck. He smiled and turned off his radio to whisper to himself, “I've come a long way Sweetie Belle... I do this to fight for you.”

“This is a fleet! THIS IS A FLEET!” Jet looked in awe at the five capital ships all together under his unit's command, “The five most powerful ships Equus has to offer in one fleet. Now this is a sight to behold!”

“Hey kiddo, I just noticed something. Where's your sister?” Scootaloo tried to find Avia's Cyclone among the swarm of fighters.

“Oh dammit! Ship I'm gonna need to RTB. I think Avia might need my help. I'm breaking formation, you guys go on,” Jet pulled away and back to his carrier.

“Solid copy Jet. Want me to lend a hoof?”

“I got it, she needs my help. You lead the fleet, I'll go see what's up,” Jet made his final approach for the tractor beam to latch onto his plane for landing.

“Affrimative. To all ships in the Task Force! We set sail to victory!” Ship gave her commands. A chorus of cheers resounded over all of the fleet.

-----

Avia sat alone in the hangar. Her replacement plane wasn't here yet and she was on the floor still sobbing right in the middle of her empty compartment. She looked around to make sure she was the only one there to continue her isolation. Something caught her eye in the now empty hangar compartment where Flip housed his aircraft.

It was a feather... A single, white flight feather with a slight tint of blue at the base of the quill, it was Flip's.

Her emotions dipped and Avia collapsed to the floor. She didn't even hear Jet's aircraft land and her brother rushed to her aid.

“Hey...” he approached Avia slowly. Jet was pounced by his sister as she took him in her arms in a desperate embrace. Jet lifted his sister up, “It's going to be okay. I'm right here and I'm not leaving!”

“I-” Avia sobbed, “I loved him!”

“I know you did. Hey, look at me,” Jet held his sister at arms reach. It was then that he noticed the white feather Avia was holding tight. A wave of emotions washed over him before he breathed in to relax. There was a long pause before Jet could speak, “I don't know if mom ever told you this story. But on the day she gave birth to me she found a feather, just like that one, from my late father on her bed. I still have it today.”

Jet reached into his pocket to find the plastic and wooden case containing a ruffled and bent white feather that belonged to his dead father. His eyes started to water as the memories came back to him.

“It's a little tattered... It was always my favorite belonging. It reminds me of who I am and what I was destined to be. I never met my dad but at the same time everypony around me says that I am exactly like him in almost every way. That feather, that feather, reminds me that he's still with me,” Jet hugged his sister and gave her a shoulder to cry into, “Flip's calling out to you Avia. He'd want you to be happy. Just like what my dad always says to me.”

“I-I'm,” Avia started to compose herself, “...I'm going to be okay...”

“There you go! That's my little sister,” Jet smiled as he ruffled her mane, “Come on! Let's get you some cider and pie.”

“I like pie!” Avia smiled. Her leftover tears fell from her eyes as her brother was there to wipe them off.

-----

All the new recruits had a chance to mix and mingle in the mess hall of the Sky Buster a few hours later. Nimbus Squadron had their own little corner of the room tucked away in a booth. They were talking with some of the pilots from the EMS Rainbow Dash seated next to them to the booth on their right.

“So, are you the famous Brigadier General Scootaloo? It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am! I am Major Cirrus of the NLR Navy's Nimbus Squadron. I have to say, it's an honor to fly with you!” Cirrus shook General Scootaloo's hoof.

“And thank you for watching my niece and nephew's flanks back there. I've heard many a story about you Nimbus Squadron. Carry on with the good work!”

“Yes ma'am!” Cirrus nodded with a salute.

As Jet and Avia entered Scoots waved them down, “Hey kiddos! Come give your aunt a big old hug!”

Jet and Avia walked to their table and were greeted with a warm hug from their aunt, “Last I remembered you were just babies. Now look at you, all grown up and ready to take on the world.”

“Universe, the whole universe tita Scoots,” Jet chuckled, “So, aside from Team Nimbus, who are all your companions at your table?”

“Oh, these guys? They're top pick pilots and ground assault crew I work with. You've already met Bass Drop and Pound Cake. By the way, Feather transferred over to you guys and she's over there with your pilots kiddo.”

“Oh I see,” Jet looked over to see Feather with the rest of the Next Gen Bronies group, “Hello Bass and PC.”

“Yo!” Bass grinned.

“Likewise,” Pound Cake kept his more professional demeanor. Seated to his left were a few more ponies. There was a light pink unicorn with a darker pink flowing mane. Next to her was a light grey pegasus with glasses, jet black hair, and rectangular framed glasses with his wing wrapped around the previous unicorn mare. Beside him to his left was another mare, this time a pegasus, violet coat and brown, slight fluffed, mane with her medical helmet still on. The one that really caught Jet's eye was a cybernetically enhanced red pegasus with a yellow and brown mane and one eye, one wing, and part of his front leg all replaced with metal and circuits. The other oddity of the group was a bat pony, grey coat with Light grey and black mane, and her eye color a bright red.

“Whoa,” Avia noticed the cyborg pegasus, “Um, can I ask what happened to you if that's okay?”

She asked gently and the stallion sighed a bitter sigh, “Long story.”

“Figured. What's your name?”

“Sergeant Slashwing Crystal,” he was slightly tense and scanned the room with a hint of paranoia, “48th United Equus Army Combat Engineer Battalion, now transferred to the Next Generation Joint Task Force.”

“Okay, what can you tell me about yourself?” Avia smiled.

Slash raised an eyebrow, “One: I am honest. And two: I am always paranoid. So if you don't mind is it okay if you direct your attention elsewhere?”

“Okay, okay,” Avia whispered under her breathe, “Geez what a dick.”

Aunt Scootaloo was busy introducing the others to her nephew, “Jet, I want you to meet Glitzy, JS, and Iris. They make up the ground assault squad with Pumpkin Cake leading the group.”

“Nice to meet you guys!”

“Hello Jet,” Glitzy, the pink unicorn, shook his hoof.

“Yes? Need me for something Glitz?” the grey pegasus with the glasses next to her glanced over.

“So let me get this straight. JS stands for,” Jump Jet squinted and pointed to him confused.

“Jet-Stream.” he told him with a bit of confusion as well in his voice.

“Wait wait wait, let me get this straight. You're Jet,” Jump Jet pointed to Jet Stream then to Jet Black of Team Nimbus, “He's Jet! I'M JET! Are there any other Jets I should know about?”

“Meow!” Squiggly the space centipede couldn't help but crawl in with a paper mask of Jump Jet's face.

“I'm done,” Jump Jet chuckled trotting back to his room, “If you need me, you know where!”

“Um, you forgot about me,” Iris spoke up as she removed her medical helmet.

“Oh sorry! That little bit had me in a chuckle. Nice to meet you, I'm Jump Jet,” he shook her hoof, “Nice to have another medic on board. We could always use the support.”

“You're welcome,” Iris smiled as she brushed her hair to the side. Avia decided to wander off with her plate of hot dogs.

-----

Brainstorm bumped into Avia in the hallway. He glanced up from his clipboard.

“Oh sorry! Hey, I've been looking for you. I have a surprise in my lab you might be interested in.”

“Alright, let's see it,” Avia shrugged. She followed Brainy back to the research bay of the ship and to his workshop tucked in the corner.

“Alright, I know how upset you are about losing Zoey as well. But fear not. Mac Book and I managed to rescue most of her AI programming, well actually all of it, but the resulting damage from the crash disabled her communications matrix. So we had to rebuild her, faster with more processing speed,” Brainy took his place at his control console and typed to activate a holoprojector to display a floating code of Zoey's AI, “Avia, I want to you meet Zoey 2.0.”

As he launched the program the ball of code morphed into the shape of a pony. The tiny hologram awoke from her slumber and Zoey took on the form of Avia herself.

“Wow! Hey you okay Zoey?”

The hologram stirred awake and looked about the room, “I am fine Miss Avia.”

“Whoa, Zoey, you look like me and you sound... Different,” Avia reached out to the holoprojector and touched it. Zoey reached a hoof out and as they touched Avia recoiled back not expecting the hologram to be solid.

“Hard Light Technology, thanks to the UPF and Lylat,” Brainstorm explained, “Go ahead.”

“Different?” Zoey looked up at her friend, “Different is good yes?”

“Yes, very good. I'm glad that you're okay. And you sound more-” Avia trailed off.

“Organic? Well yes. If I am to take a mortal form then I should play the part.”

“I still find it amazing that she was designed by humans as a weapon, flew through the portal to our world, and somehow managed to become self aware questioning her existence as an AI programmed to kill,” Brainstorm thought out loud.

“To be fair Brain, when I became self aware the only statistic I truly cared for were the lives I saved. I now understand that I am more than a killing machine. I believe I have a soul.”

“This is great, thank you Brainstorm,” Avia sighed. Zoey blinked from the projector and reappeared as a full sized pony who sat next to Avia. Brainy reconfigured some parameters and gave a device to Avia.

“Take this. It's the device that allows Zoey her freedom of movement around our world. Also, I'd like to show you one more thing in the hangar bay.”

“Got it, let's go then,” Avia got up and trotted with them to the hangar bay. In her parking space was a plane draped in a cloth to conceal the contents with an orange pegasus stallion standing by. His long black mane and tail hiding a laptop computer interfaced with the fighter.

“There you are Masayuki. I'd like you to meet Panavia Tornado, Rainbow Dash's daughter.”

“Konichiwa!” Masayuki bowed, “Your new plane is almost ready. I just have to run some avionics tests for the final run up.”

Jump Jet walked in to see the new planes in the hangar, “Wow! Shiny!”

“Oh that's my brother. Don't mind him,” Avia looked at the fighter under the tarp, “Do you mind if we can take it off?”

“Hai,” Masayuki pulled the tarp off the new aircraft. The sleek variable geometry design of the fighter was the first thing that caught Avia's eye. With swept forward wings that could fold into the main fuselage like a switchblade and two elevator/stabilizers that moved up and down to enable supercruising abilities. It was none other than the newest Applebloom Enginneering prototype: the X-02 Wyvern.

“Wow! T-The Wyvern?! I thought this plane was still in prototype form,” Avia touched a hoof to her new plane.

“We had some help from the Federation! Parts from their earlier CFA-44 were used in this new design to speed up production,” Masayuki booted up the aircraft, “It is done Avia-san.”

“Thank you. I don't know what to say,” Avia was touched. As she climbed into the cockpit she noticed a circular hole about the same size as Zoey's holoprojector, “Is this?”

“That is an interface node for Zoey's AI to meld with the fighter. Try it out!” Brainstorm smiled as he pointed to the node.

“Got it,” Avia plugged the device in and the plane's computer screens and holograms all lit up, “Wow! This is really nice! Can't wait to get some flying hours in this thing.”

“I've done my best to maintain it, like how my father used to teach me,” Masayuki explained, “My mother and father were good friends with your family Avia-san. My father was part of Sky Buster's ground crew back in the day.”

“Things have come full circle huh?” Avia smiled as she closed the canopy. She yelled to Masayuki past the glass, “I'm just gonna run some flight sims with Zoey to get used to this new fighter! Thanks a lot Yuki!”

“Hai!” Masayuki saluted as Avia's canopy faded to black tint and she was engulfed in the immersive flight sim.

Ship rushed into the hangar as Avia started.

“Hate to break it to you guys, but we got an urgent mission request from two sources. We can only choose one to concentrate our forces for a massed assault or spread ourselves on both missions and hope our numbers will suffice. Jet!”

“Heard you! What are our two options?”

“Well, there is some bad news regarding reports of a Pulsar cell operating on Equus in the country of Kyrat. It seems like the king, Pagan Min, has allied himself in secret with the Pulsar just like Starlight Glimmer. The other mission is a request from the UPF to curb another Pulsar cell operating on their heavily irradiated planet of New Echo. Support options for the Kyrat mission include help from the EUF or if we choose the UPF mission we get their support as well as Lylat. So, as the ground assault leader which do you think is best Jet?”

“We'll have to go on both. I think we got the numbers. Nelly will lead a team to New Echo and I will lead my team to Kyrat. With our new members we should be able to handle this. Let's move!”