Celestia 1: An Account

Chapter 7 : House Full Of Garbage

~

Fluttershy hurried back to her home after her encounter. It pained her not to help Mr. Waters, but she wasn't stupid, and it was clear that whatever was happening was far beyond her skill. The others seemed pretty insistent that anypony else keep away, so what else could she do?

She picked up her pace; the base could get unsettling at 'night'. With the lights dimmed down, the only thing visible out of the windows was an infinite inky blackness. It made her feel small. She still didn't feel entirely comfortable in her new home, but it was a more reassuring space than the vast, empty corridors used to navigate around the facility. Echo-y hoofsteps were eerie, and the carpet in her abode dampened the sound, plus she could turn the lights up if she wanted to. It wasn't as nice as having a fireplace light up a room, but a fireplace would hardly be practical underwater.

She could hear a conversation echoing from some other part of the tunnel. She didn't enjoy eavesdropping, but any sound other than her own hooves making contact with the floor was welcome. She continued on her way, ears perked up.

"-so I shoo it off, but it keeps coming back, and its getting angry every time. I don't know why I put up with it! I could've deep-sixed him, wouldn't bat an eye." Said one voice.

"Ooooh, big brave stallion, could've killed an underwater insect. Excuse me if I don't swoon right here and now." The other voice replied. Fluttershy could almost hear the unknown mare's eyes rolling.

Fluttershy frowned a little. She didn't appreciate ponies talking about violence, especially killing, even if it was an empty threat.

She continued on her way. From the sound of echoed hoof falls, she assumed the other two where on their way as well, albeit wordlessly. Turning off from the corridor, she entered the big common area of the housing buildings, and made her way up to her 'apartment', for lack of a better word. Fluttershy robotically went about unlocking her door, and locking it up again behind her, then made herself a simple meal of toast. With little else to do, she went to bed early.

~

Twilight woke up yo knocking on her door. A glance over at the clock reveled that it was early, or at least earlier than she would've liked to start the day. She got up out of bed with a grumble, and opened the door. She was surprised to see the head of security on the other side.

Twilight's bemusement quickly gave way to confused irritation. The stallion bowed and started rambling about something or other, she was still mostly asleep, so paying attention was difficult.

Though she had no position of authority, the ponies in the base often deferred to her for help/advice/authorization regarding something or other, because she was a princess. While she didn't mind helping, she disliked the fact that a lot of the time, they came to her because they assumed she was in a position of power, and one of the other ponies in charge had just rejected their idea. She was basically a back up to them. One that didn't work, because she wasn't in charge.

"-and what with all the stuff going down at the infirmary, I need the go ahead to start having a security presence there, at least until everything calms down." He finished.

"Captain, first off, I hold no power here, and I'm in no position to approve or deny your request." The captain slightly drooped his head at this, attempting to evade Twilight's gaze.

"Secondly, what do you mean 'stuff going down in the infirmary'?"

"Those ponies going feral and attacking anything? I did explain." He retorted.

"Which brings me onto my third point." She said with a slight scowl. "Captain, it is five in the morning, I am still half asleep. Could this not have waited an hour or two?"

"I deemed it important enough to warrant getting up a bit early, Miss Sparkle. These ponies attack anything that gets near them. If it is some sort of disease, it needs to be contained."

Twilight paused.

"How many?"

"Two at the moment, but there are a few more showing early symptoms. We have them contained. as well."

"Symptoms?" She inquired.

"One of the doctors who was sent out to help got attacked. Poor soul is a wreck, constant shivering, pale, averse to bright lights. There are to or three others showing the same signs."

"I see." She looked at the floor, suddenly downcast. "Do we have any idea how this happened?"

"Well, the first one to come down with it was admitted before after he was attacked by those crab-things that like to live on the supports. The doctor was attacked by him, and the other two mentioned incidents with the crabs too."

"Well, I can't imagine its a coincidence. I think I'll start an investigation right away. Thank you."

The security stallion nodded and turned to walk off.

"Oh, and Captain?"

He stopped and turned his head back to face Twilight.

"You are head of security. You didn't need me or anypony else to approve your actions."

Twilight promptly closed the door and attempted to go back to sleep.

~

Six hours later, the medical unit found itself home to a group of guards. There was one positioned outside each of the four rooms currently housing the afflicted, and two more by the entrance, just in case.

The atmosphere was unnerving and foreboding, the guards standing stoically in complete silence, except for the banging and growling emanating from the room Mr. Waters was being held in. Occasionally the door would be the subject of his attacks, causing the guards to tense up, but he usually moved on after a short while.

Hours later, the same routine began from the doctor's room. The morale among the clinic staff dropped dramatically. Nothing they tried had worked. They could only hope that any other treatment would work on the other two patients, and that they would somehow be able to reverse the effects of the whole thing. It was a daunting task.

~

Twilight was distracted, and staring out of the window. She was supposed to be researching the native crustacean population, but she wasn't trained in using the bulky suits, so she couldn't go out and observe them in their natural habitat, she'd have to wait for one of the diving team to retrieve here one, or see if another one surfaces in any of the docks.

For the moment she settled for watching a maintenance team out the window. Besides, there was a chance she'd be able to watch the crabs from here, if they came out.

The divers were doing something to a nearby window frame. They were close enough that she could make out their faces through the portholes in the suits. Three of them were working while one was turned away, on 'crab watch' as security had called it. It was a brand new procedure meant to prevent encounters with the creatures.

Something seemed off about it, the way the watcher would sway slightly, then shake her head, only. to start swaying again. Twilight could see her face through the mask, she seemed dazed. Walking up to the window, she noted a repair patch on the foreleg of the suit.

'Wait a second...'

She remembered.

" I see these huge crabs, must've been 4 or 5 of them, all climbing around on the supports. I get nearer and one of them nips me through my suit!"

'No.'

She started frantically banging on the window to get the rest of the crew's attention, to seemingly no effect. The team continued on with whatever it was they were doing. The mare in the suit began to shudder violently, before vomiting up blood, which obscured her visor, which she then started frantically clawing at with her hooves.

At this point the rest of the team either noticed Twilight, or heard what was happening over the communication spell. They rush over in an attempt to calm her, but are greeted by panicked flailing. The presumed leader sent the other two back, probably to get help, leaving just him and the afflicted outside.

He attempted to hold her down, but was quickly bucked away and left in a crumpled heap on the floor. The mare shakily trotted off in a random direction, leaving him alone on the sea floor.

A few minutes later, the other two came back down, accompanied by a third pony. The two seemed alarmed by the mare's absence, as well as their leader on the floor. They picked him up, and were about to set off looking for the mssing member of the team, when they were stopped by the new pony. Instead, they just headed back to the dock.

Twilight couldn't bring herself away from the window.

~