Stardate: 2237.168

Location: Uncharted Space, Quadrant Delta 55679

“How’re we doing?” A pony in a yellow uniform asked.

All around her, everypony was busy doing their own tasks and she addressed one particular pony to her left. Her mane was cropped to just the end of her neck, tied back in a braid, and she had the feel of a mare that didn’t take things lightly. On her uniform was pinned a uniquely shaped insignia, resembling that of an arrowhead, with a five-point star centered in the middle.

“All systems are functional, Captain,” a pony in a blue uniform announced as he tapped the monitors with his hooves. “Warp core is stable, shields are neutral and intact, and weapons systems are disarmed. Life support systems are at maximum efficiency and artificial gravity is at one G.”

Captain Blazer let a smile slip past her sharp facade as she heard that her ship was in the best condition it could be. Ponies everywhere in uniforms of red, blue and yellow bustled around the bridge, and she couldn’t think of a better place to be than here. In the company if her beloved crew. Especially the Captain’s chair, who doesn’t love that?

“Fantastic,” Blazer said.

Apart from checking all of the H.S.S. Spirit of Harmony’s systems, she couldn’t help but feel that something was off. Like something bad was going to happen, but she couldn’t put her hoof on it. Out in space, anything could happen. Sun Blazer had been in charge of the H.S.S. Spirit of Harmony for a year and she had never felt before.

Turning her mind away from such dark thoughts, she shook her head and cleared her mind before reflecting once again among many times how she had gotten here. After having been a part of defusing the Mareden civil war, she had been promoted to the honorary status of Captain to a ship that was then yet to be built. She had watched with fascination as over the span of two years, her starship was created. Taking after some of the first FTL and warp capable starship designs, it was rightly named the “Spirit Of Harmony”, as a respectful homage to the first Harmony class starship, the ES Harmony.

What her most favorite thing about this whole ordeal was that she got to go on a two year mission to take this starship on its maiden voyage. A two year mission to establish connections between existing worlds, explore relative uncharted areas, and to help the growth of other civilizations. It was her pride, and loved every moment of it.

Thus were the adventures of the H.S.S. Spirit Of Harmony. It’s two year mission? To explore uncharted territories, extend the hoof of friendship to unknown civilizations, and to-

“Captain, we’re reading unusual gravitational anomalies and signs of a lightning storm!” the blue pony called out, bringing the Captain out of her thoughts.

“Say that again, Night Light?” Captain Blazer furrowed her brows.

“Just a few clicks away from us are signs of increasing gravitational activity. Surrounding it seems to be dark clouds of unidentifiable matter that is creating lightning and is therefore cause for cautionary measures!” Night Light, First Officer of the H.S.S. Spirit Of Harmony said. Slightly squinting her eyes, she could see through the window in the bridge what her First Officer was talking about.

In the near distance, she could via magnification make out an area of space that was distorting the stars behind it. Around it were dark clouds of something she had never seen before. They were beginning to swirl around and she could see a few bolts of electricity arc across its tumultuous chaos. Glancing over to the readings on some of the monitors she could see, there were fluctuations in data and some she couldn’t identify herself. Steeling her gaze and adjusting her position on her chair, she shouted commands.

“Bell! Send an information packet to Starfleet ASAP. Night Light! Record this encounter in the Ship’s Log for posterity. It may shed light in the future when looking back upon it.”

“Yes, Captain,” Night Light said, before talking to a small device held aloft in his magic.

“It’s already been done, sir!” Bell said, “Now opening line of communication with Starfleet.” In a breeze, Bell brought up communications. After a tense few seconds of silence, they began to hear from them.

“HSS Spirit Of Harmony, this is Starfleet base.” A female voice rang through the bridge.

“Starfleet base. We sent you an information packet. Did you receive?” Bell asked, watching the monitor intently.

After another moment of quiet, Starfleet responded. “Affirmative. S O H, have you double-checked those readings?”

“Double and triple. Our gravitational sensors are going haywire and there are clouds of unidentifiable matter causing what appears to be a lightning storm. It is inexplicable,” Bell confirmed, looking at charts sent over from those in charge of the sensors.

“What you sent us doesn't seem possible,” the female Starfleet voice said. “These readings are off the charts!”

“Yes, ma’am. But that is the very reason why we sent it.” Bell paused before continuing. Blazer turned down the comm volume levels as she began to focus on what they were seeing.

“Bridge, report!” she announced.

“We’re still out of visual range without aid, Captain. We’ll be there in twenty seconds,” a bridge officer said.

“Is this Centauran? I repeat, is this Centauran?” Bell could be heard asking.

“Starfleet recommends you proceed with extreme caution… Negative, the nearest Centauran outpost is 125,000 kilometres from your position…” the radio chatter was tuned out by Blazer once again.

“Captain, are you seeing this?” another bridge officer said and the Captain squinted before widening her eyes.

Appearing before her eyes was a ship of gargantuan size. What they had detected as gravitational fluctuations were, as she saw now, the makings of a black hole. The lightning storm swirled and crackled, expanding along with the size of the dark gravity well. With silent terror, the ship emerged from the black hole, it's monolithic build setting fear into those who could see it. It seemed to be composed entirely of spikes, black lining whatever wasn’t covered. Wires and razors adorned the front, and it was a ship the likes of which Blazer had never before.

“Sweet Celestia…” Blazer unknowingly said aloud as she gripped the arms of her chair.

“I have a reading,” A red shirt said. Immediately afterward a pony in a yellow shirt swiveled his chair and shouted.

“Captain, they’ve locked weapons systems on us!” the helms-pony stated hastily.

“Red alert. RED ALERT!” Blazer yelled as she gripped her chair tighter. A crimson light filled the air and an alarm rang through the Spirit Of Harmony. “Mare your stations! Shields up! Arm the weapons! Go go GO!”

With the force of a supernova, the opposing ship opened fire on the Spirit Of Harmony. Immediately, the starship rumbled from the impacts and sheer intensity of firepower. Sparks flew and panels and wires fell from the ceiling, injuring several ponies and causing Captain Blazer to look around in worry. The Spirit Of Harmony was now shaking so much that anypony standing fell over. It seemed as though their shields were paper thin and their weapons were effectively useless.

“Evasive maneuver 267, all power to forward shields! Fire all phasers!” Blazer quickly shouted. Jamming her hoof on a comms link, she activated a line between her and engineering. “Damage report! Tell me what’s happening!”

“The ship’s taken heavy fire and if it continues to do so, we won’t make it! The warp drive is ruptured, I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“Weapons are down! Main power is 38 percent!”

“Damn it!” the Captain shouted as she heard the news. Looking out, she could see giant spiked green frags that were exploding the hull of her beloved ship.

“Decks seventeen to thirty eight have confirmed casualties!” somepony announced worriedly.

“Are our shields even up?!” another shouted.

“Captain, our shield integrity is dropping! 11 percent, 10 percent, 8 percent!” Night Light yelled as he flipped multiple switches.

“Direct all power to forward shields, prepare shuttles for evacuation!” Blazer grimaced as she talked into the comms. “Get medical ready to transport all injured!” But just as suddenly as they had been attacked, it stopped.

What replaced the sudden silence and chaos was a chilling voice. “Hello,” the voice said first, and Blazer turned to see a screen with a face now present on it.”My commander wishes to have your captain board our ship so that we may negotiate a cease fire. Your refusal to do so would be unwise.”

And just like that, the attacker’s message ended.

The bridge was in silence, nopony knowing what to do. Everyone, not just the ponies on bridge, looked to the Captain, wondering what she was thinking right now. Wondering what she would do, knowing she would use her wisdom to help them get out of this mess.

In reality, Sun Blazer was truly terrified, the first time since she could last remember. Though she did not show it on the outside, there was no denying she had her doubts, and feared for the safety of her crew. Narrowing her eyes and setting her mind, she did the logical thing. “Prepare a shuttle. Night Light, walk with me.” She then got off from her chair and exited the room.

“Yes Captain,” Night Light nodded, following her out. As they made their way to the hangar, there was an eerie silence throughout the halls of the ship. Stopping at the door to a spacecraft, Blazer turned to Night Light.

“Night Light, if I don’t return in fifteen minutes, evacuate the crew,” Captain Blazer said as she opened the door to her shuttle. “That is an order, are we clear?”

“But Captain, we can-” Night Light tried to say, but was cut off.

“Are we clear?” Captain Blazer repeated more forcefully. With hesitation, Night Light reluctantly nodded.

“...Yes, Captain.”

“You’re Captain now, Night Light. See you on the flipside.” With that, the now relieved Sun Blazer saluted to Night Light. With reverence and utmost respect, Night Light saluted back. Nodding at the new Captain of her treasured ship, she looked around at what would have been her ship for far longer than 12 months. All the memories she had made in that time, the beauty of this ship, she would hold it dear to her heart in what she knew was her remaining time to live. Nodding once again, she provided a grim yet sad and sincere smile to Night Light before entering further into the shuttle and the door closed behind her.

As she input the commands and the shuttle took off, she ever so slightly slumped in her chair, knowing what she was going into. It was to be a fruitless endeavor, that she knew for sure; if the feeling in her gut was any indication. She watched with silent awe as the ship she had gotten to know first came full view in her cockpit’s window, but after that slowly grew smaller and smaller while the enemy ship grew bigger and bigger.

With it only being a matter of time, she stood in front of the door, looking as crisp and prim as she could. The shuttle finally landed, the door opened, and she found a welcoming party of aliens ready to greet her. Holding her head up high, she walked out of the spacecraft and they escorted her through a few doors and across a few bridges before finally coming to a rest at what seemed to be a throne or Captain's chair of sorts where a more prominent pony-esque creature sat, silently watching.

She could hear the whisperings of these pony-like creatures, a language she did not understand. She could see the same pony who delivered the message to their ship holding something, which he then threw in front of Sun Blazer. Taking a few steps back, whatever he threw activated, now displaying an image of what she assumed was a spaceship of some sort.

“Tell me if you recognize this ship. Are you familiar with it’s whereabouts?”

Slightly shaking her head and furrowing her brows, she didn’t state her answer. “Who is your commanding officer?” Blazer asked, lifting a hoof to the alien on the throne, “Is it him?”

“I will speak for Captain Grogar,” the quadruped that had been addressing her so far said.

“Well, ask your Captain what gives him the right to attack a vessel of the Harmonic Alliance?”

He ignored her. Stomping his hoof down on the ground, the image changed to what she could recognize as a pony’s head. Whoever this was had a pink mane, pointier-than-normal ears for a pony, and logical kind blue eyes.

“Do you know the location of Ambassador Shy?”

“I am unfamiliar with an Ambassador Shy,” Sun Blazer responded. She then saw him converse in whispers with the captain on the chair. Frowning slightly, she solidified her gaze on the pair. “I thought we were going to negotiate a ceasefire, how does this have any relation to that?”

The two payed her no mind.

“I insist that we negotiate terms so that you may be held in a fair trial for attacking an Alliance ship, and for the loss of many of my crewmembers.”

If they had heard what she said, they didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, the alien speaker asked her, “What is the current stardate?”

Confused as to why they would need to know the stardate, she responded, “Twenty-two thirty-seven one-eighty-six… Where are you from that you don’t know the stardate?”

She never saw it coming. Without warning, the creature on the apparent Captain’s chair shouted as he began to form something with magic. Sun Blazer, seeing this, quickly tried to escape but her attempts were futile. Knowing this was the end, she closed her eyes, gritting her teeth together, and made peace with what she had accomplished in her life.

It was merely a moment. Her whole life flashed between her eyes, and she was grateful for the time she had had. With family, with friends, with all those that loved her and that she loved. It may have been short-lived, but the time on her ship was the time of her life. Sadly giving a small smile, she faced her death with dignity.

“GrAHHHHHHH!” Captain Grogar yelled as he formed a magic spear. And with one swift movement, it pierced Sun Blazer. Sun Blazer stood for a second longer, before falling to the floor, the life finally leaving her eyes.

Night Light gingerly set himself down on the Captain’s Chair, still reeling from the fact he had been appointed Captain of this starship. With his pregnant wife on board, he only hoped he could save the crew and himself before they got destroyed by the looming starship.

“Captain Blazer's heart rate has risen!” a pony monitoring Blazer’s lifesigns said.

“Just keep watch, she'll be back soon,” Night Light reassured, “Soon, this will all be over and we’ll be left to go our separate ways.” Saying this however only strengthened his feeling of overwhelming dread. Something bad was going to happen, and they would not be prepared for it-

“Her heartbeat has flatlined! Life signs are terminated, no sign of life!!”

Night Light felt a chasm rip open in the pit of his stomach, a sense of shock and disbelief tearing across his mind. Captain Blazer was… dead? He looked over the shoulder of the pony monitoring the Captain’s life signals and found a big red box that was flashing with the word “TERMINATED”. His stomach fell further and his mouth opened a little, before he shut it back closed. He gulped, adjusting his collar before another pony shouted.

“They’ve locked weapons again! Sir, they’re firing!”

With no time to think and a ship for him to save, Night Light hardened his gaze. “Delta seven maneuver four! Fire full array of torpedoes, maximum power to forward shields!” Night Light ordered. As he did so, a new volley of mine frags hit the ship and he could clearly see areas of what was now his ship ruptured and torn open. Grimacing, he looked around at the chaos before nodding to himself.

“Everypony is now relieved of duty! I’m issuing Main Protocol Nine, we’re evacuating! Get off this ship!” Night Light commanded, and everypony nodded.

“Yes, sir!” one pony said before she abandoned her post. Night Light, looking around the disheveled bridge and the ponies getting ready to leave, he spoke into the ship’s comms system.

“All decks, this is your Captain speaking! Evacuate the ship, I repeat, evacuate the ship! There are shuttlecrafts at the ready, get to them now! I repeat, evacuate immediately! Main Protocol Nine has been issued! Evacuate immediately!”

Night Light then furrowed his brows as he manned the now empty stations of the bridge. He checked to make sure everything was in order as he attempted to make the shuttles’ journey’s as smooth as possible. Opening up his communicator, he tried to connect with another communicator onboard and heaved a sigh of relief as it did so.

“Night Light?” a voice crackled through the communicator

He laughed shakily. “Velvet! Thank Celestia you’re okay!” He wanted so much to tell her all the things he was thinking right now, but he knew it would only escalate the situation. “I have Shuttle Thirty-Nine ready for you, can you get to it now?”

“Yes,” Twilight Velvet’s voice responded.

“Okay, good. Everything is going to be fine, just get the shuttle. Shuttle Thirty-Nine. Just do exactly as I say.” Night Light comforted just as a large explosion rocked the front of the ship.

“It’s coming, Night Light, the baby’s coming!” Twilight Velvet said, “It’s coming now!”

“I’m on my way,” Night Light assured, and he leapt to another control panel, pushing a lever forward. He tapped into a keyboard with his hooves commands which would allow the autopilot to commandeer the ship without a pilot. Hitting enter, he stood back and watched with shock and dismay as the computer relayed a message to him.

“AUTO-PILOT FUNCTION HAS BEEN DESTROYED. MANUAL OPERATION ONLY.”

Closing his eyes and making a decision, he nodded to himself before directing his comms to his wife’s shuttle. “Shuttle Thirty-Nine, is my wife onboard?” he spoke as calmly as possible.

“Yes, Captain,” the pilot of shuttle Thirty-Nine confirmed.

“Leave now, Officer,” Night Light quickly said, “Leave now.”

“But, sir-!” the pilot tried to say over the line but Night Light shook his head, though he knew they couldn’t see it.

“That’s an order! Leave now.”

“Yes, sir,” the pilot finally said before they launched into space. Night Light then heard his communicator ring again and he answered it once more.

“Night Light?” his wife asked over the communicator, “Where are you? The shuttle is already leaving!”

Sadly frowning to himself as he watched phaser bolts and torpedoes whiz by the viewscreen as well as a perpetual amount of explosions, he thought about his wife. “Honey, I have to tell you something.” He blocked the light from an explosion with a hoof as he continued to pilot the ship. “I’m not going to be there.”

“No!” he heard his wife say.

“Velvet, it’s the only way.”

“But you can’t stay on the ship! You have to be here, with me,” Twilight Velvet pleaded.

“If I don’t, the shuttles won’t have any chance of escape,” Night Light reasoned as another explosion rocked the bridge. He saw a torpedo heading heading straight for the shuttle with his wife on it and quickly destroyed it before it could reach the shuttle. He heaved a sigh of relief. He continued to do so for the countless shuttles now leaving the H.S.S. Spirit Of Harmony.

“I can’t do this without you, Night Light…” he heard Velvet say, and he could clearly hear the crack of emotion in her voice. He closed his eyes again, his chest flaring with the thought of never seeing the face of his wife again, and vice versa. He let a tear run down his face as he heard the cries of pain her wife was in as she was going into labour.

With the weapons reserves now running on minimal, he looked for any other way to stop this barrage of firepower. Closing his eyes for a last time, he decidedly set a collision course for impact against the enemy ship. As he did so and sat in the Captain’s chair, he could hear the small cries of something… or someone.

Instantly knowing what it was, he chuckled softly. “What is it?” he asked.

“It’s a girl!” he heard his wife say, and he smiled.

“A girl!” he exclaimed, looking ahead at his impending doom. “Tell me about her.”

“She’s beautiful… Night Light, you should be here…” Velvet whispered, and Night Light smiled sadly. The monitors around him flashed in warning, the computer announcing out loud of imminent impact. Disregarding this fact, he continued on.

“What are we going to name her?” he asked, staring intently at the communicator in his hoof.

“Let’s name her after your mother,” Twilight Velvet said.

“Amicae? Are you kidding me? No, let’s name her after you, and your mother.” Night Light chuckled sadly as he saw the counter hit fifteen seconds.

“Sparkle… Okay, Twilight Sparkle it is…” Twilight Velvet whispered.

Night Light stared ahead now, focused on his final destination. Here was his end, and he embraced it. A captain should go down with his ship, after all… But it shouldn’t have been at the expense of a newborn child. He thought of how she would grow up without a father… He only hoped her brother could help her get on with her life…

“Velvet, are you there? Can you hear me?” he asked, one final thought in mind.

“Yes, I can hear you Night,” Twilight Velvet answered.

“I love you so much, you know that?” Night Light whispered, tears now marking both cheeks. He watched as the ship seemed to swallow the Spirit Of Harmony whole. And he said his final goodbyes as he closed his eyes, finally hitting the ship and everything exploded around him.

“...I love you…” Twilight Velvet heard her husband last say before the connection went dead and she felt and heard the shudder of an explosion. Her stomach dropped and she could already feel the well of tears that would flood her eyes. She looked tenderly at the purple unicorn in her hooves before the drops began to flow and she started uncontrollably sobbing. In the distance, seen through the window, was an explosive cloud of flame emanating from a single spot in the enemy ship’s hull.

In that instant, the universe was silent as the wails of a mourning widow pierced the air…

And the life of a fatherless unicorn began.

Author's Notes:

The Future Reimagined

in...

By

~Doctor Disco~

Chapter posted on 28th of October, 2016