Twilight stared at the dead alien in both horror and curiosity. Sure, it had been murdered in a horrifying fashion, but it still begged the question of what could have killed it in such a manner. She walked up to it to get a closer look, and was shocked to see that whavever had punctured its skull had gone all the way through, and bits of brain matter, bone and blood were splattered on the wall behind it.

"What the hell is that...?" Applejack managed to ask.

"Not sure," Twilight replied, "but we're going to find out."

"Um, Twilight," Rainbow Dash started, "I'm not one to back down from a fight, but don't you think that whatever did this could still be around here?"

"I know that, Rainbow," Twilight said, "but I also know that the blood on the wall has been here for some time. Which means that whatever killed this one probably isn't in the immediate vicinity." She let that sink in before continuing. "We should split up."

"Why? Don't you think we're safer together?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I know, Rainbow. But we'll cover more ground if we split up," Twilight said. "Rarity, you're with me. Applejack, take Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy will go with Rainbow Dash."

"Rainbow Dash?!" Rarity exclaimed. "Shouldn't Fluttershy be coming with..."

"Someone who can protect her, Rarity," Twilight cut her off.

"Yeah. No offense, Rares, but you aren't exactly the best fighter," Rainbow said.

"Twi has a point, Rarity," Applejack said. "She needs someone who can keep 'er safe. I know full well that Dash or I are equally qualified, and it makes sense to divide us by race." She took a breath before continuing. "The pegasi can fly through air vents and whatnot to get around faster, you two unicorns'll be better off together since y'all can both use yer magic, and we'll have the Pinkie Sense on our side."

"But, AJ..." Rainbow said.

Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash and looked her in the eyes. "I'll be fine, Dash. I promise," she said.

"I don't doubt it," Rainbow said, "just... come back to me, okay?"

Applejack pulled her in for a hug, kissing her on the cheek as she did. "Always."

Rainbow hugged her back and planted a kiss on her shoulder, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Applejack replied, pulling away so they could share a quick kiss.

Twilight looked to Rarity, who was tearily hugging Fluttershy as they watched Applejack and Rainbow Dash's little goodbye. She draped her leg over Pinkie's shoulder, and turned her so she could look in her eyes. "You gonna be okay with Applejack?"

"Of course I will, Twilight. With my Pinkie Sense and her apple bucking legs, I'm sure we'll be fine," Pinkie said cheerfully.

"Okay," Twilight said, "just be careful, okay?"

"We will," Pinkie said. "Twilight?"

"Yeah?"

Pinkie kissed her on the cheek. "I love you."

Then the time came and they were splitting up. Twilight and Rarity took the hallway where the alien had been killed, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash headed through the right hallway, and Applejack and Pinkie Pie headed through the left one. Twilight led Rarity through various halls and corridors which, if she was completely honest to herself, looked very similar to those on the Luna, only bigger. They kept moving, heading for what Twilight assumed was the bridge.

There was blood splattered on several of the walls, below which laid even more dead aliens, but they were somewhat few and far between. Eventually, the two mares came across an overhead air vent. They had seen several of them before, but this was the only one to have a thick, viscous fluid dripping from it. Twilight inspected the dripping vent carefully, but was surprised when it suddenly stopped followed by a rustling in the vents above them.

"What was that...?" Rarity asked absently.

"Not sure we want to find out," Twilight said. "Come on, the bridge should be just up ahead if these signs are right."

Rarity hadn't noticed the various signs on the walls, she just figured that Twilight was making guesses as to where the ship's bridge would be, but she both was and wasn't shocked to see the grey, rectangular indicator on the wall with the word BRIDGE on it in bold writing. What surprised her more, however, was that it was in the same language as equines wrote. She didn't give it a second thought, however, as Twilight gestured for her to follow down a right turn. She followed without question.

***

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy headed down another corridor. This one had several doors strewn about the sides along with an air vent in the middle. Rainbow motioned towards the first door on the left side of the corridor and Fluttershy followed her inside.

In the room was a tall floor-to-ceiling locker, a desk with what looked like a computer terminal on it, and several sheets of paper scattered on the floor beside a filing cabinet. Rainbow headed for the terminal to see if she could get it to work. She pressed several buttons on the keyboard with a pencil she found on the floor, since she knew her hooves were too big for it, and punched in several commands.

The computer, the screen of which only displayed a black background and green lettering, beeped several times as it processed what Rainbow had asked for. Seconds later it flashed several logs on front of her and she began reading.

She had just started the second log when a rustling in the vents above them startled her away from the computer. She then heard something drop to the floor from the vent right outside the door, followed by a low growl and a high pitched hiss. She could hear whatever it was heading for the room she and Fluttershy were in, and she gestured to Fluttershy to hide in the locker.

Rainbow herself hid under the desk upon which the computer sat, and was shocked beyond disbelief when the creature stepped through the door.

Author's Note

Cliffhangers. Gotta love em.