Scootaloo stood at the door to the primary airlock as her ship shuddered and clunked into one of the Harmony’s landing bay, driven by the telekinetic magic of Twilight Sparkle herself. The battle was over. It had ended almost as soon as the Harmony had emerged. Her ship, now inside the Harmony, was no longer in danger of sudden decompression, and she could feel the Harmony’s gravity- -so much more consistent and even than she was used to, as though Scootaloo were actually standing on a planet instead of on magic dispersion plates- -pulling her hooves against the floor.

Somehow, though, she felt more nervous than she had during the entire fight. Even when she had thought she was going to die, when she looked mortality in the face, she had been able to accept it. What waited for her on the other side of that large, circular door, though- -it something that she feared far worse than death.

The lights of the RENS Rainbow Dash flickered and came back to life, meaning that the ship’s system had been integrated into the Harmony’s. Scootaloo was glad that Trixie was given a momentary reprieve from powering the ship. She had survived, but not without injury.

Then, at last, the airlock suddenly began to move, turning slowly and opening. Scootaloo stood at attention as it swung open.

A trio of ponies stepped through the gap. The two on the sides were generic breeder Pegasi, their identical red eyes staring alertly from beneath their armor that covered their white coats and the barcodes imprinted on their flanks. They were not really of consequence; not truly guards or protectors but assistants to the pony that entered ahead of them.

She was the most beautiful pony that Scootaloo had ever seen, and perhaps the most beautiful she ever would. Even the Princess could not compare to Rainbow Dash, entering with her head held high, her long rainbow mane and tail brushed back over the gold and red of her armor, a suit that had been designed with the most advanced metallurgy of Equestria but designed to incorporate elements of ancient Pegasi motifs to denote Rainbow Dash’s station. Her strong wings, their ends gilded in blades of gold and steel, flexed just slightly as she looked down at Scootaloo: one wing blue, the other white, its joint marked by a long-healed surgical scar.

“Fleet Commander Rainbow Dash!” said Scootaloo, saluting.

“Captain Scootaloo,” said Rainbow Dash, her amethyst irises staring down without blinking. “I’m sure you know why I’m here.”

“Yes, sir,” said Scootaloo, still standing at attention.

“The only reason I came this far out into the middle of nowhere was because somepony used my personal emergency teleportation code. Twilight had to divert from a training wargame that took over seven months to plan. Do you realize what you’ve done?”

“Yes, sir. I understand and accept full responsibility for my actions. The choice was mine and mine alone, and I am willing to accept whatever comes. Demotion, expulsion from the Navy, whatever you choose. I would like to repent for my heinous actions, and therefore I would recommend that I be stripped of all rank and assigned to clerical duty to assist you as a secretar- -”

Rainbow Dash smiled. “Gutsy move, kid. I approve.”

“Or perhaps- -wait, what?”

“Pulling the Fleet Commander’s data for a move like that? That sure took a pair. Bold move. The brass might not be too happy about it, but in the long run, if you’re willing to take risks like that, you’ll make admiral by age the time your legal.”

“Fleet Commander…”

“And at ease, Scoots. Come on, you don’t need to salute me or keep calling me ‘Commander’. Your my sister.”

“Yes, sir…I mean, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash and her two assistants began walking, and she motioned for Scootaloo to walk with her. “Wow,” she said, looking around. “This ship took a beating. I’m surprised this wreck held up for this long.”

“It’s a good ship,” said Scootaloo. “Old, but it works.”

“You should have seen my first command,” said Rainbow Dash, smiling. “Tiny. Smaller than this. But fast. Did most of the helmswork myself.” She laughed. “I must have been burning out two Cores a week the way I made that thing dance. Surprised I ever even got promoted to a multicore after that.”

Around one of the corners of the ship, Muffins appeared, nearly slamming directly into Scootaloo. She was covered in soot and smelled strongly of magic ionization, and was carrying a box of glass spheres and tubes that were part of the highly obsolete auxiliary amplifier platform.

Muffins barely managed to avoid dropping the box after almost colliding with Scootaloo, but upon seeing Rainbow Dash, promptly dropped it, shattering everything inside.

“Oops,” she said, looking down with one eye while the other looked up at the ceiling. She then saluted. “Fleet Commander Rainbow Dash.”

“Rear Admiral Doo,” said Rainbow Dash, performing a return salute.

Scootaloo, confused, looked at Rainbow Dash and then at Muffins. “Wait- -what- -” She promptly saluted Muffins. “Rear Admiral!” She leaned toward Rainbow Dash and whispered to her. “Since when does she outrank me?!”

“Since always,” said Rainbow Dash. She leaned in closer. “And boy does she put the ‘rear’ in ‘rear admiral’. Look at that bubble butt! And speaking of butts, I have a story about what I did with two stallions that you just HAVE to hear…”

Scootaloo blushed heavily.

“Oh, it’s okay,” said Muffins. She looked down at the mess she had made and sighed. “I guess I need to find a broom.”

As they walked away, Scootaloo looked up to Rainbow Dash. “If she’s a rear admiral, what’s she doing out here with me?”

“She’s contributed a lot to the good of Equestria,” said Rainbow Dash. “She wanted a mission out here, and we…well…the insurance premiums were getting really, really high.”

“Oh.”

“Speaking of which, how is the mission going?”

As if to answer, a small, dog-like animal skittered down the hallway. It rushed past Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash took a step back, surprised by its presence. The white Pegasi accompanying her did not react, except with slight confusion; they had not been bred to react to predators.

The tiny creature jumped at Rainbow Dash’s leg, panting, and Scootaloo saw that a large red bow had been tied around its neck.

“Fish dog?” said Rainbow Dash, hesitantly poking at the varren’s face. “Yeah. Fluttershy is definitely here.”

“Of course I am,” said Fluttershy, emerging from a shadowy crevice in the wall. Her blue eyes flicked toward the breeder Pegasi, and they took a step back, both overpowered by an instinctive fear that neither of them could understand.

“Flutterbutter!” said Rainbow Dash, smiling. The two reached out and hugged each other. “I haven’t seen you in months! How’s the mission going?”

“Oh, quite well,” said Fluttershy, picking up her varren and placing it on her back between her wings. It grabbed onto her hair and looked out over the top of her head, salivating heavily as it panted. “So many new animal friends to make.”

“You know, you should really stop by to see Twilight. She even set up a lab for you. I think she’s excited to share findings.”

“I’m glad. I have missed her.” Fluttershy’s expression fell slightly. “And…Applejack?”

“Still mad at you.”

“Despite what she says, it was consensual. I mean it, Rainbow. He definitely said ‘yes’.”

“I know, I know. But you know how AJ can get. If it’s any consolation, she’s really cooled off a in the past few weeks. I think she’d be willing to let you come back now.”

“Oh, I’d love to. But I don’t think I’m quite done yet.” She eyed the red-eyed Pegasi who were cowering behind Rainbow Dash. “I’m so very far from done…”

“Whatever you say. But, I mean, come on. All three of us in one place? You totally have to have to get drunk with us. Well, me. Because Twilight…you know…”

“I know,” said Fluttershy. “Baron and I will go see her as soon as we can.”

Fluttershy smiled and cantered off.

“I love that filly,” said Rainbow Dash, watching her go. “But there’s just something about Tartarans. It’s like you can feel the evil coming off her.”

“Off Fluttershy? No way.”

“You’ve never seen her try to be assertive. Dear Celestia…so much blood…”

Scootaloo looked back at the pastel pony as she walked away. Then, as if sensing her, Fluttershy turned and smiled, revealing far too many pointed teeth. She slowly waved before continuing on her way.

“I’d rather not think about that,” said Scootaloo. She looked up at her sister. “Rainbow Dash, while we’re looking through the ship, there’s somepony I’d like you to meet.”

“Oh really?” said Rainbow Dash. “You didn’t pick up a consort already at your age, did you?” Rainbow Dash laughed as Scootaloo blushed.

So Scootaloo led Rainbow Dash through the halls of her ship. Unfortunately, many of them were damaged or charred from the battle, but Rainbow Dash did not seem to mind the mess. Occasionally one of the breeders would take notes, as if cataloging the damage. Most likely they were intending to bring in technicians to repair the damage as soon as they got the chance- -or to determine the vessel a total loss and give Scootaloo a new one.

Eventually, Scootaloo found the pony she was looking for.

“Trixie!” she called, waving the blue unicorn over. Trixie turned and, upon seeing Scootaloo, smiled. Then she slowly limped over to the group. Her motions indicated that she was extremely stiff and probably in pain, but she was still beaming with pride.

“This is Trixie, our Core,” said Scootaloo, excited to finally have a chance to brag. “I know it’s outside of normal protocol to let her wander freely, but without her there was no way we would have made it as far as we did in that battle. She really is something special.”

Trixie smiled at Rainbow Dash, baking in the praise. “Fleet Commander Rainbow Dash,” she said. “It’s an honor to- -”

Her sentence was interrupted by the dull thump of a hoof against flesh. Before Scootaloo knew what was happening, Trixie fell backward, crumpling to the ground.

“How DARE you speak to me directly, you filthy CORE?” spat Rainbow Dash, lowering her hoof. She stepped over Trixie, who was now confused and terrified, holding onto her face, and kicked her in the stomach, causing Trixie to cry out and double over into a fetal position on the floor.

“Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?!” cried Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash turned to Scootaloo, and Scootaloo took a step back. Never before had she seen such hatred in those beautiful eyes. “Scootaloo,” she said. “There’s no way she got out on her own. You did this. You let her OUT.”

“She- -she’s a member of my crew- -”

“She is NOT a member of your crew! She’s not even a real pony! She’s a piece of EQUIPTMENT! No wonder your ship got this damaged if you keep letting the Core walk around like it’s an actual living thing! Scoots…” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “I’m disappointed in you. Using my codes was one thing, but this…even letting that THING talk to you is a blemish not just on you and your career, but mine too.”

“I’m sorry,” whimpered Trixie, shaking on the ground. “I’m sorry I’m sorry…”

“Stop TALKING,” said Rainbow Dash, lifting her hoof again. “Your kind don’t DESERVE to talk!”

Scootaloo felt her rage building, and before Rainbow Dash could bring her hoof down, Scootaloo jumped between the two ponies, protecting Trixie with her body.

“Cap…captain?” said Trixie, weakly.

“Scoots, get out of the way,” ordered Rainbow Dash.

“No!” said Scootaloo. “If it wasn’t for her, I’d be dead right now! We all would!”

“Scoots, do you know how ridiculous that sounds? It’s like saying the ship itself is responsible for getting you out. She’s not alive, you know that, right? She can’t even feel pain!”

“Yes she can! And this isn’t your decision to make! I’m the one who let her out, because I think she has the right to walk around like a normal pony! That was done on MY orders, because she’s my ship’s Core and that’s my right! I even consider her to be my friend, and I don’t care what you say, we all owe her our lives. So if you want to hit a pony, hit me, not her!”

“Captain?” said Trixie, her eyes wide.

Rainbow Dash raised her hoof, but Scootaloo did not even flinch. Then, with a long sigh, Rainbow Dash lowered her hoof to the floor. “Scootaloo, take me to your quarters. We need to talk.”

Rainbow Dash and her two drones stepped past. The white Pegasi paused for a moment, looking down at Trixie, not with contempt- -Scootaloo doubted breeders were capable of such negative emotions- -but with a kind of sad understanding. Then they followed their master on her way.

Scootaloo helped Trixie up, feeling how much she was shaking. The side of Trixie’s face was already starting to darken with a large bruise. “Are you okay?” asked Scootaloo.

“It will take more…more than that to stop Trixie,” muttered Trixie. “I’m…” She paused and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m fine, Captain. Thank you.”

“Go upstairs and find Rose. Tell her I sent you. There’s a medical kit on the bridge.”

“Scootaloo!” called Rainbow Dash. “I’m waiting!”

“I’m sorry,” said Scootaloo. Not to Rainbow Dash, but to Trixie.

The journey to Scootaloo’s room was performed in almost complete silence. Rainbow Dash refused to speak, and Scootaloo could not think of anything to say. As her emotions cooled down, though, Scootaloo began to realize the gravity of what she had just done. She had just actively defied the Fleet Commander, and her sister- -THE Rainbow Dash herself. Over a Core. Scootaloo understood that Cores were not ponies, at least in theory. They were constructs built to power spacecraft. But after spending time with Trixie, she just could not help herself, and may have completely lost the respect of her idol for that.

Eventually they came to the door that led to the captain’s quarters. It was one of the few gaps on the ship that had an actual door, one that could be locked. One that was soundproof.

“Wait out here,” said Rainbow Dash to her assistants.

“Yes, Fleet Commander,” they said in unison in identical voices. Rainbow Dash then opened the door and pointed, gesturing for Scootaloo to enter.

The captain’s quarters of any vessel were usually the most luxurious on the ship. The same was true for Scootaloo’s, in a relative sense. Her ship was small and old, so the room she got was oddly shaped, like a kind of triangle. There was a bed on one side, as well as a shelf that held manual starcharts and books. She had several possessions, including a few Equestrian propaganda posters featuring Rainbow Dash as well as several models of various ships in the Equestrian fleet and an aquarium filled with dull gray alien moths that Fluttershy had given her. The room was a bit of a mess, if only because anything that was not secured had been knocked free during the space battle earlier.

On the far end of the room was as gap partition that led to a small office. Instead of a desk, it contained a table. Rainbow Dash walked into that room and took a seat at the scarred and pitted old table.

Scootaloo followed, momentarily opening a small cabinet and searching for a glass that was not broken. When she found one, she removed it an a bottle of greenish liquid.

She joined Rainbow Dash in the room and set the glass on the table, and then pulled the cap out of the bottle with her teeth. “This…this is an alien beverage,” she said. “We picked up several cases of it at our last stop. Carrot Top says that it’s called ‘ryncol’.”

“Thanks,” said Rainbow Dash, coldly. “After what you did, I could use a drink.” Instead of waiting for Scootaloo to pour her a glass, Rainbow Dash took the whole bottle and started chugging. When she had drained a quarter of the bottle, she set the bottle down hard and gasped. Licking her lips, she looked down at the bottle. “Not bad. Not bad at all. Actually, pretty good.”

“Just try not to drink too much,” said Scootaloo. “You know how you get when you overdo it.”

“Are you saying I can’t hold my liquor?”

“No,” said Scootaloo. “Rainbow Dash, you know what I mean.”

Rainbow Dash looked down at the bottle. “Yeah. Yeah I do.”

Scootaloo took a seat at the small table across from Rainbow Dash. The room had a small window on the wall. Sometimes Scootaloo would watch the black, lifeless void of space through that porthole. Now, as she stared through, she saw the hangers inside the Harmony filled with returning warfighters and their crews walking amongst worker Pegasi and violet, robotic alicorns. She sighed, and then reached up and closed the shade, indicating that it was time for the conversation to begin.

“Standing up to me like that,” said Rainbow Dash, taking another swig of ryncol. “You’re really growing up, aren’t you?”

“Not enough, clearly,” sighed Scootaloo. “Rainbow Dash, I’m sorry, I didn’t- -”

Rainbow Dash held up a hoof to silence her. “No, it’s me who should be sorry. I must have raised you wrong. It’s my fault. And, really, I shouldn’t have done that to your Core. It’s your property, part of your ship. So I apologize.”

“R…really?”

Rainbow Dash leaned forward, her violet eyes staring at Scootaloo. “But Scoots, you have to understand. I know, it’s hard sometimes. They look just like ponies, just like unicorns, even. But they’re not. They’re just Cores. Things, machines.”

“I know, but- -”

“No buts, Scoots. It was great that you defended her, but your bravery is misplaced.”

“I understand.”

“Which brings me to my second point. That Core… ‘Trixie’? I can’t believe you named it, but whatever…it’s not the only Core involved in this, is it?”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “You know?”

“More than you do. I went back through my files, and you’ve been looking at things that weren’t meant for a first-level Captain like you. With my codes, no less.”

Scootaloo looked down at the table, ashamed. “We received an automated distress signal. When we traced it, we found a ship. Except it had been…damaged.”

“You mean salvaged. By aliens.”

“You- -you know?”

“I do now. Twilight saw it. The Core, on board one of those weird bug-ships.”

“I tried to get it back,” said Scootaloo. “I thought if I retrieved it…”

“You should have called for backup. You’re in over your head, Scoots.”

Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash seemed genuinely concerned. “What do you mean?”

Rainbow Dash set down her ryncol and looked out the window, even though it was closed. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but since you’re my sister, I know I can trust you. At least, I hope so after what you pulled with that Core. Consider this your debriefing on the matter.”

Rainbow Dash produced a small crystal-like device from her uniform and placed it on the center of the table. She tapped it, and a violet projection formed over the table showing the exact vessel that Scootaloo had found adrift with all hoofs deceased.

“This vessel is called the Equalizer, codename EQX,” said Rainbow Dash. “Or was. It was developed in secret and tested at long-range until we lost contact with it two weeks ago. At first we assumed it had just gone into radio silence, but from what you’re telling me, it didn’t.”

“There were no survivors,” said Scootaloo. “Except the Core.” She quickly corrected herself. “But- -the Core is not a survivor. It just didn’t get damaged.”

“And that’s the problem,” said Rainbow Dash, changing the magic projection to show the specifics of the vessel. As Scootaloo read them, her eyes widened. “This isn’t an ordinary ship. It was an experimental model designed as a countermeasure against the Crystal Empire.”

“The Crystal Empire? But we’ve been at peace with them for years. The brother of the Fourth Goddess was married to the Crystal Empress. We’re unified now.”

“Don’t be naïve, Scoots. How long do you think Shining Armor will last? How long to ponies live? A unicorn like him will get, what? Two hundred, three hundred years? Cadence lives forever. As soon as Shining Armor is gone, the peace ends. Do you think we can just give up on our defenses? You don’t know what the war was like. You have no idea how many ponies we lost to the Crystals. What we all lost…” She extended her white wing, the injury that had all but ruined her ability to fly.

“But what was it doing all the way out here?”

“Have you ever heard of the Crimson Horizon?” Scootaloo shook her head. “It was a prototype for the Harmony, designed by Celestia herself. It used a Core made from a powerful mage called Sunset Shimmer. It failed and detonated. We lost three inhabited worlds.”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “I read about that! I thought it was a solar flare- -”

“Cover story,” said Rainbow Dash. “We couldn’t let the public know that our mistake cost over two hundred thousand ponies their lives. So we tested the Equalizer farther out, in case it did the same thing. There’s nothing important out here to lose.”

“I still have the coordinates for what’s left of the ship,” said Scootaloo. “I can show you- -”

“The ship doesn’t matter. Well, I guess it does on some level, but it’s just a husk. A well-designed, incredibly expensive husk, but a husk anyway. It’s the Core that matters. Look at these stats.” Rainbow Dash pointed. “This ship has a next-generation amplifier system, a full complement of heavy weapons, and shields that can crush through an asteroid field without even noticing. Assuming they’re turned on, of course.”

“But it’s so small…”

“That’s the beauty of it. A ship with this much firepower would normally be a Celestial class battlecruiser. Ten, twenty Cores at least. Probably closer to forty. That’s how many Cores it would take to power the Equalizer…if we were using an ordinary Core.”

“That’s what I thought,” said Scootaloo. “There’s something special about this one, isn’t there?”

Rainbow Dash smiled and nodded. “You have no idea. Get this: it is on par in output potential with Twilight Sparkle herself.”

Scootaloo’s jaw dropped. “But…Twilight- -”

“Is the most powerful Core ever created, and the only one made from an alicorn. The Equalizer’s Core is on par with a goddess.” Rainbow Dash leaned back in her chair. “That ship is faster than any ever created, even the Harmony. Only one unicorn in a thousand is born as a Core, and as far as we know, none has ever been born like that one.”

Scootaloo paused, and then turned to Rainbow Dash, confused. “Wait. Born?”

“Of course, born,” said Rainbow Dash. “Wait…you didn’t know?”

“Know what?”

Rainbow Dash laughed. “Oh, this is too rich! You actually didn’t know where Cores come from?”

“I assumed they were manufactured somewhere- -”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No. Unicorns aren’t like Pegasi, Scoots. We can’t just grow them on a farm like the Agricultural Ministry does with the breeders. They don’t breed true. Cores are basically…well, defective unicorns. I mean, haven’t you ever talked to Muffins about her daughters?”

“Sometimes,” said Scootaloo. “She really loves them. Always talking about how successful they are.”

“They’re Cores.”

“Wh…what?”

“Yeah. Both of them. Actually, her youngest just got the integration surgery about six months ago. I’m pretty sure it was installed into the RENS SmallScale. It’s actually docked here. Pretty good output, if I remember correctly. It’s about your age, too.”

Scootaloo just stared in horror. “You mean…they’re not born like that? They start out as- -as unicorns?”’

“No. Well, kind of. It takes a few years to figure out which ones are Cores. Usually we manage to get them as children, if a Core can even be considered a child. Hint: they can’t.”

“That’s terrible!”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes narrowed. “That’s the only way spaceflight is possible. And your empathizing with them again. I told you, they aren’t real ponies. You can’t feel bad for them.”

Scootaloo swallowed. “Yes, Rainbow Dash.”

“See, now we’re coming to an understanding. You’re starting to get it.”

Scootaloo looked down at the table. Her mind felt heavy. On some level, she supposed she had always known. It was hard not to. Somehow, though, she had suppressed it, focusing on her own duties instead of worrying about where Cores actually came from. Now, though, she found herself thinking of Trixie as a little filly wearing an oversized hat and cape, her eyes wide with dreams of performing on a stage for crowds of adoring fans, her back and face free of implants meant to bind her to a ship’s engine. It made Scootaloo want to cry, something she could never allow herself to do in front of Rainbow Dash. So she just smiled.

“Yeah,” she said. “I get it. They’re not really ponies after all.”

“There we go!” Rainbow Dash poured some ryncol into the class and slid it over to Scootaloo. “Have a drink, sis!”

“I’m too young,” said Scootaloo, recoiling from the foul smell of the liquid.

“Oh, come on,” said Rainbow Dash. “You’re a friggin captain! You’re on the cusp of marehood. You’ll probably have your first estrus any day now, come to think of it. Unless you already did?”

“No,” said Scootaloo, shaking her head. She looked up at Rainbow Dash and felt her heart skip slightly. “But I’ve felt…well, urges.”

“Let me guess,” said Rainbow Dash, laughing. “The rear admiral? Fluttershy, maybe- -actually, on second thought, don’t try that. At your age, I doubt you’d survive. Hay, even I’D have a hard time making it out of that alive. Or…” she grimaced and froze. “Don’t tell me it’s for the Core?”

“No!” protested Scootaloo, perhaps too much.

“Good. Because that would be disgusting. As if mare-on-mare love isn’t bad enough, doing it with a Core…” she shuddered.

“Yeah,” said Scootaloo, disappointed. She stood up and walked to Rainbow Dash’s side, sitting on a different chair. “Rainbow…do you think I’m pretty?”

Rainbow Dash laughed awkwardly. “What kind of a question is that, Scoots? Yeah, sure. You look great. You’ll probably have your pick of stallions when you get a little older. Just like I do.”

“Stallions…yeah…”

“You know, actually,” Rainbow Dash leaned in close and whispered, as though other ponies could hear her. “I’ve actually been going through the stud registry recently. I’ve been thinking of having a foal. Of course, I won’t be able to raise her, not with this job, but if I’m this awesome, just think of what my daughter could be.”

“Unless she comes out as a Core.”

Rainbow Dash’s expression fell. “Not going to happen,” she said. “I don’t make mistakes like that. And besides, you know how I feel about unicorns. No way I’d breed myself with one of them.” She sighed. “Not that it matters right now, though. I can’t worry about those things. My job here is to recover the EQX Core, no matter what. Twilight seems to think that it got away with that…relay…thing. We can’t trace it, but it’s only a matter of time.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t retrieve it,” said Scootaloo.

“Don’t sweat it, kid. At least you tried.” Rainbow Dash mussed Scootaloo’s hair. “You’re a good sister. I’m glad I could talk to you.” She leaned in closer, and her tone became far more serious. “Just remember what I told you. Put the Core back in its place where it belongs. If you keep going on with it, you’ll never get promoted.”

Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash into her perfect face, once again feeling her heart skip. “Rainbow Dash, I…”

“What is it, Scoots?”

Scootaloo could not bring herself to say it. “I just…I was hoping I could assist in the search.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it. Twilight will get your ship back ship-shape, and then you can go back to your mission. Just try not to use my emergency command again. Seriously. I had to pull some strings to keep you in the navy for that.”

“Yeah,” said Scootaloo. “I know. Thank you. You really are the best, Rainbow Dash.”

“Of course I am,” said Rainbow Dash, standing. “Now, I’ve got some work to do. Oh, and have all the cases of this ryncol stuff up to me.”

She smiled and then left, opening the door and speaking to her aides. Then the door slid closed, and Scootaloo was left alone.

For a moment, Scootaloo just stared at the wall. On some level, she had wanted to be yelled at. Chastised, demoted, punished, just like any other captain in the fleet would be. Instead, it had been Trixie who had received the brunt of Rainbow Dash’s rage for no fault of her own. Scootaloo, like always, was just forgiven. No punishment, no loss. She was not a captain to Rainbow Dash, not a sailor. She was just her sister, and would always be just a sister, and that was the worst place to be in. Scootaloo felt terrible, not knowing if she was being ungrateful for her unique status but wishing she could just be ordinary.

Worse, she knew things she had never wanted to know. Not just about Cores, or about the mission. She could have gotten over those things. What bothered her was what she now knew about Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo knew, of course, that Rainbow Dash was right. Rainbow Dash was her hero, and she was always right.

Scootaloo slowly lowered her head against the table and groaned.

“I never wanted any of this,” she said, minutes too late. “I just wanted you, Rainbow Dash. I love you.” She closed her eyes, trying to make the feeling of heaviness in her chest go away. “All I ever wanted to do was make you proud of me. But you’re right. You’re always right.”

Then she fell silent, waiting on the verge of crying for the sadness to go away or to pour out of her. Neither happened, and she was left alone in the darkness of the empty room.