''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/21016/falling-stars Falling Stars]]'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7474222/1/Falling-Stars also available at FF.Net]]) by Rokas[=/Maddog3060=] is a ''TabletopGame/BattleTech[=/=]WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' crossover. [[Fanfic/FallingStars Not to be confused with the]] ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}[=/=]Manga/LuckyStar'' crossover of the same name.

A misjump brings two very different mercenary companies to Equestria: James [=McKenna=] VII's Dark Horse Brigade and Garth O'Connell's Desperadoes. When the latter takes a piratical interest in the planet, the former finds itself at a crossroads.

Compare and contrast ''Fanfic/TheThessalonicaLegacy''.

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!!''Falling Stars'' provides examples of:

* AlternateUniverse: By author decree the Word of Blake uprising did not occur.
* AnyoneCanDie: Named characters can and do bite it abruptly from an unlucky hit.
* ArtisticLicenseBiology: [[spoiler: Simply hanging out with humans was apparently sufficient for Rainbow Dash to gain some of the digestive flora necessary to digest meat]].
* BadBoss: Garth is a snappish sort who scolds his men for the slightest falling out of line and is willing to throw them into the grinder to save his own arse.
* BatmanGambit: In chapter 18, James tricks Garth into sending Desperadoes 'Mechs into flank the former... which puts them right in a trap.
* BreakOutTheMuseumPiece: In chapter 18, some questionably sane pony engineers bring an ancient ballista to the fight against the Desperadoes.
* CarnivoreConfusion: [[spoiler: Rainbow Dash finds bacon wonderful, disturbing the others. The humans spend some time telling Equestrians that animals in their world are not sapient like them.]]
* LesCollaborateurs: Various ponies throw their lot in with O'Connell, including [[spoiler: Trixie]].
* DeathOfAThousandCuts: Pegasus-dropped rocks cannot OneHitKill a 'Mech, but in sufficient numbers they can do real damage.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: The Desperadoes 'Mechs (all of them, plus the Dropship) [[spoiler: severely wounding Celestia. It should be noted that they only succeeded in doing so after ten minutes of sustained fire, and Celestia got in some good hits of her own.]]
* FakeDefector: [[spoiler: Seabreeze.]]
* FishOutOfWater: Premise of the story. A freak accident sends a whole spaceship of Humans and their technology hurtling into an alternate reality Earth.
* HandCannon: Ivan's ''18mm'' pistol.
* HeroicBSOD: Fluttershy after witnessing O'Connell's first assault. Even initially learning of "friendly" humans like the Dark Horse Brigade leaves her paranoid, given how "unlikely" something as fragile as humans could be apex predators [[HumansAreCthulhu yet so adept at killing]].
* HoldingBackThePhlebotinum: Princess Luna has deep reservations about using the Elements of Harmony against the Desperadoes for two major reasons. The first is that it simply may not work, as they have never been used to do active harm to a living being. The second, and likely the more important reason for Luna and the ponies, is that there's the chance that if they do work, the Elements may very well [[spoiler: kill the Dark Horse Brigade along with the Desperadoes. By ''erasing them from existence'']].
* HorrorHunger: Rainbow Dash [[spoiler: eats meat...and ''loves it''. Twilight is horrified]].
* HumansAreCthulhu: Twilight is weirded out by the idea of a universe functioning without magic, which is apparently one of the fundamental forces of Equestria's universe alongside gravity, electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces. More directly, Fluttershy is disturbed that creatures with no obviously predatory attributes are so adept at killing [[spoiler: though it's Ivan who breaks her out of her HeroicBSOD]].
* HumansAreWarriors: Given that it's the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' universe, this is a given. Most ponies can barely comprehend how Humans so easily kill, and that in fact, the Human demesne is so large it involves hundreds of millions fighting in huge galaxy spanning wars. Fluttershy recognizes this in ways other ponies don't, and it terrifies her.
* HumanityIsInfectious: Discussed between James, Rodriguez, and Melissa in chapter 12. Melissa questions that they are a corrupting influence on ponies, while Rodriguez believes they are educating on them the harsh reality beyond Equestria's safe borders.
* LastSecondChance: In chapter 18 Rainbow offers a disarmed griffon a chance to flee. The other takes it.
* MoralMyopia: A Desperadoes pilot gets his jimmies rustled when [[spoiler: Rainbow Dash blows up his wingman]], not caring about the casualties they have inflicted on the ponies.
* MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong: Ivan, who can carry and use a massive [[GatlingGood Gatling Gun]] meant for PoweredArmor and [[spoiler: wrestles a manticore. And TAMES it. In midair.]]
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: [=McKenna=] and the Dark Horses generally spend a lot of time explaining that [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters Humans aren't always bastards.]]
* MythologyGag:
** [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls Flash Sentry]] briefly appears in chapter 18.
** Also in chapter 18, Rainbow mentions [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E22TestingTesting123 being able to remember something that she overflew while not actively paying attention.]]
* TheNeedsOfTheMany: When James is informed that [[spoiler: the Elements of Harmony may very well erase him and the Dark Horse Brigade from existence along with the Desperadoes if they are used, he tells Princess Luna to use them if he and his mercenaries fail to stop O'Connell, as he considers the lives of himself and his company a worthwhile sacrifice as long as the thousands of ponies they promised to protect remain safe.]] Luna and the rest of the ponies at the briefing are visibly moved by this.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: In chapter 17 Applejack is surprised that Rainbow is patient enough to help test a complex new piece of equipment.
* OutsideContextProblem: The ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' side.
* RageBreakingPoint: Twilight reaches it in chapter 17.
* RedemptionDemotion: Luna can't use some of Nightmare Moon's powers like turning into an immaterial wisp.
* RedshirtArmy: Equestria's military. No surprise given that they're fighting humans with tech that is considered millenia old by humans.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Apart from Celestia and Luna fighting the invaders, Twilight discusses this by saying that [[spoiler:she doesn't deserve to get wings if she stays behind and lets others fight for her.]]
* ScifiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: A smaller one, but Celestia's engagement with the Desperados is stated to have been around 10 minutes. From the scene described, the battle couldn't have lasted more than two or three.
* ShoddyKnockoffProduct: Invoked. The Dark Horse Brigade is an InUniverse riff of the much more famous Eridani Light Horse Brigade.
* ShoutOut:
** James says the original ChewBubblegum line before going to town on griffon attackers.
** [[spoiler: Luna uses a [[Franchise/StreetFighter Shoryuken.]]]]
** Ivan [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 introduces the Ponies to his]] [[GatlingGood Bearhunter Autocannon]] [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 named Sasha]].
** Ivan has a cousin Zangief who wrestles bears and knows moves good for if caught in a Franchise/{{Street Fight|er}}.
** [[Franchise/StarWars “And may the Force be with you,”]]
* TakeThat: Twilight reacts angrily when Luna accidentally lets slip that Celestia had [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E13MagicalMysteryCure plans for Twilight.]]
* TaughtByExperience: Rainbow Dash [[ContinuityNod has learned to fight manticores.]]
* TooDumbToLive: By Celestia of all ponies, but averted at the last second. Despite the enemy being obviously overwhelming, and possessing a clear technological superiority of which was visibly demonstrated; Celestia attempts to fight an entire Battalion of mechs by herself. But beyond that, she stands still, right in the open with no cover, apparently in the belief that her shielding spells are just ''that good.'' She's proven wrong and nearly gets killed for it. Of course, her enchanted armor does take quite a bit of punishment, so she probably [[TheLawOfDiminishingDefensiveEffort just got complacent]].
* TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard: Luna in chapter 17.
-->"I, Luna Nightbringer, Mistress of the Moon, Duchess of Yoke, Consul of Cloudsdale, Viscountess of Maremansk, Baroness of Las Neighgas and Salt Lick City ..."
* TheUnexpected: [[spoiler:Changelings]] in chapter 18.
* WeHaveBecomeComplacent: Twilight comes to this realisation in chapter 17, recognising the MedievalStasis and SchizoTech that has befallen Equestria.
* WeHaveReserves: Inverted. O'Connell realizes that he can't repair all the battle damage the Equestrians will inflict on his mechs, since he can't manufacture replacement parts. He has to win a decisive victory against the ponies soon, and crush their morale so they don't even try to fight back anymore.
* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Equestrians are notably horrified by the thought of Humans killing animals to eat. Explanations are made that Human animals lack the apparent sentience of Equestrian ones. Of course, someone then points out that [[ThatPoorPlant ponies kill plants]]; to eat lesser lifeforms is just the way of life.
* WhatWeNowKnowToBeTrue: Sort of. At one point Humans point out that stars and the sun are the same, and explain Heliocenterism. The ponies object to the Human's contradicting their Geocenterism model, influenced by the Princesses. [[ChangeTheUncomfortableSubject Princess Luna immediately changes the subject.]]
* TheWorfEffect: Celestia, who has basically been the establishing presence who has kept Equestria at peace by essentially acting as her country's 'Nuclear Option' against would be enemies, is overpowered in her first fight with the Desperados and nearly killed in Equestria's worst defeat in history. [[CurbStompCushion Although she gives them a few good licks of her own]].
* YouMonster: Directed by Celestia toward O'Connell after he informs them he's there to rob them.
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