The Valhalla Cascade: The Arrival

Chapter 4Part 2I

Jack strode back into the Xenomorph nest, despite his best efforts the live specimen had gotten away. He was curious as to how it was alive, all the other Aliens had died from the virulent fungal infection but this one had shown no signs of infection. Capturing t would aid his efforts to no end but with minimal thermal signature they were bloody hard to keep a track off. Re-entering the cave he found the Diamond Dogs crowed around the two of their kind that were exhibiting special abilities.

The two were showing off. Wrex was levitating chucks off wood and rock off the ground and smashing them against  Rucks toughed armored hide.. Jack, though not impressed as such, was less distasteful of the Diamond Dogs. The speed at which they had worked to grasp the abilities he had injected into them was above his prediction. Wrex had clearly been practicing the entire time he had been gone. More impressive was Ruck, though barely visible there were scars visible on his armored hide, evidence of massive self mutilation to speed up the genetic conversion. Such drive was to be respected.

"Right Jack!" The Dog's Leader fumed "You said that you wouldn't star messing with my lads without consulting me first and...."

Jack breezed straight past the Leader for a closer inspection of Ruck's armored chest. The irate Leader started yelling at Jack.

"Don't ignore me! I've give'en you good strong workers and my knowledge of Equestria so....."

"Your point is?" Jack deadpanned.

Jack strutted away, he was inspecting a pile of dead Xenomorphs in once of the carts, as the Leader stormed up to him, Jack careful picked up a tail end that had fallen off a decaying specimen. The other Dogs watched impassively at the scene. Seemingly in slow motion the Leader reached out a paw to grab Jack, then in a heartbeat the paw was staked to the ground with the tail bone. The Leader bucked as Jack inserted a needle into the base of his neck, there was a final spasm then the Diamond Dog slumped paralyzed as his flesh began to warp and bubble.

II

The Equestrian Taskforce had been making slow but steady progress into Everfree forest.  Despite Twilight's best efforts the tracking signal  being broadcast was very indistinct, there was a very real danger that they would stumble across their quarry at any second.

Dogfish and The Doctor were at the front, scanning ahead using the sonic screwdriver to boost Dogfish's sonar range. "So I understand you and Starstream have been getting along quite well." Dogfish whispered.

"Oh um yes." Doctor Whooves replied, startled by the break in the silence. "It's nice to find someone who appreciated actual science and its application. Magic is good and all but it would be nice to have an explanation for it beyond the whimsical ones given my most unicorns." The Doctor winced as Derpy tapped him on the head with her frying pan. "OH! No offence Princess."

"Non-taken."

The group had been walking for a while and had come across part of the huge ravine that ran through the center of the Forrest. There was no bridge in sight so the winged members got ready to carry the others across.

"Good grief AJ!" Rainbow Dash grumbled as she tried to lift the earth pony. "That armour weighs a ton! How can you even move"

"um girls?" Fluttershy squeaked. There was something bothering her but she couldn't quite place it.

"Well yah see Dashie," Applejack laughed at the straining, "Since i spend all day kicking tree's instead of clouds, Ah have muscles every where, not just the ones you use to stop you falling out the sky."

The group laughed, letting out some much needed tension, except for Fluttershy who was now peering over the edge at the gorge bellow. "Hey Flutters your gonna have to help me get AJ's fat ass in the air!"

"Don't think cause we're on a mission, I wont kick your cerulean......"

"This ravine shouldn't be here." Fluttershy cut in suddenly, looking up from the ravine. In a heartbeat the others were peering over the edge at the rock face. Fluttershy hated interrupting other ponies, so when she did the others took it very seriously.

"I think we've been here before..." Fluttershy continued, her cameo suit triggered with nerves "This was new, I've been around here before looking after birds and this.......... wasn't here then."

"Does anyone else remember...... fire here?" Rarity slowly said, chewing her lip in concentration "On the night the rift opened?"

The Doctor grew very exited. "You know looking at the gradient and regularity of the ridge lines on this 'ravine' combined with trajectory and....." The doctor began licking the ground much to the puzzlement of the others,

"Just let him get on with it." Derpy said, attempting to roll her eyes.

The Doctor smacked his lips before continuing, his eyes showing the gleam they got when The Doctor was on to something very important. "There's traces of Isodesic Carbonates all round here here!" he exclaimed.

"Isodesic?" Twilight gasped "But for something to produce those kinds of compounds it would be reacting at an energy level ........"

Rarity coughed slightly to interrupt the two. "Sorry, English please?"

"This isn't a ravine," The Doctor explained, "It's a trench caused by a spaceship crash!"

III

THUMP

Ironhide jumped as the sound echoed down the corridor. He rushed back to the containment chamber door as another load thump rumbled from within. Claymore was standing where Ironhide had left him, sword drawn and ready. Within a few more seconds Starstream had teleported in, alerted by one of his sensor doohickeys.

"Its awake isn't it?"

"Oh yeah"

"Horseapples!"