private Home amongst the Stars

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Magicka looked at the device and quickly typed the ID on her own device. She quickly typed a quick test message like Crystal asked.

hello there.

she typed unoriginally after she pressed send she got an alert that the device needed to be charged and it had glitched slightly making the Unicorn curious.

"I got to go Crystal my device is dying," Magicka said to the crystal mare before standing up and leaving looking at the device.

once in her room (which was decorated with pictures from the statalite that first explored the planet) she took the device off and set it on her desk.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

"Yeah, that'll do..."

The screen lit up and there was a notification on the main panel of Crystal's tablet. She opened the message and saved the sender ID. A beep from Magicka's device caught her attention and the cherry mare looked up and at her companion. "Oh, okay... see you later?" With a little shake of her head, making her mane sway gently, she got back to her plate, eating in silence, as usual. After she was done, Crystal brought her and Magicka's plates back to the window and left the mess hall.

She took a "scenic route" back to her little hidey hole this time, walking across the long and well lit corridors and reading the signs as she went. Finally Crystal Clear stood before the doors to her quarters and, with a sigh, went inside. She looked at the prefab interior, mostly bare of personal decor and quite tidy. Perhaps it showed more about the occupant than she would admit. Crystal took off her pilot jacket and hung it neatly, then sat on the bed. Her crystal heart pendant hanging off her neck, brilliant pink reflecting the blueish lights. The mare fished her headphones out of a drawer, took off her hoofboots and laid in her bed, opting to listen to some music and just rest.

The small room echoed faint sounds of music, and the mare's ears moved slowly, as if dancing to the tune. The pendant on her chest started to glow a little and she smiled, eyes closed and just enjoying herself.

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Magicka opened her bag and grabbed an old rusted piece of metal. She laid down on her bed and examined the metal shard for the millionth time since she found it as a kid. It was covered in odd score marks. Putting metal bit down and stared at the ceiling before using her magic to pull her device over to herself to check the time and to check out the glitch she saw earlier. Checking the device files she found nothing out of the ordinary. Finally checking the time the time and saw an hour has passed, she decided to see when they were leaving.

Hey Crystal Clear what time do we leave for the mission.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

*Beeep* *Beeep*

"Ughhh... the hay?"

Crystal Clear rubbed her eyes and groaned. She must've nodded off on the bed, and her ears were still being soothed with cellos and pianos. She took the headphones off and looked around. Same plain room. Then, a light flickered on her wrist and she knew it was her wrist tablet that received a message. Still sluggish, the mare raised it to her eyes, squinting a little.

"Like I knew..." She muttered to herself and started typing a more diplomatic reply. Just when she was about done, another message went in, but from a different sender. One of those everypony had on their contact list...

It was a meeting notification from mission command. Just meeting name time and room number. Crystal sighed and replied to Magicka: "You'll know in 20 minutes."

With little time left, she woke herself up properly and put her jacket on. Just a look in a little mirror to make sure she looks professional, and she was out, marching like she seemed so awfully fond of, her steps echoing through the corridor.

The meeting room was one of the small war rooms at Deck B, which was basically the soldiers playground, and the only way to reach the bridge and command on Deck A. Crystal felt a little uneasy there, with military types walking here and there and that air of... Combat readiness that seemed to seep out of the walls. Or maybe it was just in her head? Either way, the mare made it three minutes before time and entered the room.

It was rather strange inside. Bare walls, no seats, and just one big table in the middle. Not just any table though, for it acted as a touch screen. A middle aged Pegasus in guard uniform was standing over it, fiddling with the data. He looked up and she could hear the doors opening again. A quick glance confirmed it was her navigator, do Crystal nodded politely and announced: "Pathfinder 2 ready for orders, sir."

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Magicka received the message after she messaged Crystal Clear. She quickly grabbed her uniform jacket, which had had a star insignia on the collar, and snapped her wrist device back on and headed down the hallway going over what she read earlier today. Until she found herself out in front of the room and walked in. She immediately saw Crystal who said pathfinder two was ready for its first mission.

Magicka kept quiet trying to pay attention to what the commander said what their first mission would be.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

The pegasus nodded at the pair and straightened up his posture. Crystal saw he's a junior officer by his pins.

"Evening pathfinders. It seems like we have something for you to warm up with. come closer, let me show you."

The crystal mare smiled a little and approached the console. At least he wasn't some stuck up guard nailbrain, she thought.

"Sounds good to me, so what;s the mission?"

The guard started showing them map data on some lication named "Dagger Gorge". What an unassuming name.

"As you know, the Final Frontier is about to make planetfall in order to establish our colony on this planet. But we need more data before me commit to a location. And your task is to bring us that data, by setting up a sensor array in this area., as well as do aerial reconnesance. We need to know if the ground is stable enough to support the ship, since it apears the whole planet is riddled with uderground caverns and tunnel passages. Sciencists suspect that's how life managed to survive, hidden from the elements underground and poking out in terrain depressions like canyons and such.But that makes it all the more important to find a good landing site, as you probably guessed."

The royal guard looked at the map again. "Since you're at the end of your 12 hour recreation shift, your mission will start in 24 hours, after your night time shift of course. It will be warly morning around the Dagger Gorge, so you'll have plenty of daytime to complete your objective. The sensors will be loaded on your ship, as well as an attatchable camera and seirmic radar that you will use for the aerial reconnensance. All other mission data will be transfered to your tablets ad ship computer. So, any questions?"

Crystal Clear thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Drop in, set sensors, do a flyover with the pod, get back. Sound straightforward enough."

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Magicka agreed that the mission was pretty straightforward and is the best time to get used to being a navigator. Her mismatched eyes scanned the map data and noticed it was a little close to the desert her mind started going through a few possibilities of what could happen but given the rather limited information she has on the planet she couldn't make a realistic outcome so she kept quiet waiting for the pilot.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

The guard looked at the mares and nodded. "Fair enough. Now get some rest, you're taking off tomorrow on 8 AM." Feeling the meeting was over, Crystal clicked her hooves together and curtly nodded, before leaving the room. "We'll be ready."

She waited outside for Magicka and said, leaning on the wall. "So... Here we are, getting our first mission. How about we get some rest and meet at the ship at 6 AM, to further discuss the details of our assignment before heading out?"

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

"Sounds like a plan captain," Magicka agreed with what Crystal said before heading back to her quarters. Once there she put her strange metal piece away and pulled out the book she was reading earlier and began to study it, she needed to be ready for the mission tomorrow.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

The crystam pony parted ways with her navigator. She looked confident, walking through deck B with her iconic marching pace. One of the NCO's got startled by her hoofsteps, apparently expecting some stuck up officer, which made Crystal smirk as soon as she was out of sight. The trip back to her hidey hole was dull as usual, and monstly without any ponies within earshot. The ship was still mostly empty, since only the crititical personnel was brought back from stasis.

The doors locked with a little hiss, and crystal Clear was, again, in her little kingdom. A quick sweep ofer the tablet to lock the doors proper, and she took the device off in order to load it on a wireless loading pad, which rested on a tiny folding writing desk.She took her jacket off and hung it neatly on a coat hanger, then took a seat by the desk. The mare frowned, having reached to a plce she usually put the snack and finding it empty. She mutterd something under her breath and rested her folded arms, together with her head, on the desk, sighing. She stayed like thet, staring blankly in the wall, pondering, until her train of though gor derailed and she blinked, inhaling as if woken up. Crystal poked the tablet to look at the time. it was getting late, and with nothing better to do than worry, she stood up, and started getting ready to bed.

The alarm was set on 4 AM.

...And it went off like a photon bomb, the annoying sound echoing through the small space. Crystal Clear, being a lady of an ancient, noble race, cursed at it only for a minute before angrily silencing the device. Once the hard part was over, she proceeded to get ready, and went outside of her room ar 5.30, looking like she was expecting an inspecion before heading out. Even her buttons were shiny...

She marched into the Pathfinder dock around 5.50, pleased to notice that her bird was already taxied to the landing strip and the technicians were loading some crates into the cargo hold. Probably the sesors. One looked much bigger though, which could be the camera and seismic radar pod. The crystal mare brushed her mane one last time and wend down a flight of steel stairs, to the ground level of this dock, in order to approach her bird.

"Let's see if we won't burn to scrap metal during planetfall..." - She said to herself in a rather sarcastic tone.

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Magicka yawned as she woke up face down in the book she was reading. She quickly got dressed and rush to the loading dock, where she nearly collided with several people before arriving at Pathfinder 2.

 

"Sorry Crystal I overslept a Little." She explained to the captain. "What do you want me to do captain?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

The crystal mare was casually wandering around her flight unit, occasionally checking something as the few technicians were loading the crates into the cargo hold. She leaned against the side of her ride, and just waited for a moment, until she saw Magicka hurrying towards her. Crystal Clear waved and smiled at her navigator as she approached.

"Calculated risk, Magicka. I'm not a fan of early mornings as well, so I try and get a time buffer so I won't be late. But yeah, I wanted to discuss the mission details before we head out. Come inside so we can make ourselves comfortable in the cockpit."

She boarded the flight unit and walked over to the cockpit, then took the pilot seat. Taking a look through the glass canopy, the mare engaged the ship computer, now running from an external power souece fed through a thick cable attatched to a hull socket.

"So... we're supposed to travel on low orbit, then make planetfall on our target. We will need to land in... six sites marked by command to deliver the sensors and finally make a flyover around the designated area in the desert. One more landing to pack the attatched pod and make our way back. we already have a rough flight path loaded into the computer, but I want to be sure the numbers are correct. Especially the planetfall part, since we could miss our target quite badly." 

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Magicka sat in the navigator seat and looked at the information displayed on the screen.

"the calculations seems right but I could always recalculate the math to make sure." Magicka said looking at the pilot. She pulled up a scanned map of the planet it had several blank spots including where they were going on this mission

 

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

The crystal mare nodded. "I would appreciate if you do that, yeah. I just want to be sure we didn't this smoothly on our first ride."

She looked around the cockpit, as if searching for sonething. Finally, Crystal groaned and stood up to leave. "Ugh, the flight helmet is in the locker room with the flight suit I bet. Welp, take your time with the math I'll change into something more... fireproof. And way less good looking."

Crystal Clear walked out of the little ship and to the Pathfinder locker room to don't the flight suit. She was gone for over 20 minutes.

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Magicka worked on the math of the flight path  and completed it in about four minutes. She exited the cockpit and opened the cargo bay doors. She looked at the sensors, they were about three foot in length and 3 foot in diameter. She shrugged and grabbed one side and uses her magic to grab the other and she places them inside the cargo bay of The Pathfinder 2. She was loading the last one as Crystal returned from the locker room.

"Ok I finished the math we should have a better flight path with only 3% of a chance of the ship breaking up in the atmosphere," She informed the pilot."I also loaded up the sensors into the cargo bay,"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

The crystal mare came back to her craft. She was now wearing an olive jumpsuit, sturdy hoofboots, a vest with some pouches and most importantly, the enclosed flight helmet under her arm. The whole getup was designed to be airtight once the helmet and gloves were on, supplied with oxygen by an air tank or a hose.

"Well it's not pretty, but it's comfortable and functional..." She remarked to her navigator while approaching. Crystal boared her craft and glanced over the loaded sensoers, then on the larger pod that was already strapped inside. "3 percent sounds good to me! Like, really good in fact. Thanks Magicka." She patted her navigator's shoulder before finally taking the seat.

"I'll run the systems check and get this thing ready. maybe get changed as well? Don't know about you but, I just want to be off the hangar and start doing something already."

Crystal put th flight helmet on, and secured it on the collar of her jumpsuit. The orange tinted visor glowed a little as the HUD came to life, and her hands started flickering the buttons on her console, engaging the ship comms.

"Pathfinder 2 to Final Frontier, reguest permission to run pre-flight diagnostics. Full range with defense and propulsion, over."

A moment of silence, thatn a mare's voice answered.

"This is Final Frontier. Good to hear you're geting ready, Pathfinder 2, run the diagnostics and report when ready to launch, we need to clear the hangar to take in Pathfinder 1. Over."

"Um... sounds good, Final Frontier. Estimated time till ready to launch about... one hour or so, over."

"Copy that Pathfinder 2, we need you in the clear as soon as reasonably possible to take in Pathfinder 1. Final Frontier out."

Crystal Clear looked over her shoulder but couldn't see her navigator. With a resigned sigh, she raised her arm to tap a message to Magicka.

"We lauch ASAP. Get ready and get back."

She rolled her shoulders and started to fire up one system after another, and the helmet visor was lit with little dots of green light, as ship diagnostics returned positive results, system after system.

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Ok captain, The Unicorn replied as she left the ship heading toward the locker room. once inside she grabbed the jumpsuit and got suited up with a flash of magic. "I'm happy I taught myself how to do that otherwise I would be here too long."

As the purple unicorn headed back to the ship she began to feel nervous it was gonna be her first flight ever, I hope I dont mess this up, She said to herself as she got back to the ship.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

The cockpit was filled with activity: clicks of keys, flashing lights and a rhytmic tapping of the pilot's hoof, as she ran the electronic first parade. Crystal didn't seem to notice she had company at first, murmuring something, with her flight helmet on her lap - once the comms with Final Frontier were cut, there was no need to have it on anyway. The build in HUD and comms weren't that useful for the task at hand.

The crystal pony noticed movement in the reflection of the glass canopy and looked back. noticing her navigator, she seemed confused for a second. "Wha-? I thought you'd need as much time as I did to doll up. Eh, anyway, I could use a hand in the system check. they want to kick us out sooner to make room for Pathfinder 1. Don't know why the hurry, but I bet it's nothing good, and the hangar wasn't made with multiple craft on deck in mind..." She glanced back at the console and switched some key on. "Hey Magicka, can you disengage the power feed off the hull so we can go on all internal? And take a look if there's no stuff hanging around that's supposed to be removed before flight. You know, the usual red ribbons, mostly by the engines. I'll test the turret and then we'll seal and pressurize the hull to continue the pre-flight checkup. Once we make room for P1, they won't take us in to iron out some kink, ya know."

This time, the mare put her helmet on as soon as the navigator left the cockpit. The HUD in her visor lit up, and the 20mm chain cannon turret on top of the ship slowly emerged from it's secure nook on the top of the hull. The gun started to move around, as if dancing to a tune nopony heard. Whatever it was, it must've been pretty sick though, as the seemingly dizzy cannon retreated to it's nest after a couple tight spins.

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

Magicka quickly disengaged the power feed, and removed some leftover straps. After that she looked at the turret and saw it moving as if by itself but of course it is being controlled by Crystal. Magicka quickly scanned the area for anything that wasn't secured to the landing bay in doing so she found some tools which she put in the ship. Once inside double checked the sensors making sure they were secure. she then sealed the door to the cargo hold and entered the Cockpit.

"Ok Crystal everything is clear out there," Magicka said grabbing her helmet and slipping it on the HUD giving her a layout of the ship and the integrity of the hull which was at 100%. "Is there anything else we need to do or check Crystal?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@Scare Effect

The mare glanced at the console and it informed her that the extrnal power was cut off - now the little ship was running on it's battery power, so, she had to make it quick before they engaged the engines on...

A beep and some metallic noise marked the moment of the rear ramp closing, finished with a hiss as the hull pressurized using the internal air tanks. Crystal Clear galnced gack at her navigator as she came back, nodding. "We're almost set, Magicka. Sorry for the wait but I just like being sure nothing malfunctions when I need it. Now, if you could give me an updated flight path with the new starting point? We're not in position we would be at 8 AM, obviously. Just estimate Final Frontier's position is, say, ten minutes and use it as our starting point."

Crystal flicked the radio on again, and hailed the comtrol tower of their mothership. "Pathfinder 2 to Final Frontier, first parade finished, we are ready to start up the engines, over."

A click, followed by a mare's voice was heard in both flight helmets. "Copy that Pathfinder 2. We'll taxi you to the launch gate and close the airlock. Once ready, gives us an all clear to open the outer gate for you to lift off. Final Frontier out."

The small scout craft shuddered, as if protesting, but soon enough, started rolling forward as the taxi car pulled it forwards to the airlock. Crystal Clear flexed in her seat, making herself comfortable before fastening her seatbelts and making sure her suit was locked where it should be. She adressed her navigator over the intercom: "Altight Magicka, this is it! Any last words before we take the leap into the unknown?" She snickered audibly at her own remark, and the craft halted in place, arriving at it's liftoff destination. The pilot pressed a start button and there was a humming sound above and behind them, as the launch rocket engine roared in anticipation for the moment it's finally released.

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

"Yes Crystal, I am sending it to you know." Magicka said as she sent the flight path data to the pilot. "As for final words, I shall quote the great llama king Koosko," She said before simply saying."Bring it on," She said seriously before laughing a little.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

"... careful what you wish for." The crystal mare remarked and pushed the throttle without warning. Their craft shuddered and launched forward into open space. "Pathfinder 2 here, the gate is clear and we are en route to the landing zone."

The dock was on starboard side of Final Frontier, this time hidden in shadow and away from the planet. Crystal shot forward to clear away from the gargantuan ship, then engaged the manouvering engines time stop. The small ship turned around, and the ponies could admire the view of their mothership, and the planet it orbits. "Hmm... This is the stuff why I took the void pilot training. Only the Empire at sunrise can beat this view." Crystal looked back at her navigator, and nodded at the view. "What do you think? Doesn't look quite as our home, doesn't it?"

The pilot resuned her duties, and the ship lazily skinned under the behemoth, then took a turn to head the same direction as the mothership, until they left Final Frontier behind them, heading towards the atmosphere entry zone.

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

(Ooc:sorry for not replying sooner) 

Magicka was about to have a panic attack from the sudden departure, but now she is almost hypnotized by the gorgeous veiw. She looked at Crystal and realized she asked a question.

 

"No it doesn't look like home but this veiw is absolutely amazing," She answered as she looked out the window. 

 

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

The pilot seemed relaxed, content even, finally in her element. She was holding the stick with one hand, making slight adjustments to their course, enjoying the peaceful glide.

"And here comes Pathfinder 1. Damn if they're not gunning at top speed... I wonder why is that." Crystal Clear mused aloud, but didn't bother to contact the other ship to satisfy her curiosity. The other Pathfinder ship was closing in fast, heading back to the mothership 

[Scare Effect 312]

@Raven Rawne

"I hope everyone on board is ok," Magicka said in a worried tone as she watched the pathfinder one fly passed and docked. "Hopefully we do this mission right," she said worried since it was her first mission and her first time ever being a Navigator.