Flight of The Avali: Season One

With a blast, the shuttle tore open the hold of the USCM Cruiser. The short range teleporter on board allowed them all to enter directly into it.

“Alright, helmet lights on!” Dandy said, everyone flicking on their lights. Though, immediately they wished they hadn’t.

Despite it being in floran control for a long time, they didn’t take much to cleaning it up. There were bodies (now skeletons in ragged uniforms or broken armor) hanging from vines, roots holding the frail bones together for a rather gruesome sight. They were glad they didn’t get here when they were still covered in flesh… the thought of how these soldiers died was chilling. “Alright… we need to move fast, they’ll know we’re here. And they’re already probably preparing for us.” Dandy motioned them to follow. “Chotl, Ayaka take point. Suzy, Spike you two are covering our asses. Einuli, you take mid position, make sure we don’t get snuck up on. Your ears will be our biggest boon here. Alert us if you hear anything. Twilight, Oxoloc, you make sure we get support if we’re engaged, I want energy blasts and magic to wipe the floor with these fools. Applejack, you keep up pace with the pointmen. Rainbow Dash, you take your pickings when they come up.”

“What about you?” Dash questioned.

“I’ll do what I do best and run distraction. I am a glowing humanoid shaped gas creature.” Dandy chuckled. “I’ll make sure Einuli keeps covered.”

Everyone was immediately in position. The four newbies immediately noticing the squad symbols in their HUD. “Watch the vitals Einuli, if anyone gets hurt, it’s your job to bring them right the fuck back up.”

“Got it.” Einuli said, raising his hunting spear.

“Now, everyone move out!” Dandy motioned with his hand, all of them diving head long into the dark and claustrophobic ship.

“So, Suzy, we got the bet still going?” Chotl asked.

“Shit, you think you’re going to win? Damn, you’re getting cocky.” Suzy replied. “But, sure. If you win, first round’s on me.”

“Great! And just know I’m gonna drink you fucking dry.” Chotl chuckled.

“What bet do you two have going?” Twilight asked.

“Whoever scores the least confirmed kills has to buy the first round.” Chotl responded.

“That’s… a little cruel…” Twilight murmured.

“We only do it in situations like this. We’re deep in enemy territory… cut off from support… with little chance of survival. Why not have a little fun before we die?” Chotl asked.

“That’s just…” Twilight mumbled, not really knowing what she could say.

“Wow…” Dash muttered quietly.

“Alert, two enemies down the coming right hallway.” Einuli spoke up.

Chotl immediately snapped to the hallway, throwing some sort of device down the hallway.

“WATCH OUT! SAWBL-” The screech was cut off by the sound of whirring metal cutting through what sounded like wood and then slamming into metal.

“Two down.” Chotl said. “Your move.” He laughed, the two blades he threw returning to him after detaching from the wall. Now they saw he had two sawblades in hand.

“What the hell are those?” Dash asked.

“Modified chakram. They return thanks to a nano-tracking system. Easy to use, and hard to dodge in a small hallway. Particularly effective in any enclosed space.” Chotl explained. “Deadly, and near silent until they collide with walls, or bodies.”

“Those are pretty damn wicked…” Dash said quietly.

“Hey, you think these are bad, try a shotgun at close range. Fine red mist.” Chotl said. “Or in this case green…”

“Don’t take this as us enjoying this.” Suzy said. “It’s just… how we cope with how violent it is. It helps us stay a bit more sane.”

Spike was the most silent of the group, focusing on his given task beside Suzy. “Anything else coming?” He finally spoke.

“No, we’re clear for now, move.” Einuli said, the group moving through the hallways.

They noticed, besides the initial patrol it was oddly silent.

“This isn’t a good sign…” Dandy said. “Keep an eye out, and watch any vents…”

“Yeah… it’s far too silent. Femati, are you picking up an radio chatter?” Einuli asked.

“No, nothing.” Femati’s voice rung out in their ears. “It’s like they knew we’d be c-”

She was cut off as behind them they heard a loud explosion. Immediately something red lit up in all of their huds.

“Shit! They took out the ship! Fuck… fuck fuck…” Dandy swore.

“W… we’re stuck here?” Dash muttered.

“N-”

“Ayaka, watch out, something was moving in the darkness to your left!” Starlight’s voice lit up their ears. Ayaka instantly drew her blade out.

Immediately a tentacle shot out at her, the Hyltol defended herself, slashing it apart.

“Move out! We need to grab Celestia and get to the teleporters, we need to get a way out!” Dandy ordered. The group rushing down the hallway as they heard shouts and gunfire behind them.

Spike and Suzy opened fire in turn, firing straight down the hall as they moved deeper into the plant infested ship.

They already felt like they were being led into a trap, but still the pushed on, determined to get Celestia out of there.

They approached the door to the brig, before they could breach it with explosives, Applejack’s new hammer swung right into it, shattering it on contact. They quickly entered the room, finding Celestia in one of the cells, just barely coming to as they arrived.

“W… what?” Celestia mumbled.

“Einuli, check her for any signs of infection.” Dandy ordered. “Spike, Suzy, Chotl cover the door. Oxoloc, Ayaka map out a way to the teleporter room.”

“What about us?” Twilight asked, motioning to Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

“Stay alive.” Dandy stated. “Because they won’t let us out of here with her.”

Einuli was kneeling beside Celestia, scanning her body over. She was in the remains of armor that had been torn apart when she was captured.

“What did you intend to do? Fight a full group of space pirates on your own?” Einuli asked.

“I… I intend to shut them down…” Celestia muttered quietly. “T-they jabbed me with something before I passed out… I don’t… don’t know what it was.”

“Don’t worry… I have just the thing for this.” Einuli said, reaching into his overcoat, pulling out a syringe. “This will sting a little.” He said, jabbing it into her neck. Celestia completely froze up.

“N… NN…” She could barely get out.

“Applejack, Dash, you two will need to carry her.” Einuli said as Celestia once again passed out, the nanites already working to spread the cure through her body.

“Got it.” The two mares nodded, both hefting Celestia up.

“What are you going to do now?” Twilight asked.

Einuli shouldered his grenade launcher. “Make sure we survive this hell hole. We’ve got movement in the vents. And I wouldn’t doubt that the captain is releasing the abominations now. We’ve just become a major threat.”

“WE’VE GOT INCOMING HOSTILES!” Suzy shouted, now firing down the hall with Spike.

“What the fuck are those things?” Spike questioned.

“Humans, Hyltol, Avains… so many different things. But now, they’re just abominations. And the best thing we can do, is put them down.” Dandy said stepping between the two already shooting down the hall. “Get ready…”

“We have a plan!” Ayaka said.

“Everyone else ready?” Dandy asked.

“Let’s go.” Twilight nodded, putting up a shield around them, giving them a temporary respite as the abominations were forced backwards into the darkness.