Star Wars: A Second Chance

by Dorath

First published 1st of February, 2016

Shipwrecked on Equestria, Revan Vao, agent of the Jedi Council, tries to adjust from dealing with the nastier parts of galactic civilization to living in a land built on Harmony and Friendship.

As an agent of the Jedi Council, Revan Vao, distant descendant of Republic Hero Mission Vao, has seen some of the worst examples of sapient behavior that the Republic can offer, when a freak occurrence forces her to crash on Equestria, she is stuck with no way home. Now she just has to adapt to a land based upon Harmony and Friendship and filled with talking ponies.

A HiE-style Star Wars/MLP crossover.

Featured on 07/09/16, thanks everyone!

Final edits and revisions (hopefully) finished on 02/13/17 06/23/17.

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Rated Teen for (mostly fictitious) language, innuendo, violence, and Cloud Kicker. Romance tag for later chapters, and Gore tag for a few specific chapters.

This work is a not-for-profit endeavor, no copyright infringement is intended, please don't sue me or any other party that distributes this work.

Ch. 1; Any Landing You Can Walk Away From

Log Entry 289:
I’m still not sure why the Order sent me after this Felanil Zhug character. Why is a smuggler and tomb robber so important? Still, Master Neece was explicit, “Pursue him wherever he may flee, and bring him back alive”. Considering how far out on the Rim I am, I hope this Zhug is worth all of this effort. Maybe he knows the location of a cache of holocrons or a lost temple? Or did he do something to get one of the senators after him?

Log Entry 290:
I tracked Zhug to an empty system with some help from my contacts in the bounty hunter guilds. No habitation, chaos, not even any planets! Just a K-class star, and an old hyperspace buoy. And I mean old. The thing looked like it predated the Mandalorean invasion. I managed to slice some of the files, and it turns out that someone downloaded a set of hyperspace coordinates from it only two days ago. It’s the only lead I have right now, so it looks like I get to play explorer and set out for Wildspace.

Log Entry 291:
Ten days down, and another 4 to go according to the navicomp. Wherever this system is, it is definitely isolated from the charted portions of the galaxy. Maybe Zhug is looking to lie low for a while? I just hope nothing goes sideways, or things could get charlie foxtrot very easy being this far out into the unknown. Wait, did I just … oh crap! I just invoked Murphy! Crap! Crap! Crap!

A jarring alarm shrieked through the confines of the old Fireshark-class blastboat, dragging Revan Vao, Jedi knight and former mercenary, out of a maintenance hatch and towards the cockpit at a dead run. The cyan-skinned twi’lek threw herself into the pilot’s chair as the ship shook around her and warning displays flashed on the monitors. “Caught between two mass shadows? How is that even possible?” Revan wondered as she grabbed the flight stick and braced for an unplanned, and uncontrolled, reversion to realspace.

As hyperspace collapsed around the ship and more alarms began to blare, Revan felt a chill clawing at her spine as she realized that a vitally important sound was conspicuously absent, just as a new set of alerts flashed on the main monitor.

Damage Control
* Hyperspace Drive: Offline
* Main Engines: Offline
* Maneuvering Thrusters: Offline
* Navicomp: Offline
* Long Range Sensors: Offline
* Concussion Field: Offline
* Ray Shielding: Offline
Alert
* Reactor unstable, automatic failsafe systems engaging.
Alert
* Current course will result in collision with planetary mass. Alter course at once.

As her ship hurtled at the blue-green planet that was quickly filling her viewport, Revan had only one thing to say, “Frelling Murphy.”

Rainbow Dash, self-proclaimed fastest flyer in Equestria and future Wonderbolt, was lazing on a cloud, indulging in a little early-evening sky gazing, when her solitude was broken by a blonde-maned, lavender pegasus landing beside her. “Slacking off again, boss?”

Rainbow turned a half-serious glare at the newcomer, “Shouldn’t you be off tormenting Blossomforth, or trying to seduce somepony, Cloud?”

“Blossom is busy tonight, and what do you mean trying to seduce somepony?” Cloud Kicker asked, her attempt at sounding wounded by Rainbow’s jibe ruined by the grin that stretched her muzzle.

Rainbow simply rolled her eyes at her old friend’s antics, before looking up and pointing into the sky, “Hey, a shooting star! Cool!”

The two ponies watched the streak of light for a few moments in companionable silence. “I think it’s going to hit Mount Everfree,” Cloud observed, her interest in the distant object sharpening.

Rainbow started to nod her head, then stopped, her magenta eyes going wide, “Cloud, did you see that?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yeah ...”

“That shooting star just changed trajectory, right?”

“Not by much, but yes Rainbow, it did.” Both mares were now on their hooves, staring intently into the night. A moment later, the pegasi reflexively squinted their eyes against the sudden flash of light in the distance as the supposed shooting star impacted with the Everfree Forest.

“I gotta go see this!” Rainbow Dash declared, a quick flap of her wings pushing her off the cloud to hover in the air, “Hey, Cloud, go get Twilight, huh? I bet we could use that big brain of hers to figure out what that is!” she tossed over her shoulder before disappearing towards the distant forest in a multi-colored streak.

“Damn it, Rainbow, wait!” Cloud Kicker yelled futilely at the dwindling figure. With a resigned sigh, Cloud began flying towards Golden Oaks Library to fetch Ponyville’s resident polymath.

The shooting star had torn through the Everfree, leaving shattered trees and a trench gouged in the earth to mark its passing, before coming to a rest a few hundred pony-lengths from the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow Dash landed not far from the end of the furrow, gazing in wonder at the strange object before her. It looked like it was made of metal, whatever it was, and definitely had a manufactured feel to it. Partially buried in the dirt, flickering lights spilled out of the rents and gashes that marred its side, while part of it seemed to have crumpled in upon itself, and Rainbow could feel the heat radiating off it.

‘Aliens!’ Rainbow thought excitedly, ‘Just like in the comics!’ Her slow approach to what she was now certain was a starship came to a stop as a hatch suddenly slid open, revealing a figure backlit by the same wavering lights that poured out of the tears in the ship’s hull. Bipedal, the creature looked like it was maybe a head or two taller than Rainbow, and had black skin, except for on its hands and head, where the skin became the same light blue as Rainbow’s own fur. Instead of a mane, two short tentacles descended from the back of the alien’s head, while it kept one foreleg wrapped around its barrel. ‘No, bipeds call those arms.’

Actually, the alien looked pretty bucked up to Rainbow. Its left arm was hanging limp by its side, it was covered in blood, there were several lacerations marring its strange, muzzleless face, and … ‘Oh Celestia! Its right eye is gone!’ Her previous elation replaced with shock and concern, Rainbow took a step forward, her movement drawing the injured alien’s attention.

For a long moment the pony and alien merely stared at one another, when a hissing roar from within the ship broke their daze, ‘Dragon?’ Rainbow wondered in confusion, just before shooting flames and a pressure wave blasted out the ship’s open hatch, rolling over the alien before slamming into Rainbow and smashing her back into a tree, driving consciousness from her.

Ch. 2; Waking Up In A Strange Place

Rainbow Dash’s head felt like Applejack had bucked it, and her back hurt. This was not how a pony was supposed to feel when waking up from a nap. Wait … hadn’t she been in the Everfree? Looking for the … aliens! Rainbow jerked upright, before the agony in her head and the light, ‘Cruel, treacherous light!’ stabbing into her eyes caused her to stop with a pained hiss.

“Easy there, sugarcube,” a familiar voice drawled, while a steadying hoof gripped her shoulder. “How ya feelin’?”

“Like I got run over by a cart,” Rainbow groaned, her eyes squeezed shut, “Is, is the alien okay?”

“Well, she is definitely doing better-ish,” replied a second, equally familiar voice.

Rainbow finally peeled her eyes open and looked around. She was sitting on a couch in Applejack’s living room, the farmpony beside her, and Twilight Sparkle, Cloud Kicker and Fluttershy were clustered around the long dining room table that the alien was laying on. Her black skin, ‘No, her clothes, duh Rainbow,’ had been peeled down from her arms and barrel, except for a strip of grey cloth wrapped around a pair of mounds on her barrel. The alien’s left arm was splinted and had been put up in a sling, while the numerous burns and cuts on her body, other arm and legs had been dressed as well. More bandages were wrapped tightly around her barrel for about a hoof’s-length below those weird mounds, and somepony had tied another bandage over the ruins of her face.

Confronted with her second, clearer, look at an actual alien, Rainbow immediately asked the first thing that popped through her mind, “Umh … how do we know she’s a mare?”

Cloud just chuckled and pointed a hoof at the mounds on the alien’s barrel, “Those are breasts, Rainbow, like what a minotaur cow has.”

“Yes, well, anyway,” Twilight began, her and Fluttershy both a bit red-faced at Cloud Kicker’s casual explanation, “She seems to be stable, despite her rather extensive injuries, and hopefully she’ll wake up soon.”

“Judging by her body, she’s a tough one. She ought to be up and about pretty quick,” Cloud mused, before she registered the shocked expressions on Applejack, Rainbow and Twilight’s faces, and the reproachful frown she was getting from Fluttershy. “What? No!” she reared-up to frantically wave her hooves at the other mares in denial, “I didn’t mean it like that! I meant all the scars Fluttershy and I found when we were bandaging her up!” Cloud gave a relieved sigh and self-consciously rubbed the back of her neck as the other ponies relaxed and stopped giving her looks.

Rainbow perked-up in her seat, the pain in her head temporarily forgotten, as she considered Cloud’s explanation, “Scars? You mean like a prize fighter or an adventuring explorer?”

“Or it could jus’ be she’s a guardpony, or even a criminal,” Applejack countered, shaking her head at her friend’s flight of fancy.

“Naw, she’s cool, I know it, and criminals aren’t cool,” Rainbow retorted, crossing her forelegs over her barrel, “Well, except for pirates.”

The other four mares just exchanged looks and rolled their eyes in amusement.

As awareness returned, Revan kept her eyes closed and took stock of her situation, ‘Let’s see, I’m half naked, lying on what might be a table, and I feel like death warmed over. My arm is in a splint, my face feel likes a kath hound has been gnawing on it, and my ribs have been bound up tight. Far from the best condition I’ve ever woken up in, but not the worst, either.’

‘Someone patched me up, but this doesn’t feel like a medical table. I’m pretty sure I saw a domesticated herdbeast outside the ship just before the fuel cells blew, so it’s probably some local who came to investigate the commotion,’ Revan thought, ‘Well, I guess it’s time to meet my benefactor,’ she opened her eyes and … gaped in bewilderment.

Firstly, her right eye had been bound shut. Secondly, she was lying on a wooden table in a rather primitive-looking house. Thirdly, the only beings to be seen were five domesticated herdbeasts, like the one she saw early, ‘Wait that one over there on the couch is the same one from the crash …’ All of the creatures were vibrantly colored, with large eyes, three of them had feathery wings, the fourth a horn, and the fifth … was wearing a hat?

‘Okay, this may be one of the weirder dreams I’ve ever had. But it’s not supposed to hurt in a dream … one way to be sure,’ Revan reached over and grabbed her left arm under the sling, hard, “Mother pus-bucket getting ass-raped by a wookie!”

The five creatures jerked back, their oddly expressive faces showing a mixture of alarm and concern. Wiping the pain-sweat off her brow, Revan gave a sour laugh, “Well that settles that. I’m awake, your real, and to answer the obvious question, apparently I am that big of an idiot,” Revan’s brow furrowed as she saw the confusion on the locals’ faces, “And you don’t speak Basic, do you? Well, I have a few other options.”

<<Thanks for patching me up. Now what in chaos are you?>> she tried again in Bocchi, then repeated the exercise in Huttese, Mando’a, and finally, in desperation, even Rhyl. While it was clear that the quadrupeds were commenting to each other, they apparently didn’t speak any language Revan knew, “Well isn’t that just grand,” she groaned in irritation.

Currently at a loss for what to do, Revan looked around the room, with her gaze lingering on the exits. As she continued her survey of her new surroundings, Revan’s eye darkened when she saw her armor vest and weapons belt casually slung over the arm of another couch, ‘Easy now, Revan. They had to take off the armor to wrap my ribs, and removing the belt as well isn’t much of a stretch. I can see my blaster and lightsaber, and,’ she flexed her foot, ‘my vibrodagger is still in my boot, so I’m not unarmed. Let’s not go assuming the worst just yet.’ After a few measured breaths, the look in her eye lightened as Revan forced herself to relax, turning her attention back to the peculiar natives.

“An alien, a real, live, alien,” Twilight breathed, her eyes fixed on their odd visitor, her mind already cataloging and prioritizing the questions she wanted to ask. So many questions …

‘I know! Isn’t it awesome?” Rainbow crowed, as she and Applejack moved up to stand with the other ponies, “Maybe she’s a space princess, or a member of a sect of super warrior monks, or --” her excited rambling was cut off as Applejack put her hoof to Rainbow’s muzzle.

“Ah think ya been readin’ too many of them comic books. What we got here is somepony who’s been hurt, an’ needs some help. Let’s get that taken care of first, a’right?” Rainbow nodded sheepishly at her friend’s rebuke.

“She seems to be educated, or at least well-traveled, judging by the multiple languages she tried to talk to us with,” Twilight continued with her ruminations, ignoring her friends’ antics, “I need to research a translation spell, so we can communicate with one another properly.”

“Just don’t ask her what she said when she first woke up,” Cloud Kicker teased, “I don’t think your innocent ears could handle it,” at Twilight’s look, Cloud simply shrugged, “I grew up surrounded by guardponys, I know swearing when I hear it.”

Twilight blushed, shifting uncomfortably under Cloud Kicker’s amused gaze and the alien’s curious one, before the alien’s eye went back to roaming about the room. Her embarrassment was quickly forgotten as the alien raised her good arm to touch the bandage over her eye, only to have Fluttershy lunge forward and grab the alien’s arm in her hooves, despite the alien’s startled attempt to pull away. “No,” Fluttershy said, her quite voice firm, shaking her head at the alien for added emphasis.

‘Just like with one of her animal friends,’ Twilight thought in amusement, as the alien lowered her arm with an irritable sigh.

The alien was not done yet, however, as she forced herself into a seated position with a pained grunt. After a few slow breathes, the alien raised her head back to the watching ponies and pointed at the thick vest and pouch-festooned belt that Fluttershy and Cloud had removed so they could treat her injuries, “You want your things back?” Fluttershy asked. The alien merely cocked her head to one side, then pointed at her belongings again, before making a pulling gesture back towards herself.

Igniting her horn, Twilight wrapped the objects in question in her magenta aura, levitating them over to where the alien sat, her eye wide, talking to herself in her strange language. After quickly checking over her effects, the alien managed to strap on her belt, and get her vest mostly on, although not without some grudgingly allowed assistance from Fluttershy.

Having reclaimed her possessions, the alien stood up from the table with another grunt, looming over the gathered ponies. Starting for the exterior door, the alien quickly found her path blocked by Twilight and Fluttershy, “You’re hurt! You need to rest! If that’s alright with you…” protested the timid pegasus.

Twilight added her own pleas, “The Everfree isn’t safe at night, especially for an injured pony! Please, you need to stay,” the alien wouldn’t understand the words, but hopefully she would hear the tone …

The alien narrowed her eye and said something in her unintelligible tongue, before pointing at herself, then jabbing her finger emphatically at the door.

Applejack sighed, before gently pulling Fluttershy aside, “Ah don’t rightly like it maself, but if she’s set on leavin’, we don’t have any right ta naysay her.”

The alien seemed to understand the gist of what was going on, and walked past Twilight, who drooped her head unhappily, before turning at the door to look back at the group of mares. After silently regarding them for a few moments, the alien raised her hand to give an odd two-fingered wave, before spinning on her heel and disappearing through the door out into the night.

The five ponies stood in silence for a time, reflecting on their rather peculiar night, even by Ponyville standards. Eventually, Twilight broke the quiet, “Well, it’s late, and I need to send a letter to the Princesses about what happened,” she bit her lip, casting a troubled glance at the front door, “And worrying isn’t going to help anything, right now.”

Rainbow threw a foreleg over her friend’s shoulders, “Hey, cheer up, egghead, you’ll bookworm-up some way to talk to the alien, and me, AJ and Cloud will keep an eye on her until you do. Easy.”

Twilight looked over at the Cloud Kicker and Applejack, who both shrugged and nodded their agreement with Rainbow’s exasperatingly vague plan. Still, it was better than having no plan at all, and all the excitement was beginning to catch up with her, with all of them really. Shortly, Twilight and Cloud left for their own homes, while Rainbow and Fluttershy headed for Fluttershy’s house on the edge of the Everfree, Fluttershy having gently insisted that her impulsive friend stay with her for the night, on account of her head injury, while Applejack finally sought her own bed upstairs.

Ch. 3; Communications

“Dear Princess Celestia:

I hope this letter finds you well. As I am sure you are aware, a shooting star made landfall in the Everfree Forest earlier tonight. My friend, Rainbow Dash, investigated and found what appears to be a vehicle of some kind, as well as its operator. Unfortunately, both were injured in a detonation before any significant exchanges could take place. Don’t worry! Rainbow is alright, just bruised and a bit shook-up. The vehicle’s operator was more severely wounded, and we moved her (Cloud Kicker is quite certain the entity is a mare) to Sweet Apple Acres for medical care and stabilization.

The entity, or ‘alien’, regained consciousness later this evening. While not hostile, the lack of a common language has made interaction difficult, to say the least. The alien has also insisted, quite stubbornly to my mind, on returning to her damaged vehicle, rather than remain with us where she could receive additional medical care.

Given the enormity of this situation, I ask for your permission to investigate our visitor, in the hope of establishing meaningful contact with her. Also, could you suggest any research materials for developing a translation spell? While the stacks at Golden Oaks are most impressive for such a small town, I fear that they lack the specialized texts I currently require.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Please give my regards and greetings to Princess Luna, and advise her about our visitor. While I do not fully understand her dream-walking abilities, I suspect a surprise encounter with the dreams of an actual alien could be disquieting.”

“My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle:

While your desire to communicate with our visitor, as well as your concern over her welfare, fills me with pride, I must caution you against taking any unnecessary risks. Even the most goodhearted of ponies can lash out when gripped by pain, fear or confusion, and I am concerned that our alien guest may be experiencing all three.

As for your research, I have sent three tomes that I believe will be helpful via the post. They should be arriving within the day, or tomorrow at the latest.

I ask that you keep me informed on your progress, and please exercise care in your investigations and initial interactions with the alien.

Your mentor, Princess Celestia

P.S. Luna asked me to return your salutations, and to thank you for your concern.”

________________________________________

Log Entry 292:
The ship looks like chaos, and I’m honestly not sure how much point there is in actually trying to salvage it, given my initial inspection results. Eh, I’ll do an actual damage control accounting once the sun comes up. At least I found a working datapad to make this log entry in.

I did meet some of the local populace tonight. They seem all right, patched me up and didn’t try to quarantine or dissect me or anything. Also, they are just so damn adorable! Maybe it’s the cranial trauma and general injuries talking, but I swear I just want to grab them, hug them, and squeal like a youngling! Thank the Force no one is likely to ever hear these recordings, I don’t think my reputation would survive.

Log Entry 293:
Well, that question is answered, between getting yanked out of hyperspace, the crash, and the fuel cells exploding, this ship will never fly again. The drives are kaput, several of the higher-end electrical systems are dead, and the hull will never be space-worthy again with the repairs I can do here. Oh, and I can’t get the reactor to go above 15% output.

It’s not a complete write-off, though, rudimentary computer functions still work, and I have basic sensors within a 100-meter radius, so the local wildlife isn’t likely to get the drop on me. Plumbing and water-recycling are both fine, and life support is working at 70% efficiency. More than enough, seeing as I have a breathable atmosphere outside and don’t have to deal with the temperature extremes of deep space. In addition, the galley actually came through mostly intact, which is just bizarre.

Sadly, Medical is another matter, I was only able to salvage three medpacs, everything else is so much scrap. The personnel quarters are in the same state, and it’s going to be a singed blanket on the deckplates and all of two changes of clothes from now on. Just like back in the slave pen.

“Dear Princess Celestia:

Thank you for the tomes you sent, they have been very helpful, especially Cunning Tongue’s theories on meta-symbolism and the linguistic transference charms of the zebras. (Although I do wish Cloud Kicker would stop giggling whenever I mention them.) I feel confident that I will be able to engage our alien visitor in an actual conversation soon.

Applejack, Cloud Kicker and Rainbow Dash have been taking turns checking in on our currently nameless friend (if I may be so bold as to assume against our hopeful future relationship), and she appears to be doing better. According to my friends’ reports, she is often doing repairs to the hull of her ship, or engaged in what seems to be meditation outside.

Thanks to her “pinkie-sense”, Pinkie Pie quickly became aware of our visitor, but, happily, Applejack and I were able to persuade her that a “Welcome to Ponyville/Equestria” party should wait until after we are all able to speak with one another.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle”

Log Entry 294:
Something is up, I’ve been here the better part of a week now, but the only folk I’ve seen are those five natives from the first night. Three of the five have shown up at my ship over the last few days, whether to keep an eye on me, or just out of curiosity, I’m not sure. (Well, the blue, winged one with the polychromatic mane may just be looking for a place to grab some sack time, she’s been here three times now, and took a nap each one.) But there has been no sign of Customs and Immigration, Security, or local troops, my “landing” was not subtle by any stretch, so where is the government? A meteor (at least) comes crashing out of the sky, and no one bothers to investigate? I don’t buy it.

On the plus side, regular uses of a healing trance have mostly repaired my burns, bruises and lacerations, and my ribs are now merely strained instead of cracked. My arm is still in bad shape, however, (it was really broken), and my eye is beyond salvaging.

I’d like to get back to fighting shape as soon as possible, especially given the suspicious lack of interest in my arrival. There is plenty of plant- and animal-life in this forest, I could just … no. I’ve walked that road before, and I know just how easy it is to slip, I won’t start down that path again merely because I’m too impatient to take the time I need to heal.

“Dear Princess Celestia:

I did it! The translation spell is ready! I am going to go try it on our alien visitor later today, hopefully I will have plenty to report to you tonight.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle”

Twilight Sparkle, personal student to the Princess of the Sun and Librarian of Ponyville, waved at the distant figure of Big Macintosh as she cut through Sweet Apple Acres on her way to the Everfree Forest. Beside her happily trotted Fluttershy, the handle of a first aid kit gripped in her mouth and a smile on her lips.

The shadows of the forest wrapped around the pair as they moved further away from Ponyville. Her friends had assured Twilight that the alien’s crash site wasn’t very far into the forest, a revelation that she had accepted with some relief. While the more dangerous beasts usually stayed to the deeper parts, even the outer edges of the Everfree were unsettling, and could hold hidden dangers. Still, a few minutes’ walk quickly brought the ponies safely to their destination.

The spacecraft’s violent arrival had toppled trees, creating a small clearing about the downed vessel, and leaning against the ship’s hull was the alien, for all the world as if she had been expecting the two mares, dressed just as when they had last seen her, except that she had left off the vest this time.

“Um, yes, h-hello,” Twilight stammered, the magnitude of what was about to happen, and what it could potentially mean for Equestria, leaving her somewhat tongue-tied. Taking a deep breath to pull herself together, Twilight forged ahead, “We met at Applejack’s a few nights ago, do you remember? Fluttershy and I wanted to make sure you were doing alright.” The alien merely cocked her head to the side and said something in her incomprehensible language. ‘Probably commenting on how she still cannot understand me,’ Twilight berated herself, flushing slightly in embarrassment. Stepping forward, Twilight ignited her horn, then raised a hoof to point from it to the alien’s forehead. She repeated the gesture a few more times, before the alien, whether out of comprehension or simple curiosity, pulled away from the hull and dropped to one knee, bringing her head down to the same level as Twilight’s. A beam of magenta light lashed out, connecting pony and alien for a brief moment, before the alien fell backwards in surprise.

“What the frelling chaos was that?!”

“I’m sorry! I needed to establish a connection so the translation matrix … do you understand me?”

“… Yes?”

Twilight began bouncing around the clearing like a little filly, “I did it! I did it! I did it!”

The alien turned her mystified gaze to Fluttershy, “Is this … normal?”

The yellow native dropped the box she was carrying, ‘Was that a medical kit?’ and lowered her head to hide behind her long pink mane before replying in a voice not much louder than a whisper, “Twilight can be a little excitable at times. Could, could I check on your injuries? If it’s okay with you, that is…”

‘Wow, this, uh whatever she is, is really shy,’ Revan reflected with amusement, ‘Makes me want to hug her even more,’ after a moment’s consideration, the Jedi shifted backwards so her ship’s hull could support her back as she sat on the ground, “Go ahead. I try not to argue with medics.”

The small quadruped leaned forward to examine Revan’s exposed skin, her eyes widening when she saw that most of the injuries had already mended, “Oh my, you heal very quickly, did you use magic?”

‘Magic? Really?’ Revan thought in bemusement, “Trade secret,” she raised her voice to make sure Miss Happy Dance would hear, “So, I’m not sure what the proper, diplomatic way to say this is, but … what are you?”

“Oh my!” the purple one stumbled to a halt, her cheeks reddening, “Right, introductions. I’m Twilight Sparkle, and that’s Fluttershy next to you.”

‘It’s an entire race of living cute, I’m so doomed. And of course her name is as cute as she is. What else would it be?’

The native looked up from her examination to give Revan a timid smile, “Hello.”

“We’re Ponies,” Twilight continued, sounding like a teacher giving a lecture, “Specifically, I’m a Unicorn and Fluttershy is a Pegasus. There are also Earth Ponies, like Applejack whom you also met when you arrived. Then there are the Thestrals, which are a sub-species of pegasi, and the Crystal Ponies who are a sub-species of all three tribes,” Twilight paused in her discourse to give Revan an expectant look.

“My turn, then?” Revan couldn’t help but grin a little at the unicorn’s eagerness, “I’m Revan Vao, a knight of the Jedi Order, and my race are called twi’leks,” she raised her hand to stop Twilight before the unicorn could launch into what she could already tell would be a full-on interrogation, “Look, I know you have questions. Chaos, I have a few of my own, but I’d rather not have to do this three or four dozen times. Is there anyone I should be talking to first? Some authority or governmental representative or something? I’m pretty much stuck here, and I don’t want to start out on the wrong side of the law if it can be avoided.”

The unicorn nodded, “Yes, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rule Equestria, as a representative of a foreign power, you really should meet with them as soon as reasonably possible. I’ll write them a letter as soon as I get home and make the arrangements.”

“Alright,” Revan replied. ‘“Make the arrangements?” Does she have direct contact with the ruling monarchs or something? Just who is this girl?’ “Of course, my meeting people depends on my fit-rep,” she turned a half-smile on the little pegasus beside her, “So, what’s the diagnosis, Miss Fluttershy?”

“Oh, please just call me Fluttershy, if it’s alright with you…” the bashful mare responded, “Your lesser injuries should be fully healed tomorrow or the day after at worst, and I believe your ribs should be finished mending within a week or so. Your arm … your arm is going to take at least another month to heal, and … a-and there’s nothing that even healing magic can do for your e-eye anymore … I’m so sorry!” the poor pony looked on the verge of tears as she finished.

The pegasus gave a startled “eep” as Revan impulsively drew her into a rough, one-armed hug, “Hey, hey, it’s alright, I knew the eye was a lost cause already, and the rest will heal with time. It’s alright.”

Twilight step forward to give her friend a comforting nuzzle, while Revan almost immediately pulled away from the ponies and focused rather intently on the forest, her own cheeks darker than they had been just a moment ago. After a few seconds of awkward silence, she pulled herself to her feet with a small groan, “Well, you have a letter to write, and I’m sure ‘Shy here has other patients to see too. And I have more work to do if I want to make this crate livable again. So, we should all be about it, I guess. Let me known when you’ve set things up with these Princesses,” with that, Revan palmed the hatch controls and slipped inside, leaving the two mares outside to stare at the closed portal.

Fluttershy turned to Twilight in a mixture of anxiety and confusion, “Was it something we said?"

Ch. 4; Introductions And Revelations

“My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle:

Thank you for keeping me up-to-date on your activities. In regards to your request and Miss Revan’s desire to present herself officially to the government, I believe that can be arranged. If you would be willing to bring her to Canterlot at the end of the Day Court on the day after tomorrow, I believe that would provide Luna and me with sufficient time to make any necessary arrangements.

While your letter indicates that Miss Revan does not seem to see herself as an emissary, it is a promising sign that she is so readily willing to abide by our laws. In addition, you are quite correct, foreign dignitaries, even reluctant ones, are of direct interest to the throne. Having her recognized and her status formalized should simplify her time in Equestria, both socially and legally.

I look forward to seeing you, and to what I suspect will be an interesting conversation with the “knight of the Jedi” that has found herself in our fair land.

Your mentor, Princess Celestia

P.S. If your friends are available, please extend our invitation to accompany yourself and Miss Revan to Canterlot. Luna and I would greatly enjoy seeing them again.”

“So, what’s she like?” Applejack, farmpony and daughter of the Apple clan, asked as she strolled through the late morning forest.

“Pleasant enough, if a bit coarse,” her companion replied, “Actually she’s rather odd. One moment she’s comforting Fluttershy, the next, she’s almost running away from us,” Twilight shook her head at the alien’s confusing behavior.

“Huh. Well, Fluttershy does have a way of makin’ other ponies feel protective of her. As for tha rough-talk, as long as she remembers ta curb it around Apple Bloom an’ tha other foals, it’s no skin off my muzzle,” Applejack chuckled at the unicorn’s puzzled glance, “Even if this Miss Revan wants ta be left ta herself, do ya really think tha Crusaders will leave somepony as interestin’ as her be?” Twilight could only give a giggle of her own as she thought back to some of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ more colorful attempts at earning their cutie marks.

The two ponies left the forest’s shade to find the twi’lek once again waiting for them, “Good morning, Miss Revan,” Twilight called out, “Are you ready for our trip to Canterlot?”

“Ready enough. Just don’t ask me for any acrobatics,” Revan looked Applejack over, “I’ve seen you before.”

“Howdy, name’s Applejack. Right glad ta see that yer doin' better,” the farmpony held out a hoof, which Revan solemnly shook, ‘Kind of a quiet one, or is that jus’ nerves?’

“Well, we better get going if we want to make our train.”

Revan raised a hand to stop the ponies, “Yea, about that, Twi’, are you sure having me tromping through your town is such a good idea?”

‘Quick with tha nicknames, ain’t she?’ Applejack thought, “This’ll jus’ help tha ponies get used ta their new neighbor a bit faster, is all, Ponyville’s a right nice place, if ya give it a chance.”

Twilight nodded in agreement, “Trying to sneak around would take more time than we can afford, and would just make ponies nervous, instead of setting their minds at ease.”

Apparently their explanations were enough for Revan, who simply nodded. The walk to Ponyville Station was quite, except for the murmurs and occasional exclamation from the ponies they passed. The twi’lek kept her thoughts to herself, being more interested in taking in her surroundings, while Twilight was obviously trying to keep her questions in check until they caught up with the rest of the gang. As for, Applejack, she just enjoyed the walk while trying to give Revan the once over without staring.

The knight, according to what Twilight had said, stood about as tall as Princess Luna, and moved with a controlled grace that meshed well with the whipcord muscles that could be seen in her exposed stomach and arms. Cloud Kicker had been right, a number of scars were easily visible now that Applejack was walking next to her, ‘Looks like she’s had a rough time of it. Dash is goin’ ta be disappointed that she’s a guardpony an’ not somethin’ out of tha comic books or a Daring Do novel.’

The platform was practically empty at this hour, making it easy for them to find Spike and the other mares, while introductions went about how Applejack expected, as Pinkie Pie immediately sprang forward, pushing herself up into Revan’s face with a smile, “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! Your name is Revan, right? That’s an interesting name, I wonder if it means anything? Welcome to Ponyville! What’s your favorite color? Was it fun living in space? Do you like cupcakes?”

Revan jerked back at the sudden invasion of her personal space, her working hand dropping to a metal cylinder on her belt for a moment, before she recovered, “Yes, not that I know of, thank you, red, it had its moments, what’s a cupcake?”

Pinkie’s mouth actually dropped open at the last answer, “What is a cupcake? What is a cupcake?! Only one of the most delicious things ever! Unless, you favor muffins like Ditzy and Cloud do …”

Rarity took Pinkie by the foreleg, interrupting the developing tirade before it could gather steam, “Yes, Pinkie darling, I’m sure Dame Revan will enjoy trying some of your pastries later, but we are a bit pressed for time right now,” the fashionista nodded at the approaching train, “Perhaps we can continue inside?”

The group quickly found an empty car and spread themselves out, with Revan deliberately putting her back into a corner, ‘Poor filly jus’ can’t seem ta relax. Well, Ah suppose a new world an’ all could be a might overwhelmin’.’

Rarity spoke up again as the assembled mares, and one dragon, got comfortable, “My apologies for Pinkie’s behavior, Dame Revan, she can be rather exuberant, especially when she meets new people, but she does mean well. My name is Rarity, and I would like to extend my greetings as well, and offer you a warm welcome to Equestria.”

Revan inclined her head at Rarity’s rather formal welcome, “My thanks, Miss Rarity.”

A certain blue weatherpony waved a lazy hoof from the bench she was sprawled across, “Hey, the name’s Rainbow Dash," suddenly sitting up straight, Rainbow fixed Revan with an excited grin, “So what made you crash like that? Pirates? A tear in reality? Space dragons?”

Applejack shook her head at her friend's fanciful questions, ‘Tears in reality an' space dragons, now? Dash needs ta lay off tha comic books for a mite.’

Revan raised a finger, preparing to explain what led to her presence in Equestria, while Rainbow, Spike and the other mares reflexively leaned forward in their eagerness, “Mechanical failure. Extreme mechanical failure and tempting Murphy,” as her audience gaped at her in a mixture of confusion and disappointment, Revan turned to the last member of the little group, “And who, and what, might you be?”

Spike stood up as straight as he could and puffed his chest out, “I’m Spike, Twilight’s Number One Assistant, and I’m a dragon.”

“A dragon, eh?” Spike wilted a little under the twi’lek’s amused gaze, “You’re certainly smaller than the dragons I’ve heard of, but then, they won’t shake hands.” The little dragon’s spirits lifted as he grasped the offered hand, ignoring the smiles and chuckles from the watching mares, along with the quite “d’aww” from Fluttershy.

Twilight had dug a notebook and pen out of her saddlebags and quickly launched into the inevitable questions, “Who is this ‘Murphy’, Miss Revan? A deity perhaps? And what does she -- is it a she? -- have to do with mechanical failures?”

Revan shrugged and indulged Twilight’s curiosity, “Murphy is a personification of the perversity of the universe. He gives a name to the simple fact that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong,” she reached up and began to idly stroke one of her head-tentacles as she continued her explanation, “Some cultures call him Glitch, the god of frellups, and actually swear by him, but it’s all basically the same thing. The only real tenet to ‘Murphyisim’, I guess you’d call it, is that you mustn’t say anything that could be seen as either a challenge or an invitation to Murphy, or you risk him deciding to show up and frell your life over.” Revan gave a wry half-smile, “A lot of soldiers and spacers actually take it pretty seriously, myself included, even if my head knows it’s just a silly superstition.”

Revan’s easy reply opened the floodgates, and soon she was answering questions about where she came from and life in space, while the Equestrians did their best satisfy her own curiosity, ‘Billions of worlds in this Republic? Thinkin’ about all those ponies, uh, folks, makes ma head hurt.’ It quickly became clear that she was skeptical about some of the ponies’, and dragon’s, explanations, however, especially anything to do with magic, or how the princesses controlled the sun and moon. ‘Eh, she jus’ needs some time ta realize that we ain’t pullin’ her leg is all. Still, it’s nice ta see her relax and open up some.’

“Excuse me, darling, but I just had to enquire about your ensemble …” Rarity inquired, no longer able to contain her curiosity, or her faint overtone of disapproval.

'Ah knew she’d ask about that eventually,’ Applejack grinned to herself, ‘A mite surprised she waited this long, actually.’

Revan glanced down at herself, “What? Is an old pair of trousers, a sport’s bra and a blast vest not proper attire for meeting royalty?” she looked solemnly into Rarity’s flabbergasted face for a several seconds, before breaking down into snickering laughter, “Oh, the expression on your face!” Revan took a few moments to regain her composure, before continuing, “I’m sorry, it was just too easy to pass up. Yeah, this isn’t a dress uniform or anything, but it’s the cleanest of what I have left.”

The fashionista pursed her lips, both at the teasing and the implications raised by Revan’s explanation, still, there were more questions to be answered, “Blast vest, darling?”

Revan tapped the garment in question, “It’s a type of body armor.”

As the Equestrians looked at the newly identified protective gear curiously, Fluttershy voiced the question that had occurred to all of them, “Why would you need armor to go and meet the Princesses? If you don’t mind me asking …”

“Need it? Maybe yes, maybe no, we’ll have to see, wanting it is another thing. I haven’t gone unarmed since I was twelve, and I feel naked without my armor. And not the fun, sweaty kind of naked,” Revan’s slightly vulgar justification brought accepting, if somewhat troubled, nods from the Equestrians, accompanied by faintly enflamed faces for both Fluttershy and Twilight.

“Okay, that is just wrong,” Revan said, staring up at the massive bulk of the castle perched precariously on the side of the mountain, “There is no way that is structurally sound, seriously, how has it not collapsed under its own weight?”

“Canterlot Palace was built a thousand years ago by the finest architects and magecrafters in all of Equestria,” Twilight expounded to the twi’lek, “It was designed to be a lasting tribute to the Princesses, both enduring and beautiful.”

“Magecrafters? So it’s being held up by magic?” Revan facepalmed, before almost growling in her exasperation, “Is that going to be your explanation for everything on this world? ‘It’s magic. Oohh, a wizard did it! Physics and the laws of nature don’t work here because we have frelling magic!’” the gathered Equestrians fancied that they could almost hear the sound of her teeth grinding.

“Hey, now. Ah get that yer confused an’ getting frustrated by things bein’ different than what yer used ta, but that ain’t no cause ta be gettin’ all snappish with us,” Applejack chided Revan, who had the good graces to look at least a little ashamed of her outburst.

As the rather unusual band closed in on the Great Hall, the ponies and dragon began to chatter with anticipation, drawing more than a few looks from the palace staff and assorted notables that they passed. Their twi’lek companion, however, actually slowed her pace as they progressed, looking about herself with too much intensity for it to be mere interest in the assorted artworks on display or the passing ponies, who often stopped to gawp at the strange creature in their midst.

Eventually reaching the engraved doors of their destination, Twilight gave a placating smile to the two uneasy sentries standing outside, then cracked the doors open to peek within. “Okay, the Princess is wrapping things up, so we should go in as soon as we’re ready,” she said, her voice unconsciously dropping to a near-whisper.

The group exchanged a quick glance, before proceeding into the Hall, where the Equestrians immediately dropped into bows. “Your Highness,” Twilight called out as their diarch looked up at their arrival, “I would like to present Revan Vao of the Galactic Republic, knight of the order of the Jedi.” Revan seemed taken aback by the unicorn’s sudden formality, but quickly recovered to bow at the waist to the Princess.

Celestia beamed affectionately down at Twilight and her friends, before she turned her attention to the stranger from so very far away that stood in her court. “Welcome Dame Revan, while I understand that your arrival was rather … traumatic, I am grateful to see that you are mending, and I hope we are able to establish a civil and harmonious relationship between our two peoples.” Soft hoof-stomps from the few courtiers and scattering of common ponies still in the hall applauded their diarch’s salutation to the exotic looking dignitary that the Bearers of Harmony had brought before the throne.

The polite interest on the faces of many of the observing ponies immediately soured as the Jedi gave a snort worthy of Applejack and waved her hand dismissively, “Just Revan will do fine, your Highness. As for establishing relations, if that was what the Republic wanted, they’d have sent a consular from the Order, or a First-Contact team from the Senate Diplomatic Corps. I’m afraid all I am is a battered attack hound who went and got herself stranded here and is now wondering what your laws have to say about castaways and unintentional immigrants.”

Rarity, Twilight, and many of the court frowned at Revan for her blunt response to Celestia, but the solar diarch’s smile remained as gentle as ever, “Indeed. Then perhaps we should have that discussion in a less public venue,” rising from her throne, Celestia smiled out at her subjects, “I bid you all a good evening, my little ponies. Twilight, if you ladies, and Spike of course, would be so kind as to come with us?” With the Day Court dismissed, Celestia led the motley group out a side door and away from the already rising chatter amongst the nobles.

Once they had passed through the door, Celestia Astralis, the Unconquered Sun, sovereign diarch of Ponykind, Pony of the Three Tribes and Princess of the Sun, paused to give Twilight a brief but fierce neck-hug, “It’s good to see you again, Twilight. To see all of you again,” she smiled fondly at the assembled Equestrians, “As for you, Revan …”

The Jedi ran her hand over her head abashedly as the group walked down the hallway, “Yeah, I pretty much frelled it all up back there, didn’t I?”

“Language!” Twilight scolded her, nodding pointedly down to where Spike ambled alongside them.

“While your comments were definitely to the point, you could have shown more tact, darling,” Rarity observed.

Revan shrugged ruefully, “I’ve never been any good at diplomacy, but it’s been a while since I was as bad as in there,” she sighed, “So where are we going anyway? Bureaucratic processing? Prison or execution for my behavior? I mean, seriously, what’s the point of you girls and Spike coming along, never mind her Royal Ponyness here,” as she turned to look at her companions, Revan saw their expressions, and immediately reached up to pinch her nose, “I just did it again, didn’t I? What the chaos is wrong with me?!”

‘If this wasn’t so amusing, it would actually be a bit painful to watch,’ mused Celestia, “Where we are going would be here,” she said as she opened a door to reveal a small (for the palace) dining room, with a meal already laid and Luna seated at the far end, her back to an open balcony. “Ah, Luna, you’re here, excellent. Revan, this is my sister, Luna, lunar diarch and Princess of the Night. Luna, this is Revan Vao, knight of the Jedi,” Celestia’s smile grew wider as she continued in a teasing tone, “She doesn’t like titles and is suffering from an acute case of hoof in mouth disease,” Celestia waved the group toward the table with a hoof, as she seated herself opposite her sister.

While the ponies and dragon cheerfully greeted Luna and took their seats, Revan was much slower about it, the confusion obvious on her face, “What’s going on?”

“It’s called dinner,” Celestia explained, her voice still playful, “A popular meal here in Equestria. It also gives us a chance to speak informally and discuss those concerns you voiced in the Day Court.”

Despite the solar alicorn’s attempted levity, Revan seemed, if anything, even tenser, “No, this isn’t right. I disrespected the throne and made an ass of myself in Court and you’re just going to wave it off? And then invite me to a meal with both of the reigning royals, as well as whoever these girls really are? With no guards about? I wasn’t even searched for weapons! You can’t possibly be this trusting! What are you playing at? What’s your angle?”

Luna frowned at Revan’s outburst, but answered her evenly enough, “We are showing thou trust indeed, and are presenting thee a chance to prove that thou are worthy of it. We have no ‘angle’ as thou put it, mine sister and I are simply offering thou courtesy, honest curiosity and the possibility of camaraderie in the future, as the Bearers of Harmony have already done. Surely thy experience with the good ponies of Ponyville could not be the first time somepony has offered thee aid or solace without an ulterior motive?”

Revan gazed into the distance for a moment, her eye misty with old memories, “Yes, once, someone helped me just because she thought it was the right thing to do, was my friend just because she saw that I needed one ...” Revan’s face hardened and her voice turned harsh as she returned her focus to the here and now, “It got her killed.”

Luna flinched, while the others at the table stared at Revan in shock, “I must beg thy forgiveness, I did not mean to cause thou pain, I too understand the anguish of a past that will not give thou peace.”

‘Oh, Lulu, why can’t you forgive yourself? What the Nightmare did wasn’t your fault!’

Revan stared into Luna’s eyes for a time, while an anxious hush gripped the room, whatever she saw therein must have been enough to convince her, as her face slowly softened and her tense frame finally relaxed into her chair.

‘Perhaps … perhaps this knight from the stars, even with all of her crassness, and Luna can help each other heal ...’ “Equestria is a land that endeavors to be guided by harmony, understanding and friendship, Revan. It may seem naïve to you, but those are the aspirations we have always strived for, even if we occasionally fail to reach that goal, or others try to use our ideals against us,” Celestia and the other Equestrians resumed their meals, while Revan finally began her own. “It is my hope that you will come to understand, maybe even appreciate, our ways, as peculiar as you may find them now.”

The dinner passed in a pleasant silence for a time, with the Jedi pausing to watch in half-disturbed fascination as Pinkie devoured an entire tray of pastries, before Rainbow Dash restarted the conversation, “What does a Jedi knight do, anyway?”

Revan blinked up at the inquisitive faces surrounding her, “Umh, well, primarily we are the special envoys and agents of the Senate. Jedi handle extraordinary, or delicate, situations for the senators, assist local Security with taking out crime syndicates or special dignitary protection and such, investigate occurrences that are too dangerous or bizarre to leave to normal channels, help in peace negotiations between worlds or cultures … Support and defend those who can’t defend themselves … Ugh, I’m not explaining it well at all …”

“I believe thou have made a commendable effort,” Luna disagreed, “Thine Jedi sound much like an elite branch of the guard who also act as mediators, mixed somewhat with the heroes of old or from these modern comic books.”

“Eeeyup,” Applejack nodded in agreement, “But how can ya be so bad at fancy-talkin’ when it sounds like such a big part of what ya do?”

“Like I said before, I’m an ‘attack hound’,” Revan replied with a sour chuckle, “I was a bodyguard to the actual diplomats and investigators, or I was sent to deal with situations where peaceful negotiations were no longer an option.” She shrugged disparagingly, “When you spend your formative years in a slave pen or being whored out on the streets, it tends to screw up your social development.”

Revan’s blunt declaration left the gathered Equestrians aghast, before Fluttershy’s voice, raised almost to a shout in her agitation, broke the silence, “You were a slave?! They made you …” the rest of her words were swallowed up as six ponies and a dragon ponypiled onto the startled Jedi, knocking her clean out of her chair.

“How can ya talk about such horrible things so offhoof like?” Applejack demanded from where she was wrapped around the twi’lek.

“‘Own it and it can’t hurt you’ and all that.”

“I don’t think that philosophy was meant for circumstances as extreme as yours, darling,” Rarity demurred, as she joined the rest of her friends in their attempt to squeeze all of the air out of the Jedi.

:What do you think, Lulu?: Celestia sent her thoughts to her sister as they watched their subjects try their best to either comfort or crush Revan, who seemed rather happy for someone buried under a sextet of ponies (and a small dragon).

:Her graceless candor does have a certain charm, but she is mistrustful of others, and her spirit has more scars, and stains, than those she has admitted to. Moreover, can somepony who treats their own wounds so callously be trusted to not handle others in a like manner?: Luna frowned as she considered the Jedi, :And her eye has an emptiness such as I have not seen in anypony since mine return.:

:I am not denying that she is damaged, Lulu, but at least part of that is from trying to deal with her issues by herself,: Celestia thought pointedly, drawing a quick flush from her sister, :Remember our Champions from the old wars after we overthrew Discord? How hard it was for some of them to adjust to an Equestria that was finally at peace? Tell me, would Revan have been out of place among them? She is lost and alone, with no way to return to her home. Please, Sister, give her a chance.:

Luna nodded, :Thou may be right, ‘Tia, but I will need a last question answered before I decide,: she rapped a hoof on the table, drawing the attention of the group still sprawled on the floor, “Revan Vao, answer me this, and answer true, are thou a danger to our little ponies?”

“Jedi are always dangerous,” Revan slowly answered, “but I don’t want to hurt anyone …” she shifted uneasily under the alicorn’s continued scrutiny, “Look, I’m not a Master of the Order, but I am … adept at some pretty Dark powers …” Revan finally wilted under Luna’s unwavering gaze, and waved a hand in surrender, “Okay, you offered me trust and ask me for the truth, fine, at least I’ll be damned out of my own mouth. Yes, I’m a danger! Do I intend to harm anyone, no, but what I want doesn’t always matter!” Sitting up as straight as she could under her covering of ponies, the Jedi glared defiantly up at the younger diarch, “I will always be a threat, because I’m a trained killer and I can’t guarantee that I will never lose control of my powers! The question is, Princess, what will you do with me now that you know?”

Celestia carefully smoothed a pained look from her face as she watched the twi’lek’s defiant admission, ‘She actually expects us to imprison her, or worse. What could her Republic be like that a member of a group with such noble ideals as this Jedi Order can have so little belief in the kindness of others?’

Luna brooded down at Revan as the Ponyvillians looked back at her apprehensively, while the Jedi did the same with an air of grim expectation, before finally nodding to herself, “I bid thou welcome to Equestria, Revan Vao.”

Ch. 5; Meeting The Neighbors, Part 1

‘Why did I agree to this?’ Revan wondered as she sat in the town hall, making a desultory attempt at finishing the paperwork that the mayor had given her, while waiting for the clock to sound noon. The arrival of a familiar purple unicorn provided a welcome distraction from the tedium of bureaucratic bookkeeping, “Hey, Twi’, come to make sure I didn’t chicken out and take off to skulk about the forest like some deranged bogeyman?”

Twilight rolled her eyes at Revan’s poor jest, before giving the Jedi a friendly shoulder bump, “I know being officially presented to Ponyville isn’t your idea of fun, but it won’t be that bad. Just say hello, answer a few questions, and it will all be over,” she put her hoof on the seated twi’lek’s shoulder, “Your friends will be there if you need us.”

“Friends, you ponies throw that word around so easily,” Revan said, shaking her head in a mix of amusement and annoyance. Glancing back at the clock, she quickly dropped her forms in a basket and returned the quill pen she had been struggling with to its holder, “Looks like it’s that time.”

Heading for the front door, the pair quickly met with Mayor Mare, who gave them a professionally pleasant smile, “Ready?”

“Not really, but let’s get this dog and pony show over,” Revan immediately facepalmed, “And that means something completely different here, doesn’t it? No, don’t tell me, let’s … just get on with it.”

The Mayor’s smile slipped a little, but she nodded and led Revan and Twilight out the door and onto the porch, where the gathered ponies of Ponyville were waiting. “Good day, mares and gentlestallions, while I realize that Pinkie Pie normally sees to welcoming new ponies to town, the Princesses thought that something a bit more formal might be called for in this case. So, allow me to present Miss Revan Vao, formerly of the Galactic Republic, and Ponyville’s newest resident. I hope you will make her feel welcome in our little town.”

Stepping forward at the Mayor’s wave, Revan forced herself to relax as she looked out at the assembled throng of brightly colored quadrupeds that were currently stomping their forehooves on the ground, “So, yeah, hi! Looks like I’m going to be living here now, so I’ll try not to cause problems, and thanks for your hospitality. Did anyone have a question or two before we end?” Twilight had been rather adamant that she should answer some of the ponies’ queries.

Several ponies immediately raised a hoof into the air, only to begin shifting awkwardly as Revan simply stared at the gathering in puzzlement, before finally looking at Twilight for an explanation, “What are they doing?”

“They’re waiting for you to call on them, like in school?”

“Huh, I’ll have to take your word for it,” Revan replied, not noticing the mortified flush that spread over the unicorn’s face, “Ah, yes, you, the pony with the magenta coat?”

“D-do, do you eat ponies?”

Revan reached up to rub at her temples, ‘Not exactly an unreasonable concern, given that they’re a bunch of herbivores and a new predator just moved in, but really now …’ “A damn alien moves into town and that’s the first question you ask? … Alight then, let’s go with that. Your question has multiple answers, depending on how you meant it, but the simple answer is no, I don’t eat ponies, unless I have their consent,” Revan leaned forward a little to leer at the pony, her tone turning coy, “Why, are you offering?”

A mixture of shock, disapproval and amusement ran through the crowd, as Applejack chided the Jedi, “Stop teasin’ ponies, ya perverted polecat, this ain’t tha time or tha place for yer games! Ah swear, as if one Cloud Kicker wasn’t bad enough, now we got two of ya ta keep tha town all riled up.”

The ensuing laughter lightened the mood of the gathering, “Fine, I’ll try and keep my libido on a leash, just for you, AJ,” Revan grinned at the farmpony, “But I make no promises about later.” Looking out at the ponies, she spotted a few hooves still raised, “You, the pink unicorn, you had a question?”

“What is it that you do?”

“You mean professionally? I used to be a soldier and then I was an operative for the Order, but currently I’m on medical leave,” Revan gestured to her arm in its sling, “Once I heal up … I don’t really know … I guess I’ll figure something out. Chaos, I can always go back to mercenary work if nothing else turns up.” Choosing a final pony to ask a question, Revan raised her voice slightly, “You, the grey pegasus, what is your … wow … your eyes are really pretty.”

“T-thank you,” the wall-eyed mare stammered, her cheeks flushing at the sudden compliment, “The Mayor said you come from a ‘Galactic Republic’, are more of your ponies, umh, folk going to be coming to Equestria?”

Revan mulled the pegasus’ question over for a bit, then looked her in the eyes (or as best as she could) as she answered, “Based on my talk with the Princesses, as well as the circumstances of my arrival, I honestly believe the chances of someone following me, or simply stumbling across this system, are vanishingly small.” Revan looked out at the crowd as she continued, “Well, I think I’ve wasted enough of your time. Again, thank you for your welcome, and I bid you all a good day.”

“Whatcha thinking about, Twi’?” Rainbow asked as she lazily flapped through the forest’s shadows.

“I was just wondering if Revan will be waiting for us again,” Twilight replied, “Every other time I’ve dropped by, it was as if she was expecting me. Granted, the last visit was pre-planned for our trip to Canterlot, but it’s still curious …”

Rainbow smirked at her friend, “She’s a super warrior, just like I said,” she punched the air in victory, “Take that, AJ! And I bet she’s got all sorts of awesome stories to tell!”

“Just don’t press her too hard, Rainbow, okay? I know she tries to play it off like her past doesn’t hurt her any, but according to my books that really isn’t a healthy approach, and I don’t want to accidently push her away before we can get her to open up.”

Rainbow flapped over to gently hoof her friend in the shoulder, “No worries, egghead, we’ll play it cool until Revan’s more comfortable around ponies. Now come on, they’re waiting for us!”

True to Twilight’s suspicions, Revan was waiting for the ponies when they entered the clearing, “Heya, girls. Something I can do for you?”

Rainbow waved at the Jedi, “Nah, we were just going to grab some lunch, and thought we’d invite you along.”

Revan raised a brow and glanced at Twilight, who smiled innocently, “Please?”

Revan considered the two ponies for a time, before finally shrugging, “Eh, why not. Something other than ration bars would be a nice change.”

The trio bantered back and forth as they walked back into town, even if it mostly consisted of Revan listening while the two ponies talked about the local going-ons, or as Twilight chided Rainbow about having overdue books out at the library. As they finally neared their destination, the Jedi’s eye widened, “We’re going there?”

“Yes,” Twilight confirmed, “Sugercube Corner is the local bakery, and serves some very nice dishes.”

“Huh.”

Rainbow grinned at Twilight behind Revan’s back, before pulling the door open so that she could precede the two ponies into the darkened bakery.

“Surpri--” The cheerful shout died as Revan threw herself backwards to land ten pony-lengths away in a crouch, a sword made of light suddenly in her hand.

‘Okay, that’s awesome, but completely bucking uncalled for!’

“What the hay is wrong with you?!” Rainbow yelled, swooping over to the twi’lek.

Revan swiveled to face the irate pegasus, her lips pulled back in a snarl, “Ambush …”

“It’s not a bucking ambush,” Rainbow roared as she resisted the urge to grab Revan by the shoulders and shake her, “It’s a bucking surprise party!”

“What?”

“A surprise party,” Twilight repeated as she reached the pair, her voice was calm, but the twitching of her eye showed that she was close to losing her own control, “A social function to welcome you to Ponyville and help you make friends.”

“A social function?”

“Yes.”

“To help me make friends?”

“Yes.”

Revan deactivated her light sword with a crackling snap and returned the cylindrical handle to her belt as she looked up at the nervous ponies peering out at the confrontation from the door and windows of Sugarcube Corner, “Frelling chaos.”

“Yes,” the two ponies said in unison.

Revan turned away, only to find Rainbow blocking her path, “And where do you think you’re going?”

“Away of course. What do you expect me to do after snapping like that?”

Twilight reached up and carefully placed a hoof on Revan’s shoulder, “You could apologize, explain that you don’t like surprises, and stay for the party.”

“Apologize? What, say ‘I’m sorry for losing it and terrifying you’, and all is forgiven? Just like that?” the Jedi asked doubtfully.

The two ponies nodded, Rainbow pointed expectantly back at Sugarcube Corner while Twilight gave an encouraging smile. With a resigned sigh, Revan headed back to the bakery and the waiting ponies, the pegasus and unicorn falling in beside her.

“Surprise?” Pinkie and a scattering of other ponies called out tentatively as the trio stepped through the door.

“Yeah, uhm, so, I’m sorry I freaked out on you all there, but I really don’t like surprises, they set off all my old instincts. It was kinda nice of you to try, though …” Revan looked at the gathering for a few moments while an awkward silence filled the bakery, before turning to her escorts, “What am I supposed to do now?”

Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle shared a facehoof.

Revan slowly passed through the gathered ponies, exchanging greetings and pleasantries, a cup of something Pinkie had called “sweet tea” in her hand. Despite a slight lingering undercurrent of nervousness, most of the ponies seemed to have already moved past her earlier … blunder, ‘Huh, guess Rainbow and Twi’ were right.’

The sound of music floating through the room drew Revan over to a corner where a trio of ponies were clustered around a mint-green unicorn who was playing some kind of miniature harp, ‘And just how is she doing that with hooves, anyway?’ The rest of the little group consisted of the grey pegasus from the Mayor’s meeting, a beige earth pony and a lavender pegasus, “I know you.”

“Name’s Cloud Kicker,” the pegasus replied, holding out a hoof, “Nice to finally be able to talk. This is Ditzy Doo and Bon Bon, and that’s Lyra Heartstrings playing.” Revan shifted her cup to her other hand for a moment so she could shake the offered hooves.

“You were there with the other girls when I woke up, and kept an eye on me along with AJ and Rainbow,” Revan recalled.

“Eh, I was just helping out the boss, that’d be Rainbow, and Twilight,” Cloud openly studied the twi’lek for a moment, a slight smile on her lips, “So what’s it like to bang aliens?” the mare’s blunt question brought a fit of giggles from Bon Bon and Lyra, while Ditzy shook her head in indulgent amusement.

‘So, it’s like that, is it?’ Revan grinned at the cheeky pegasus, “About the same as ‘banging’ anyone else, I’d guess. Once you adjust for any physical or cultural differences, it’s all good fun,” she winked at the ponies around her, “Tentacles take a bit of getting used to, but it’s so worth it.” Leaning down slightly, Revan purred, “Maybe we could share notes, sometime?” she smiled as Cloud’s ears perked up, and an answering grin spread across the pony’s face, “But currently we’re at a party, and I’ve already danced on one social landmine today.” Revan turned her attention to Lyra, who was smirking happily at her and Cloud, “Your music is wonderful.”

“Thank you,” Lyra inclined her head at the twi’lek’s compliment, “Do you play?”

“Play? No. I love music, but I’ve never learned.”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed slightly in consideration, “Sing, maybe?”

Revan blinked at the unicorn, “A little, yes,” her admission immediately brought forth a deluge of requests from the four ponies.

“Will you sing us something?”

“Oh, oh, a song about space?”

“Please?”

The ponies fixed Revan with a quartet of pleading, slightly pouting looks, ‘So damn cute, it’s not fair! Shields failing! Mayday!’ “Alright! Alright! I’ll sing something, just stop with the looks, okay?”

Will you do me a favor, Piano Man please?
I want you to write me a song ..
They call me the hero of Antelope's Run
And I gotta show them they're wrong.

From their place over near the windows, Applejack and her friends watched with growing approval as the Jedi, an oddly shy smile on her lips, entertained the growing crowd of eager ponies, “Ah think Revan might jus’ be off ta a good start.”

Author's Notes:

Revan is singing Some Kind of Hero, by Leslie Fish, and while I'd like to include the full lyrics, my concerns about possible copyright issues prevent me from doing so. In (poor) compensation, here is a link to a YouTube recording of Some Kind of Hero.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WDRxtd-2dQ

Ch. 6; Meeting The Neighbors, Part 2

A beeping alarm brought Revan to her crippled ship’s cockpit to check the sensor array, ‘Hmmm … three signatures, coming from the direction of AJ’s farm and the rest of Ponyville -- still think that’s a silly name -- radar and thermal signatures are smaller than those of an adult pony, and they aren’t moving as fast … younglings maybe? Well, let’s go get setup to greet them.’

Slipping out the main hatch, Revan settled herself on the broken stump she had rough-smoothed into a stool with her lightsaber and turned to face her soon-to-be-arriving guests. “What can I do for you?” she called out as soon as the newcomers reached the edge of her clearing, which caused the three small ponies to come to a startled halt, ‘Hehe, I don’t think that will ever get old. Now let’s see what we have here, a white unicorn, a yellow earth pony, and an orange pegasus, all definitely younglings, and that pink bow is adorable.’

The three younglings shuffled forward, “Umh, howdy, Miss Revan, Ah’m Apple Bloom, Applejack’s sister, an' these are ma friends Sweetie Belle an' Scootaloo. We was wonderin’ if we could ask ya a few questions?”

“Questions?”

The unicorn, Sweetie Belle, nodded eagerly, “It’s a school assignment for Miss Cheerilee, we’re supposed to ask somepony about their history, and well, since you’re new to town, we thought we’d ask you.”

“Please?” the three younglings begged together, looking at Revan with wide, pleading eyes.

‘Oh chaos, it’s even worse than when the adult ponies do it! Must resist! Must … frell it, I’m done for …’ “Fine,” Revan yielded, her shoulders slumped in defeat before the unspeakable cuteness of the three younglings, “I’ll answer what I can, but I don’t know how much use to you it’ll be.”

The younglings exchanged confused glances as they dug paper and pencils out of their saddlebags, “So, where do ya come from?”

“Ah, starting with an easy question. Go back far enough and all twi’leks hail from one of the original clan-holds back on Ryloth.”

Apple Bloom nodded as she scribbled away, “Is that where ya grew up? At this Ryloth place?”

“Me? No, I’ve never even been to the mother world. I grew up on Ord Barris, a real shithole of a planet, the whole world is just one big cesspool of corruption, abuse and misery. Place should have been bombed into oblivion a few millennia ago, but every time a major war rolled through, somehow it got passed by,” Revan frowned broodingly, “You know, thinking back on it, the whole damned planet felt like the Valley of Tombs on Mar Kaas …” the Jedi shook her head to clear it of her dark thoughts as she turned back toward her young visitors, “Let’s move on, please.”

“Oookay … the next question is where did you go to school, and what was it like?”

“Actually, I never went to school, as such.”

The three younglings gaped at the Jedi in scandalized disbelief, “How could ya never have any schoolin’? Ya have ta have schoolin’ if ya want ta make somethin’ of yerself, Miss Cheerilee an’ Twilight are always goin’ on about it bein' fundi mental!”

Revan grinned down at the agitated little earth pony, “Fundamental. What you said is something else entirely,” her smile quickly vanished as she explained her upbringing to the three younglings, “When I was small, I wasn’t a citizen, or a resident alien, or whatever terms they use here in Equestria. I was property, and my owner saw no reason to waste time and resources on educating his slaves, especially when he didn’t plan to use me for anything more complicated than spreading my legs.” She reached over to gently push at Apple Bloom’s shoulder as a crooked half-smirk returned to her lips, “Besides, I don’t think I’ve done so badly, all things considered.”

The younglings scribbled down her response, and then it was apparently Scootaloo’s turn to ask a question, “Did … did you have any idols growing up?” The little pegasus practically flinched, clearly expecting another grim answer.

Revan’s cheerful laugh eased the younglings’ minds as she propped herself on her good arm and grinned at them, “An idol? Oh, yes, when I was your age, I loved my mother’s stories about Mission Vao, my ancestress. Just a street rat from the lower levels of Taris, but she fought alongside the Jedi warlord Revan, my namesake, the second time he saved the Republic!” she leaned back so she could hold up two fingers in emphasis.

“Twice? Wow! Well Rainbow Dash, Twilight and their friends have saved Equestria two times too!” the little pegasus declared proudly.

‘Is that a bit of hero worship there, Scootaloo?’ “Did they, now? Then I guess we’ll have stories to trade,” Revan winked at the younglings, “But best we get your assignment out of the way before we get too distracted. Do you have any other questions for me?”

The trio of younglings consulted quietly for a minute, pointing at their papers as they conferred, then Scootaloo stepped forward again, “Do aliens have cutie marks? And if they do, how did you get yours?”

Revan blinked in confusion, “What in chaos is a ‘cutie mark’?”

“Cutie marks are tha pictures that show up on colts an’ fillies flanks when they learn what their special talent is,” Apple Bloom explained.

“What, the but-tattoos I’ve been seeing on ponies? I thought it was just a cultural affectation … and they just appear?” the Jedi rubbed at her temples, “More magic,” she groaned, her disgruntled tone obvious, “Fine, whatever, aliens don’t get ‘cutie marks’, not that I’ve ever heard of, anyway. Sorry, younglings.”

Revan glanced around the clearing as the clearly crestfallen younglings debated what question to ask her next. ‘Wait, what was that? Something is watching us …’ She hissed at the little ponies and motioned to them for silence as she rose from her stump and scanned the trees, her hackles rising, ‘Where is it? Movement! There … oh frell me,’ a massive canine shape, easily two heads taller than Revan, slowly stalked out of the shadows of the forest, revealing its … wooden form? ‘It’s a bunch of logs and branches? But I can feel the hunger coming from it … Focus! Kill it now, ponder about it later!’

Igniting her lightsaber, Revan stepped in front of the ponies, “Alright little ones, I’ll get its attention, and then, once it’s concentrating on me, I want you to get your asses back to the farm and safe inside, hear?”

“Yes, Miss,” the younglings answered anxiously, Revan nodded and then advanced on the plant-beast, her lips peeled back to show off far more teeth than the fillies were comfortable with.

“Here! Over here, you walking bonfire! Come and get me!” she punctuated her shouts with a telekinetic strike that smashed into the creature’s muzzle, drawing an angry snarl from it.

Incensed, the ravenous plant-beast pounced on Revan, only for her to slip aside and lop off a foreleg with a single slash of her saber. Shifting its weight, the creature growled at the Jedi as its limb reassembled itself from the fallen branches, leaving her gaping in shock.

Her dumbfounded daze very nearly cost Revan dearly, but she twisted aside as the creature lunged at her again, ripping her shoulder and lek with its claws. Her savage smile contorted further by pain, Revan lashed out again with her lightsaber, but the angle was wrong for her to land a solid blow, and her blade only managed to pass a few hand-spans into the plant-beast’s torso.

Shifting back onto her guard, Revan’s eye narrowed as she saw that her last blow wasn’t healing, ‘So damage to the body remains …’ She turned to keep her blade on the creature as it circled to her left, when suddenly the beast sprang to her right and rushed past her, ‘The younglings!’ Whipping around, Revan flung her lightsaber at the plant-creature, if her aim had been true, she would have bisected the plant-thing, but all she managed to do was sever one of its legs along with a sizeable chunk of the creature’s flank.

Landing amongst the three shrieking younglings, the plant-thing lashed out with a paw, silencing one of the screams and provoking a roared “No!” from Revan. Pointing her hand, she unleashed bolt after bolt of lightning into the creature, shattering and igniting its wooden body. Knocked away from the ponies, the plant-beast clawed at the ground, whining pitifully as it vainly tried to regain its feet. Unmoved, Revan merely shifted her aim as she furiously stalked toward the creature, pouring a continuous barrage of electricity into its face until the beast’s head finally detonated, spraying the twi’lek with burning shards of wood.

Revan barely paused to confirm that the strange, predatory plant’s assorted logs, branches and vines had separated and collapsed before she turned and sprinted to the younglings, her hand reached out automatically to call back her lightsaber as she knelt beside the mangled unicorn. “Sweetie Belle,” the Jedi moaned, as she took in the four great gashes that ripped across the youngling’s barrel, the exposed bones, the erratic, gasping breathing and the blood that poured from the little pony’s mouth.

Placing her hand on the injured unicorn’s barrel, Revan took a deep breath, then swayed where she knelt as she felt her strength surge out of her. Shaking off her light-headedness, Revan checked Sweetie Belle again, grateful to find that her bleeding had slowed, her breathing had evened out, and the edges of the lacerations looked less ragged. Gathering the youngling into her arms as best she could, Revan surged to her feet with a howl of agony, tottering for a moment before she glared wild-eyed down at the other two ponies and rasped out a single word, “Hospital!”

Her harsh voice snapped Apple Bloom and Scootaloo out of their horrified stupor and the two merely nodded, before spinning around and running for Ponyville as fast as their legs would take them, Revan pounding along behind them with her grim burden.

In their headlong rush, it wasn’t long before the trio left the shadows of the Everfree for the more open lands of the Apple family orchards, where Revan and the two ponies immediately took advantage of the clearer ground to push themselves even harder.

Revan knew that the jarring run was aggravating Sweetie Belle’s injuries, but they couldn’t afford to slow down, not when every second lost could be the difference between the little unicorn’s life and death. They needed more time … her vision blurred and Revan lurched as she ran as she forced more of her own strength into Sweetie Belle’s broken body.

As Revan followed the two younglings up the path to Ponyville, her sight cleared enough to see the grey pegasus that dropped from the sky to match pace with the little band’s mad dash, “What happened?” Ditzy demanded, her yellow eyes wide with alarm.

“Youngling!” the Jedi gasped out, her voice ragged from exertion, “Hospital!”

As her face hardened with resolve, Ditzy shot ahead of the trio of runners, calling “This way! I’ll get help!” over her shoulder as she sped away.

Finally reaching the edge of Ponyville, Revan continued on her desperate run, ignoring the distraught ponies that scattered from her path as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, no longer able to maintain the brutal pace, collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

Plunging deeper into the town, Revan could see Ditzy and another pegasus approaching with a stretcher, ‘Help,’ but was it enough? She was covered in blood and she could no longer tell if Sweetie Belle was even breathing, ‘Need more time …’ Her vision went dark and she stumbled along as Revan plundered her reserves, recklessly ripping away at her own strength in order to ram it into the limp filly clutched in her arms.

Steadying hooves caught Revan as she lurched, while more hooves pulled Sweetie Belle from her arms and a distant voice said, “We’ve got her.” Revan felt herself falling, and then the darkness claimed her.

Ch. 7; Dealing With The Aftermath

Revan kept her eye closed as wakefulness returned to her, ‘Let’s see, I’m in a bed, in my underwear, I feel like crap, and it smells like a hospital. I must have blacked out again, which is happening too often for comfort, lately. What was I … Sweetie Belle!’ her eye snapped open as she lunged upright, ignoring the agony in her head as she tore at the sheets tangled around her legs. Final freeing herself, Revan headed for the door, while a distant corner of her mind noticed that her clothes and kit had been laid out over a couch in the corner.

Bursting through the door, she almost ran over a familiar looking white earth pony wearing a cap on her pink mane, “Miss Revan! You should still be in bed!”

Pulling herself up to loom over the pony, ‘Redheart? Yes, that was it,’ Revan snarled, “The youngling Sweetie Belle’s location and condition!” in her best “answer or bleed” tone.

Undaunted, the mare met the Jedi glare for glare, “She’s resting in her room, just like you should be doing! Now stop making a disturbance and go lie down!”

“Resting? She’s okay?” Revan swayed slightly on her feet as she sagged in relief.

Redheart’s face softened as she gently herded Revan back into her room, “Sweetie Belle will be just fine, she’s going home the day after tomorrow, and you won’t even be able to see most of the scars once her coat grows back in.”

Revan’s brow furrowed with confusion, “She’s going home so soon?”

“You and the Crusaders were brought in four days ago,” Redheart explained softly, as she stuck out a hoof to keep Revan in bed when the Jedi sat up in alarm, “Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are fine, we treated them for exhaustion and muscle strain, and they were right as rain after a day’s rest. It was you and Sweetie Belle that had us worried,” the nurse reached up to pat Revan’s arm, “Now try and get some rest, alright? The Doctor will be in to check on you later.”

Revan tossed in her bed, unable to sleep and consumed with boredom, ‘Not even a datareader or a, what did Twi’ call it? A book? Yeah, not even one of those to pass the time with,’ giving up on sleep, she sat up in her bed and crossed her legs as she tried to clear her mind and meditate.

A knock at the door soon distracted her from the calm she sought, and brought a snarl to Revan’s lips as she glared at the light amber colored unicorn that had stepped into the room, ‘Glasses and a medical coat. Probably that doctor Redheart said would be by.’

“Ah, Miss Revan, you’re awake. Excellent. I’m Doctor Horse,” the stallion said, his attention partly on the medical file held in his cyan aura.

“… Seriously?”

“Yes,” Horse cocked an eyebrow at his patient, “You have recovered sufficiently that we can discharge you in the morning. The only lingering aftereffects from your … incident, should be some fatigue, which will fade in a day or two, the scars on your cranial tendril, and your arm requiring an additional week to recover from the stress you put upon it.”

Revan pouted as she reached up to touch the bandages on her lek, “Damn, I was proud of my lekku.”

“Hmmm …” Horse murmured as he jotted down a note on the file, “I am more concerned with what brought on your condition in the first place. Neither your injuries nor the Crusaders’ accounts explain why you were so far beyond exhaustion that your heart was barely beating. Even the worst cases of magic exhaustion do not directly endanger the patient’s life,” he looked expectantly at the Jedi.

Revan stiffened her spine as she felt herself begin to wilt under the doctor’s scrutiny, ‘How can these ridiculously cute, infuriatingly naïve, ponies get past my defenses so easily? I’m harder than this!’ “I don’t have a disease or physiological disorder, if that is what you’re trying to ask. My ‘condition’ was self-inflicted, but I doubt that particular situation is liable to be a repeat occurrence.”

“‘Self-inflicted’?” Horse queried, adding more notes to his records as he frowned in thought, “Your exhaustion had something to do with young Sweetie Belle’s injuries, didn’t it?” he continued to scrutinize Revan, but she remained mulishly silent. After a few more moments of reflection, Horse stamped his rear hoof sharply as his eyes widened, “You used necromancy to stabilize Sweetie Belle!”

‘Nerco-whatsis now?’

“That was very noble of you,” the stallion commended, “but it was also tremendously risky, as you’ve learned for yourself. I would ask that you exercise caution in the use of your talents in the future, however,” Horse waved aside Revan’s angry scowl, “Your actions were wholly justified given the extent Sweetie Belle’s injuries, but necromancy can take a terrible toll on its wielder, and many ponies have trouble differentiating between it and true dark magic.”

“Well, I’ll leave you to your rest,” Horse said, closing his file, “But do think on what I said, and try not to exert yourself for the next few days.”

Revan stared at the very round, very fancy building in front of her, ‘Was Big Mac pulling my leg?’

With a shrug, she walked up to the door, “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique and magnifique,” a soprano voice called out in response to her hesitant knock, as the door opened to reveal a familiar white unicorn, “Oh! Revan, darling! Come in, come in! What brings you by?”

“Hello, Rarity, I just stopped by to check up on Sweetie Belle, if I may.”

“Of course, darling!” Rarity graciously waved Revan inside before she raised her voice slightly to call to the little group huddled across the room, “Sweetie! You have another caller!”

“Miss Revan!” the little unicorn called out happily as Revan made her way past the pony-shaped mannequins ‘Ponyequins?’ that dotted the room over to where Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Spike were seated amongst scattered books and papers.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle,” Revan smiled at the youngling, nodding in greeting to the other two ponies and the dragon, as she dropped down to one knee, “How are you feeling?”

“Tired, sore, and bored,” Sweetie grumbled, “I want to go outside!”

“Now, now, Sweetie,” chided her sister, “You’re still recuperating. Doctor Horse said you could go back to school next week, but you’ll just have to be patient until you get your wind back, dear.”

“Get her wind back?” Revan twisted around to frown at Rarity, while Sweetie sighed discontentedly, “I wasn’t told of any permanent injures other than the scars.”

“It’s nothing bad,” Sweetie assured the twi’lek, “I can still run and sing and everything, I just need to take a break a little more often, is all.” The youngling was quick to recover her earlier cheery demeanor, “Thank you for coming to see me, Miss Revan! I like your eyepatch!”

‘Damn it, I screw up and Sweetie is the one who pays for it.’ “Well, I thought it was time for a change,” Revan forced herself to joke, as she reached up to touch the medical patch the hospital had given her to replace the, admittedly ragged, bandage she had been using to cover her empty eye socket, “So what are you younglings doing, anyway?”

“Homework,” answered Apple Bloom, “We don’t want Sweetie gettin’ behind tha class, an’ Spike came by ta help keep Sweetie from catchin’ cabin fever.”

“I’ve always hated being laid up, myself,” Revan nodded in understanding, “Used to drive the MedCorps nuts with me constantly trying to leave before the medics thought I was ready,” she gave a crooked smile as the ponies and dragon snickered at her confession.

Still chuckling, Spike joined in the conversation, “Would you come by the library for dinner later this week?”

Revan raised a puzzled brow at the little dragon’s request, “Dinner? Why?”

“Because you kept my friends safe, and I know you hurt yourself really bad making sure Sweetie got to the hospital,” Spike explained, his tone slightly exasperated at having to point out something so obvious, “I can’t ever thank you properly for what you did, but at least I can feed you a good meal. What do you say to pasta and wheatballs?”

‘This is important to him …’ “I don’t know, what do you say to pasta and wheatballs?”

The four ponies and the dragon stared at Revan for a moment, before a chorus of groans filled the air. “Okay, that was bad,” she admitted, “But not completely unwarranted, since I have no idea what pasta is,” seeing the concern on the dragon’s face, Revan smiled at him while slapping the hard muscles of her abdomen, “Not to worry, Spike, twi’lek’s have three stomachs, if a pony can eat it, so can I.”

Revan waved to Rarity and the younglings as she left the boutique, her intended visit having expanded into a couple of hours of tea and mostly pleasant conversation, along with an extracted promise that she would come back to be measured for an outfit once her arm was healed. ‘They sure seem insistent on rewarding me, given that I frelling failed to protect Sweetie,’ she grumbled to herself as she wandered through Ponyville, ‘And they all were so confused when I objected that I didn’t deserve all that they were doing, even Sweetie didn’t seem to understand.’

Despite herself, Revan soon felt a half-smile tugging at her lips, the memories of her visit with Spike and the ponies, coupled with the pleasant day as she closed upon Ponyville Lake, had made short work of her troubled thoughts.

The sound of voices raised in song made it apparent that she was not the only one who had been drawn to the lakeside this mid-autumn day, curious, Revan slipped through a small copse of trees to find Cloud Kicker laying on the lakeshore alongside a pale violet unicorn youngling and a pegasus youngling with a yellow-white coat. The three ponies where still singing, although it was clear that the little unicorn was not as familiar with the song as the two pegasi. Amused by the rather domestic scene, the Jedi leaned back against a tree to listen.

Here's forty bits on the drum
For those who'll volunteer to come
To 'list and fight the foe today.
Over the hills and far away.

O'er the hills and o'er the main.
Through Prance, Zebrica and Germane.
Princess Celestia commands and we obey.
Over the hills and far away.

When duty calls me I must go
To stand and face another foe.
But part of me will always stray
Over the hills and far away.

O'er the hills and o'er the main.
Through Prance, Zebrica and Germane.
Princess Celestia commands and we obey.
Over the hills and far away.

Then fall in ponies behind the drum,
With colours blazing like the sun.
Along the road to come-what may.
Over the hills and far away.

O'er the hills and o'er the main.
Through Prance, Zebrica and Germane.
Princess Celestia commands and we obey.
Over the hills and far away.

When evil stalks upon the land,
I’ll nyther hold nor stay me’ hand.
But fight to win a better day,
Over the hills and far away.

O'er the hills and o'er the main.
Through Prance, Zebrica and Germane.
Princess Celestia commands and we obey.
Over the hills and far away.

If I should fall to rise no more,
As many comrades did before,
Then ask the fifes and drums to play.
Over the hills and far away.

The three ponies looked up as Revan slapped her thigh to applaud their performance, “Hey, Revan, what brings you out here?”

“I was walking the shore when I heard you three,” Revan explained as she grinned down at the reclining ponies, “Nice bit of singing, that, even if it was different than the soldier’s songs I know.”

“It’s an old Kicker Clan tune,” Cloud replied, “Ah, manners, this here is my little sis, Alula,” the weatherpony gave a quick neck-hug to the little pegasus, “and this is Ditzy’s youngest, Dinky,” she reached out a wing to ruffle the giggling unicorn’s mane, “Fillies, this is Revan Vao, she moved in out past Sweet Apple Acres not long ago.”

“Hello, Miss Revan,” the two younglings hailed the Jedi, as they looked up at her with wide-eyed interest.

“Oh, oh! You’re the mare Bloom, Scoots and Sweetie did their report on!” Dinky exclaimed as she launched herself across the grass to latch onto the surprised Jedi’s leg, “Thank you for protecting my friends!” Dinky beamed up at Revan, not catching her flinch, “I’m glad you’re living in Ponyville now, rather than that horrible Ord Barris place.”

“Dinks, ‘Lula, Revan and I need to talk about grown-up things for a few minutes, okay?” Cloud rose up from the grass and walked over to Revan, “Don’t wander off, and stay out of the water, alright?”

“Alright, Cloudy!” the lakeshore was soon sounding with the giggles and shouts of the two little ponies as they frolicked and chased each other about.

“So,” Cloud said as she turned a scrutinizing eye on Revan, though her ears were constantly swiveling to keep track of the younglings, “What’s got you so troubled that Dinky’s thanks has you wincing like you’re expecting somepony to hit you?”

“Saw that, did you?” Revan pulled her uninjured lek over her shoulder and began stroking it, “It’s not just little Dinky, its Rarity, the other younglings, Spike, and even Sweetie Belle herself. Chaos, half the people I pass on the street want to thank me for guarding the younglings, and Spike and Rarity actually want to reward me for getting Sweetie to the medics in time.”

Cloud raised a puzzled brow at Revan, “And there’s something wrong with that?”

“Yes!” Revan snapped, “If I had done my job and defended the younglings properly, Sweetie would be fine now! Instead, she damn near died, and now she has to spend the rest of her life with scars and a damaged lung because I frelled up! I don’t like getting accolades that I damn well don’t deserve!”

“Whoa, easy now,” Cloud Kicker put her wing on Revan’s shoulder in an attempt to calm the agitated Jedi, “You didn’t buck up. Maybe, maybe, you could have handled things differently, but taking on a rogue timberwolf Alpha is no easy thing, especially when you’re already injured yourself. And playing ‘might have done’ will make you crazy if you let it,” Cloud bumped the twi'lek with her shoulder, “You think you should have done better? Fine, do better next time, however, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and all those other ponies think you did a pretty amazing job. And so do I.”

Cloud looked into Revan’s eye to see if her words were reaching the Jedi, “You don’t think you deserve any thanks, that’s your call, other ponies are going to think otherwise, and you’re going to have to try and respect that. As far as Rarity and Spike wanting to give you tokens of their thanks goes, if you can’t accept them for yourself, than accept their gifts for their sakes.”

Revan ran her good hand over her head and sighed, “I hear you, I don’t really understand, but I hear you. And I’ll try, for Rarity’s, Sweetie’s, and Spike’s sake.”

“Try our best is all anypony can really do,” Cloud replied, as she give Revan a quick wing-hug that turned into a slow caress down the Jedi’s back, “Personally, I think you’re being too hard on yourself and letting all your second guessing and doubts rile you up, and that's my job.”

Revan gave an amused snort as she returned Cloud’s impudent grin and leaned comfortably into the pegasus as the Jedi and the weatherpony turned to watch the younglings play.

Author's Notes:

After the last chapter, I decided to end this one on a lighter note.

Cloud, Alula and Dinky are singing Over The Hills And Far Away, a ponyfied version of a traditional English song with additional lyrics by John Tams, I just thought it really fit the Kicker Clan (as developed by Chengar Qordath in his Winningverse stories).

Ch. 8; Interlude - Conversations In Canterlot

The hustle and noise of Canterlot Station surrounded Revan as she stepped down from the Ponyville Express, where she paused for a quick stretch, before she set off into the surrounding throng of brightly colored ponies. It didn’t take long for a sardonic smile to grow on the Jedi’s face as she noticed the ponies that stopped to gawk as she passed, or the small bubble of space that kept her free of the jostling crowd, ‘Always going to be the freak. Even with the ridiculous number of sentient races on this planet, I’ll always be the one who sticks out, the one who doesn’t fit. And I damn well better get used to it,’ Revan thought, as her eye ceaselessly scanned the crowd.

Her longer legs carried Revan along at a brisk pace, and it wasn’t long before she let out a relieved breath as she left the crush of the main streets for a quite avenue. Pulling a note from her pouch, Revan double-checked the address and time of this “appointment” that the Princesses had requested of her. ‘Given how much she reads, and what a little perfectionist she is, I’m surprised at how bad Twi’s writing is,’ she chuckled quietly, ‘No wonder she has Spike take her dictation most of the time.’

Making her way along the street, Revan eventually found her destination, a small, unassuming building that looked like someone’s home, an unobtrusive sign next to the door declared “Hopeful Understanding, PsyD”. Revan’s brow furrowed for a moment as she tried to puzzle out the strange acronym, before she shrugged and raised her hand to knock.

Hopeful Understanding, counselling psychologist and former guardpony, smiled up at the blue biped on her doorstep, “Good afternoon, Dame Revan, you’re a bit early, but there’s no reason we can’t get started. Come in, come in.”

Leading the way to her home office, Hopeful settled into her seat and waved at another chair with her wing. The pegasus took a moment to study her newest patient, who was currently examining the room as if she suspected somepony was hiding behind the bookcases or in the potted plants. ‘She looks … almost delicate, even with her height, especially with the eyepatch and her arm bound up in a sling,’ Hopeful absently tapped the arm of her chair as she thought, ‘She’s not fragile, however she may appear, but I don’t like the look in her eye.’ “My name is Hopeful Understanding,” the pegasus introduced herself, “Did the Princesses explain why they asked you to come and speak with me?”

Revan shrugged, “Not really, something about an interview? Does this mean you have work for me?” she smiled cheerfully at Hopeful, but the pegasus found the expression to be mechanical, something done purely out of habit.

“I’m afraid not.” Hopeful explained gently, “The Princesses felt you could benefit from some therapy, especially given your experiences and your current circumstances.”

“Therapy? You’re a mental health counsellor?” Revan’s friendly expression dropped away to be replaced with a cold sneer, “Well isn’t that just frelling grand.”

Hopeful cocked her head slightly at Revan’s sudden hostility, “You have something against psychologists?” Seeing the Jedi’s confusion, she clarified, “Mental health counsellors?”

“What was your first clue?” Revan retorted frostily as she frowned at the pony.

“Would you tell me why?”

Revan continued to scowl at the pegasus for a time before finally responding, “I’ve got no tolerance for anyone who thinks they can pass judgement on how I’m supposed to feel about my frelling life, especially when they’ve never been through anything even remotely similar.”

“I’m not here to criticize you, Revan, I’m here to help you, if you’ll let me,” Hopeful assured, “And while I doubt that there is anyone in Equestria who can fully understand what you’ve gone through on a personal level, my life and yours are not completely dissimilar. I served two tours with the Royal Guard before I left to study for my practice.” She smiled reassuringly, “We have that in common, at least.”

Hopeful was glad to see that the anger in Revan’s eye had faded a little, encouraged, she decided to try again, “Is your aversion to counsellors why you decided to ‘own’ the issues from your past?”

Revan shrugged noncommittally, “I’ve always preferred the Sith’s method, anyway,” she replied, her voice distracted.

“The ‘Sith’s method’?”

The Jedi gave a startled flinch, apparently, she hadn’t realized that she had spoken her thoughts aloud, “Frell it,” she said after a few seconds of reflection, “It’s not like the old wars are going to matter to anyone here anyway. The Sith hold that if your past was … damaged,” she bared her teeth at Hopeful in a mocking smile, “You can either let it drive you forward and give you strength, or you can let it break you. And the Sith have no use for you if you’re broken.”

“There is more than one way to be broken,” Hopeful demurred, “This … outlook does not sound like the Jedi Order, at least from how you described them to the Princesses, are these ‘Sith’ a variant sect?”

Revan snorted at the pony’s question, “‘A variant sect’? Yeah, you could say that, you could also say that the Sith and the Jedi are the opposites sides of the credit chip. The Jedi preach detachment, serenity, and protection, they’re big on the whole martial pacifism thing. The Sith, the Sith are all about passion, pushing your limits, and aggression, to a Sith, the best way to deal with an enemy or threat is to obliterate it before it can harm you and yours.”

‘She’s opening up to me a little, at least,’ Hopeful thought as she wrote down a few notes, “Do you ever regret leaving the Sith?”

“Wait, what?”

“Your expression, as well as vocal tone, can reveal a lot,” Hopeful explained, “Plus, my special talent is empathy.”

“Cheater,” Revan accused the pegasus, although she was grinning as she said it, “Yeah, I regret it, sometimes, the Sith took me in, taught me what I was and how to control my abilities, made me into more than just another hired blaster. And I betrayed them. My own troops would do their damnedest to send me to chaos if they ever saw me, now,” Revan sighed, all the humor drained from her, “You do what you have to, and live with the consequences, I guess.”

“And you had to leave the Sith?” Hopeful pressed, “You couldn’t find what you needed with them?”

“Some folk I knew before I joined the Sith pointed out that I was losing myself, and I found that I believed them, and then there was the fact that some of my powers were developing a lot faster than my control, making me a danger to my soldiers. So I left,” the Jedi shrugged as if the matter was of no great consequence to her, “I always fit in better with the Sith, than I ever did in the Order.” Revan chuckled, though Hopeful found it as mechanical as her earlier smile had been, “Cold pragmatism and bloodlust aren’t really part of the Code, you know?”

The pegasus frowned at Revan, “You left to protect your troops, but they would still attack you for it?” ‘There’s following orders and procedures, but turning on a member of the squad like that is just wrong!’

“A traitor is still a traitor, whatever the reason for it,” Revan suddenly stood up, “Well, it’s been … nice … speaking with you, Counsellor, but I have to go do … a thing … at the place …”

Hopeful rose to her own hooves as she pulled a small card out from her desk and offered it to the Jedi, “If you ever want to talk, Revan, my door is always open.”

Revan took the card from her hoof and looked at it for a few seconds, before giving Hopeful a sharp nod as she slipped the card into one of her belt pouches and turned for the door, “Good day to you, Counsellor.”

‘Not the best start for therapy,’ Hopeful sighed to herself, ‘but we must have faith,’ she sat back at her desk to begin her preliminary report for the Princesses.

“How was your meeting?” The Princess of the Sun was seated at table in one of the castle’s smaller dinning chambers, enjoying a quite supper in the company of her little sister and Ponyville’s resident Jedi.

‘It was a thing,” Revan replied, tossing an irritated glance at the alicorn, “You know, I don’t appreciate being thrown to a mental health counsellor, even if Hopeful was less sanctimonious than most I’ve met.”

“You were not ‘thrown’ to anypony,” Celestia countered, “You were made aware of a potential source of treatment, Dr. Hopeful is highly recommended, might I add, and given a chance to embrace the help that, to be perfectly blunt, you are in great need of.”

“I am with thou, Revan Vao,” Luna cut in, forestalling the Jedi’s retort, “I cannot bring mineself to fully trust these ‘psychologist’ either.”

Celestia rolled her eyes in exasperation at the both of them, before turning the conversation to less touchy, she hoped, matters, “How are you finding Ponyville?”

“It’s nice, if bizarre,” seeing the inquiring looks from the two alicorns, Revan clarified, “Last week a pony just burst into song, out of nowhere, and almost two dozen other ponies up and joined in like they had rehearsed the whole thing. It was entertaining as all chaos, but, like I said, bizarre.”

The warm sound of the sisters’ laughter filled the room, “I suppose our little ponies’ penchant for heartsongs is rather curious to those who are not used to it,” Luna observed, “Thou have been keeping thyself occupied? I am well aware of how poorly some deal with extended periods of convalescence.” The younger alicorn smirked at her sister, who responded with proper regal decorum, by sticking her tongue out at her fellow diarch.

Revan snickered at the princesses’ antics, “I try and keep busy. I even went out with Cloud Kicker, one of the local weatherponies, earlier this week,” she smiled at the memory, “I’m also spending a lot of time at the library with Twi’, answering questions and learning about Equestria.”

As she turned towards Luna, Revan’s face lost its earlier cheerfulness, “I’m glad that the girls and these ‘elements’ were able to free you, Princess, I’ve dealt with dark spirits before, and I wouldn’t wish possession on anyone,” she said gravely.

Luna’s ears dropped flat to her head as she looked away, “The Nightmare hurt so many, because I was weak, because I allowed mineself to become a danger to mine sister and our little ponies …”

“That’s enough!” Revan slammed her hand on the table as she angrily interrupted the lunar diarch, “This ‘Nightmare’ wore you like a frelling meat-suit, Luna! Its actions are on its head, not yours, if you keep tearing at yourself over what it did, you’re letting the bastard rule your life from the grave!”

“Thou speak as if dealing with mine blame was a simple thing,” Luna observed despondently, but her ears had risen slightly.

“Simple? Probably not for you,” Revan conceded, “It will take time, and somethings cannot be forgiven, but eventually, you need to stop condemning yourself for things you had no control over.”

The little group passed the next few minutes in a bleak silence, then Revan broke the somber mood when she leaned forward and leered at the younger princess, “If it helps, I’ll happily spank you whenever you start to backslide.” Her outlandish offer drew a surprised laugh from Luna, as Revan purred at the Princess of the Night, “I’ve had dreams about disciplining a naughty princess.”

“I fear I must decline thy most generous offer,” Luna asserted loftily, although her attempt at reclaiming her royal dignity was helped by neither her burning cheeks nor by Celestia’s giggles.

The conversation between the three turned to more mundane matters and common small talk for a time, although Luna remained pensive. Eventually, the small gathering wound down as Luna’s duties called for her attention, still, the lunar diarch delayed her departure for a final word with their guest, “Revan Vao, I would make an accord with thee.”

“Eh? What about?”

“I will try to separate mine actions from the Nightmare’s, and I vow to do mine best to shoulder only the weight of mine own sins, if,” Luna raised a hoof to point at the Jedi, “if, thou agrees to continue to see Counsellor Hopeful and thou tries to let her help thee.”

Revan blinked at Luna, “No spankings?” she pouted.

“No spankings,” Luna asserted, as she did her best to ignore her own heated cheeks and Celestia’s newest fit of giggles, “I understand that what I request may be no simpler for thou than mine own efforts will be for me, but that is the pact I ask of thee.”

Revan mulled over the alicorn’s offer for a few moments, before she hesitantly nodded her head in agreement, “Fine, I’ll do it, but only for your sake, Luna.”

Smiling her thanks, Luna excused herself, leaving Revan and Celestia alone in the dinning chamber. The elder princess watched for a time as Revan broodingly stroked her lek, before she finally intruded on the Jedi’s thoughts, “There’s no need to look so grim, Revan, you’re not being punished, after all. Luna and I only want to help you, and we believe that Counsellor Hopeful could be of great assistance, if you’d only let her.”

“Help,” Revan grunted, “Everyone wants to help me, you, Luna, Hopeful, the girls back in Ponyville, all of you want to help me ‘cope with’ my past, regardless of whether I actually want help or not. When did I become such a charity case?” Seeing the worry on Celestia’s face, she smiled crookedly as she leaned over to give the alicorn’s foreleg a quick squeeze, “I get that you’re all just concerned, I do, but I’ll be damned if I can understand why the frell any of you care so much.”

“‘Harmony, understanding and friendship’, remember? And a part of friendship is looking out for those you care about even when, or especially when, you are worried that they are not looking after themselves, even if your friend does not, or cannot, see why their behavior has you concerned.” Celestia levitated her cup of tea to her lips and watched Revan over the rim as she considered the Princess’ words, ‘Not as promising a beginning as I might have hoped for, but still, Luna and Revan are both at least willing to try, however reluctantly.’