Despite not getting on too well with her parents, it was a heartfelt goodbye. But J.G. did as promised and picked little booster up in the morning. There was a few tears too. It’s always hard when a child leaves their family. After the goodbye’s and the multiple assurances again from J.G. that he’d look after her it was a short walk to the docks. The filly did look rather cute, she had a small hoverpad trailing behind her packed with a number of her possessions that she didn’t want to leave behind.

“So uh, what am I gonna be doing on your ship?” she asked, a little curious.

“Ya’ll just worry about getting your little self there first and then we can decide what you’re doing. Besides I gotta show you around first.” J.G. replied. “We’ll get you a room and see what you’re good at.”

“Is it a big ship?” the questions continued to come, clearly the young filly was curious about her new home.

“It’s a fair size, she’s had a lot of changes over the years. She’s my home and home to a fair few other ponies too. You’ll get to meet the crew.”

“Ohhhh a crew! They’ll be like my new family!” the little one said excitedly. “So what do you do?”

“We’re a merchant ship, mainly taking supplies from one colony to the next but we also take passengers, if they’re payin’ ofcourse.” he said. “We’re off to Shabrang colony next. It’s an even more fledgling colony than Sleipnir and the pad company here have started to sell their lighter models to their ponies. Not many hefty ones there, yet. That’ll all change of course…” his voice carrying a small hint of disappointment. “One of the few places ponies like you and me can feel normal.”

The two continued to talk as they trotted. Finally a short while later, arriving at the docks.

“There she is.” J.G. said, pointing a hoof.

To Booster, the ship was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. The body was shiny, a metallic light blue and white paint job graced her hull. Her eyes scanning along the sleek exterior noting down all the portholes, panels and a large nameplate that read E.M.F. Unity #0012 towards the front. The large frontal boarding area was open and J.G. led her inside.

“What’s the 12 for on the nameplate?” Booster asked.

“Ship manufacturing number, kinda like a registry I suppose. This was the 12th built of the class of vessel.” he said. “Now you wait here just a moment.” he trotted over to a pony on the deck who gave him a hug, Booster couldn’t quite make out any words though. No matter, the two came back to talk to her.

“Booster this is Estuary, or Es just for short. She’s my second in command. You can’t find me, you come lookin’ for Es, alright?” he said kindly. At that moment Es stretched out a hoof and shook Booster by it.

“Captain explained your situation, we’ll look after you no sweat. I’m sorry about your parents not seein’ eye to eye with you.” she said.

“Y-yeah, me too. Nice to meet you Es.” the young filly smiled, trying to get out of her head thoughts of her family.

“Es can you see the rest of the passengers get on okay? I assume the cargo is loaded?” J.G. asked her.

“No problem captain, yeah loaded in the lower storage bays. I counted em’ myself, 120 pads. All can take up to 2,500 pounds. Should net us a nice profit as long as the paying public don’t eat through our stores again…”

“C’mon, Es can handle things. I’ll take you to meet the rest of the crew. With everything prepped they’re probably now hanging out in the mess hall.” J.G. said, taking Booster along with him, still trailing behind with her little hoverpad of her stuff.

It wasn’t a huge crew, but it was enough. Sure enough they were all sitting around a table in the mess hall. Upon seeing the captain they all got up and stood to a rather lacklustre attention, it was a merchant ship after all. No need to observe strict military regs.

“Okay ya’ll. We got us a new crew member. She’s a lil young but I’m certain will become a valuable asset on the ship. This is Booster Rocket, but I think Booster will do just fine. She’s gonna get settled in and I’ll find a position for her.”

Booster could do nothing but try to smile and wave her little hoof at the crew members to say hello. She didn’t dare speak.

“Awwww, she’s so cute! I could just gobble her up!” a more portly stallion said. She had no idea who he was.

“Suppose I better start introductions. Booster this is Gear Grinder, head of engineering. He keeps us flying.”

“Pleasure to meet ya little miss. Maybe you’ll be naturally talented at fixing stuff! Who knows.” the stallion said with a smile. Booster just smiled back and nodded while J.G. ran down the rest of the staff.

“We’ve got Quick Fry, head cook. Es back in the cargo bay you know, she’s second in command and looks after navigation and the guests. Packed Pallet there is the cargomaster, she decides what we pick up and looks after what we ship. Finally we got Holy Bandage, she’s the only doctor aboard, you know. Just in case.” the small complement of crew all greeted Booster in a friendly fashion. “There’s a few more but they’re probably off performing their duties right now. I’m sure you’ll meet them later.”

For the next hour or so whilst they finished loading up, J.G. walked Booster around the whole ship to give her a good idea of what was where. The mess hall, cargo areas, engineering. Quickly the young filly learned where everything was so she could make her way around. It was a huge ship, well, it seemed huge what with all the stuff it had aboard. The little one marvelled at the technology that kept it flying. Finally the tour ended in the crew quarters.

“Here you are, we’ve got a spare little room for you. This is why it’s important ponies who work for me stay a little on the lighter side.”

He wasn’t kidding, the tiny room that was just about big enough to fit a bed and a few small storage lockers which was all Booster had. It seemed big to her though, seeing as she was only tiny. She could finally unload her hoverpad of her stuff too which she started to do immediately. J.G. smiled and watched as she began to put teddies on her bed and immediately take to her new home.

“I’ll leave you here for the next few hours, then my plan is I’m gonna let you work with one of my crew each day and we’ll find your aptitude. Sound good?” he said.

“Y-yeah.” Booster stopped for a moment, and just trotted up to J.G. where she immediately wrapped her hooves round his legs. The stallion blushed a little and patted her on the head, trying to be friendly.

“What’s the for little one?” he asked.

“For doing this for me, I’m gonna be the best crewmember you ever have. You’ll see.” Booster said, letting go of the hug and returning to unloading her hoverpad. J.G. shut the door to her room and let her get on with it, making his way back up to the entryway to the ship to catch up with Es.

“We all loaded up?”

“Sure are captain, we got a few real lardballs on this trip too. Already complained the buffet ain’t open till we take off.”

“They always do. So, Shabrang again?”

“I know it’s a bit of a boring one captain but it pays well, being right on the edge and still building up they like that we’re regular shippers to them.”

“Yeah, well it’s good money and a safe route. Shouldn’t be any trouble. Every merchant ships dream right?” he said grinning. Es hit the button to close the bay doors, the giant metal monsters coming to a close and darkening to the entryway. Lighting flicked on to compensate.

“So uh, I know you explained already but what’s the deal with the filly? Must be more to feeling sorry for her. Captain I ain’t ever know you to bring somepony so young aboard to work for us.” Es question, she was right. Generally the captain had a pretty strong policy that all crew had to be vetted thoroughly before they came on board.

“Some stuff happened on that colony with her that resonated with me. I’ll tell ya later Es, let’s get into the big black first and we can talk about it tonight round the mess hall table. I’ll explain to everypony, I don’t think they really know why either.”

“Alright captain, sounds good.” Es replied, the two of them trotting up towards the bridge. J.G. had no idea how the rest of them would take it. Perhaps if he just explained and gave them to truth they’d understand.

For now, it was time to get off Sleipnir and off down the trade lanes to Shabrang. J.G. would start seeing how little Booster faired tomorrow, first he thought perhaps give her a go with Quick Fry and see if she was much of a cook. If not, onto something else. Hopefully she would be at least able to pick up somethin’. He couldn’t keep a dead weight crewmember, no matter how sorry he felt for her or how young she was.

Sat at the controls he powered up the engines and the ship took off, up through the clouds and out through the orbiting gate. Back in her cabin, little Booster just marvelled at seeing the planet she had spent all her life on visible as an orb through the single porthole window she had to peer out of. She teared up a little, suddenly seeing it disappear brought the reality of what she was doing to the forefront, but she smiled through them. She knew it was the right decision. This ship was already starting to feel like home.