A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
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Star Wars:
Tales of the Hunter
It is a time of war in the Galactic Republic. Several star systems have broken from the Union and declared open rebellion. To combat this threat, an Army of Clones was commissioned, led by the guardians of the Republic, the Jedi Knights.
The Separatist forces, led by Count Dooku, a master of the Dark Side, draws the conflict even further, exhausting both the Clones and the Jedi Knights. All for the purpose to serve a far more powerful menace.
With the war dwindling the resources of the Republic, scouts are sent out to find new sources of supplies. A small ship, piloted by two recon troopers have found their way into an unknown system at the edge of the galaxy, in the hopes of keeping the Republic alive...
In the deep black void of space, a ship appears in the blink of an eye, alone. Inside this ship, are two Clone Troopers, warriors for the Republic. Clones were raised from birth to be soldiers, professional, dedicated, and deadly. Most Clones have a strong sense of brotherhood with one another. These two however-
"When we get back CT-6547, I'm requesting an immediate reassignment." They couldn't stand one another. CT-6547 was not your average Clone. He responded to orders, did them to the best of his ability, and was a proficient warrior, like every other Clone. But he was very poor at socializing.
"I'll put the request in myself, 'Blazer'." Blazer was your average Clone, but a bit more of a talker. One might say he was a bit of a loud mouth. CT-6547 would say that he never shuts up. "We just scan this system, and then we're done."
"See? You follow the orders, but our job is the most boring job in the galaxy: scanning unknown derelict systems for supplies. We don't even land, we just mark it on a map and leave. Clones were made to blow up droids!" Blazer had a romantic view of the war.
"We were made to follow orders, and to die for them if necessary." What took many Clones to see after years of warfare, took CT-6547 mere months in basic to figure out. Clones were made to fight and be expendable. He blamed it on whoever was watching his pod when he was growing in it. They should have ironed out the deficiencies in his programming. Now he view the war as a terrible thing that was meaningless.
"You're just so damn depressing, CT-6547." Blazer slumped into his chair. "And when can I give you a nickname?"
"I told you," CT-6547 said as he put in a few numbers into the flight computer, "I don't want a nickname." At birth, Clones are given a numbered designation. Numbers to differentiate between the Clones. Many Clones however, decided to use nicknames instead. You might hear names like, "Rex, Bly, Boil, or Cody." Many nicknames were given in basic training, and if not there, given on the battlefield. But CT-6547 didn't make friends in basic. He was too quiet there. And on the field, well, he was on the field.
His life consisted of flying a small ship with little armaments, into a dead end part of the galaxy to scan for resources. He'd get different co-pilots too. Some were loudmouths, like Blazer. Others were quiet, not wanting to socialize with someone with no name. And for many occasions, CT-6547 was alone. Piloting a small ship, in nowhere space, looking for something that would most likely be found in the known galaxy.
There were parts of CT-6547 that were made as intended however, he was still happy to be serving the Republic. The Republic was the best thing out there for someone like him. So he kept going on, in the hopes that one day, he could leave and go about doing whatever he wanted to do, or at least that's what the general belief was. But he thought on what he wanted to do. He had time to think about it. He could be a surveyor for the Republic. It was the same thing he was doing now, except he could land on the planets if he so chose. It all depended on what the Republic wanted to do with the Clones. But that would come at the end of the war, which appeared to him to be a ways off.
"Fine." Blazer put in a few algorithms into the computer to scan the system they were in. "Scan initiated. Anything out of the ordinary should come up immediately. And then we can leave this Force forsaken system." He looked at a sparse map of the system on his display. "What do they even call this system?"
"UR-783." CT-6547 said. "This place hasn't been surveyed since the formation of the Republic." Blazer shook his head in disbelief.
"The Republic was formed thousands of years ago." Blazer looked at the map again for clues on this little mystery. "No one has been out here since then?"
"The surveyors were Jedi." 6547 looked out at the abandoned space. "They gave the Republic Military the files only a short time ago."
"For being Defenders of the Republic, they don't really work with the Republic all that well, do they?" Blazer continued looking at the map.
6547 shook his head and checked the computer for an update. It had picked something up.
"Anomaly?" Blazer asked.
"A Gravitational Anomaly." 6547 corrected. "And it's a big one."
"Guess we better investigate it, right?" Blazer asked.
"It's in the job description, I'm setting coordinates." 6547 typed into the navigation computer.
"I hope it's nothing. The longer we're here, the longer I have to put up with you, 'the Bore'." Blazer laughed at 6547's nickname.
"The longer we're out here, I become more susceptible to your idiocy." 6547 activated the hyperdrive and went on their way.
!
Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic, former protege of Princess Celestia, and now: Princess of Equestria. She still had to get used to that. She had just finished, "Court Mannerisms for New Royalty" for the fifth time in a row. The responsibility of it all was overwhelming. She sat at her desk, looking at all the other books she had read. They helped in a way, but there was nothing to help her become the inspiration that ponies expected her to be. She sighed and closed the book, looking out her window at the night sky. Princess Luna, her colleague now, was preparing a festival to honor Twilight. There was a knock at the door.
"Twilight? They're almost ready to start." It was Spike, her faithful assistant.
"Thanks, Spike. I'll be there in a bit." Twilight had a sense of sadness in her voice. Not very common for her.
"Twilight, what's wrong?" Spike asked. Twilight shook her head.
"I don't know Spike." She walked away from her desk and left her room. "I think it's all getting to me. The weight of all this." She looked around her library, thinking of a simpler life when she wasn't an Alicorn.
"I know you can handle it, Twilight. Besides, I'll be helping you." Spike said proudly. "Your number one assistant will always be here to help." Twilight smiled and hugged Spike.
"Thank you, Spike." The sadness in her voice was gone, but not within herself. She opened the door and looked up at the night sky. The stars were shining quite brightly. On the ground, the festival was about to begin. Ponies from all walks of life were having fun. But at soon as Twilight passed by them, they all bowed in reverence to her. She sighed and continued toward the center of town where the big event Luna planned would take place. The town was filled with decorations of all kind, honoring the night sky. When she reached the center of town, Luna was sitting on a large stage looking at the sky. She looked down at Twilight and smiled.
"Twilight! It's so good to see you again!" She flew down and nuzzled Twilight.
"You too Luna. This all looks so amazing!" Luna looked back at the stage, which was quite bare.
"The stage is a stage Twilight. Hardly an extraordinary thing." Luna chuckled a bit. Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile. "But the sky had to be perfect for tonight. I know the Summer Sun Celebration is close, so I want you to enjoy yourself a bit." The two began to walk around the festival. "Tell me, are you having any trouble with the ceremonial movements we have laid out?"
"A little. These wings are tougher to use than I had thought." While Twilight was quite adept at most things, flying was a little tougher for her to grasp.
"Yes, well you still have time Twilight. I think you'll get it. For now, all you have to do is say, 'Thank you, Everypony. Please have a fun night!'" Luna proclaimed loudly and proudly.
"How long until we begin?" Twilight asked.
"Half an hour. Be up on the stage by then." Luna turned around back toward the stage while Twilight looked up again at the night sky. I hope I can do this. Twilight thought.
!
The Clone ship dropped out of hyperspace to the gravitational anomaly.
"Beginning scans." Blazer activated the sensors. 6547 looked out the window, trying to see what was effected. "This is getting weird."
"What is it?" 6547 asked.
"You know how everything orbits a star?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, the star is the one in orbit of... something." Blazer showed the results of the scan.
"This has got to be a malfunction. Rescan it."
"It isn't a malfunction. Something weird is going on in this system." Blazer said looking around superstitiously.
"What's the star in orbit of? What other planets for that matter?" 6547 asked.
"No signs of other astral bodies, except for… a planet? The star is in orbit of a planet?" Blazer rubbed his helmet in disbelief..
"That's impossible." 6547 said bluntly.
"I know it is, but that's what it is." The two looked at each other and then back at the map. "I think I know why the Jedi never got around to scanning this area."
"Well, we're here now. Setting a course for the planet." 6547 punched in the coordinates and went off towards the planet.
"Shouldn't we report this?" Blazer asked. He had a point. Why not report in.
"We need visual confirmation. We have to be sure the scans are correct before we go reporting anything. For all we know, this could be a complete sensor failure." 6547 watched the stars as they drew closer to their location.
"What do you think we'll find?"
"Something at least. This is way beyond us." I hope it's nothing.
!
"Citizens of Ponyville!" Luna loudly proclaimed. "Welcome to the first annual, "Shooting Star Celebration!" The crowd cheered wildly. "As you know, this festival was made in honor of the newest Princess of Equestria. May I present, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" The crowd cheered even more wildly. Twilight got up on the stage and looked at the sea of ponies before her. It was a bit much, until she saw the reassuring smiles of her friends, who were all in the front row. She smiled and gained confidence.
"Thank you, Everypony. Please have a fun night!" Twilight liked sticking to a script. Nothing like being stable. Luna smiled as her horn lit up.
!
The Clone's ship arrived over the planet. Sitting at a stable orbit.
"Looks like a life giving planet." Blazer said upon inspection. "Nothing out the ordinary."
"Except its mass is nowhere near the size even capable of trapping a star. So what's going on?" 6547 laid back into his chair and looked at the planet. "There's civilization down there. Maybe we can get the Jedi and-" Just then, an alarm blared from the computer. "What is it?" 6547 asked. Blazer turned on a monitor and saw a volley of meteors heading towards them.
"Meteors!" Blazer yelled. "Evasive action!" 6547 turned on the engines and tried to move out of the way. But it was too late. The meteors pounded the ship, hitting the engines. 6547 looked at Blazer, who wasn't strapped in.
"Blazer! Get your belt-" A meteor blasted through the ship, venting everything. Blazer screamed as he was pulled out into space. "Computer! Seal the breach!" A forcefield activated, sealing the ship from leaking any more air. "Damn it, Blazer. Why'd you have to go and be stupid." 6547 grabbed the controls again. He found that the meteors, and the ship were hurtling down towards the planet.
!
The Ponies looked across the night sky in amazement. A beautiful meteor shower had lit up everything. The Ponies began dancing and partying, while Twilight continued to look up at the sky.
"Do you enjoy my work?" Luna asked.
"Of course. It's so beautiful." Twilight said as she stared deep into the sky.
"You know, Twilight. If you need to talk about anything, you know I'm here right?" Twilight's smile was replaced with a sad frown.
"I know, Luna. This new level of responsibility is driving me crazy. I don't think- I- That's a big meteor, Luna." Twilight pointed towards the hot object in the sky. Luna looked at it.
"That isn't a meteor, Twilight." All the ponies looked up at the hot object coming towards them.
Meanwhile, on the ship, 6547 was pulling hard on the control stick. Can't hit this town. Keep it up, Trooper! The ship flew right over the town and moved towards a clearing in a forest. "Emergency boosters activate!" 6547 cried. The computer complied and activated the rockets under the ship, causing the ship to crash land gracefully.
Smoke arose from the Everfree Forest. The Ponies screamed in panic.
"Remain calm everypony!" Luna yelled. Twilight looked towards the smoke.
"Luna, I've got a bad feeling about this."