Aliens: New World

----Just outside Weyland-Yutani Scientific Outpost Alpha, Planet LV-426----

“Christ's sake, I just want to get off this FUCKING rock!” Matt Sheckly hollered over the whipping wind as he lay next to Riley Hudson, his M225 snugged against his shoulder, and a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips.

Hudson grunted and kept his sights on the door Alpha team had entered. Something was wrong. Macklin should have asked for a check in by now. Hudson almost radioed Macklin to ask what the holdup was, but decided against it. Macklin would radio whenever the fuck he wanted to, he was the LT.

However, this didn't stop Hudson from switching on his helmet radio, and calling in for Alpha team. Unlike Gorman's Grunts, Macklin's Maniacs weren't assigned with helmet cams. Now, Gorman's team was gone. Hudson squeezed his eyes closed, and said, “Alpha team do you copy? I...” Hudson paused, hearing only static, like something was blocking the transmission. Maybe that's why Macklin wasn't asking for a check in. “Sheckly, go get Flynn, tell him that we need to use his on board radio.” Hudson said, still aiming down the sights of his rifle.

Sheckly nodded, and stood, making his way over large rocks towards the dropship. Sheckly walked up the low incline of the metal ramp into the dropship. Karl German was sitting on a large box, his back against the hull, and a cigarette in his mouth. “Flynn?” Sheckly asked. German nodded his head towards the cockpit. Sheckly nodded, and slung his rifle over his shoulder, then entered the cockpit.

Archer Flynn was sitting in the pilot seat, his head bobbing lightly to soft playing rock music. It was a band Sheckly seemed to remember, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. Whatever it was, it was old. “Yo, we need to use your radio.” Sheckly said, pointing towards Flynn's radio.

Archer muted his music, interrupting a wicked solo featuring a heavy bass guitar. “Why do you need it?” He asked, switching on the radio, and tuning it in.

Sheckly shrugged his shoulders. “Fuck if I know. Our radio signal's being jammed, and Hudson seems to think this'll work.”

Flynn raised an eyebrow. “Why?” He asked, “If your radio doesn't work, why would mine?”

“Shit, Ah don't know! But I don't want to argue with him, do you?” Sheckly asked, looking out the side of the cockpit window. Only about twenty meters away, Hudson lay, almost blending into the dusty, gritty environment of LV-426, although he was no longer laying down, he was now standing up.

Flynn turned the sound knob up, and flicked the radio on, before tuning it in to his team's frequency. The reaction was instantaneous.

“Shit, shit run! Cover me!” It was just a blur of voices. Flynn thought he heard Rin's voice in there, and he knew he heard R.J. The thing was, it was both teams.

“Reloading!”

“Left flank!”

“Where's Holman!?”

“OH GAAAAAAAAAAWD!”

“Acrope!”

Flynn turned and faced Sheckly, his eyes wide. “Get Hudson, and German, now!” He said, turning back around, and preparing the ship for dust off. The ship around Sheckly hummed as it powered up. Sheckly sprinted past a bewildered German.

“Huh? What's going on?” He asked, following Sheckly half way down the ramp before slowing to a halt.

Sheckly ignored him as he raced back to Hudson.

Two minutes earlier, Hudson had almost screamed. Almost. He'd heard a noise behind him, like pebbles falling onto rock. Hudson had turned, expecting to see Sheckly returning, saying how the radio had worked. Hudson had thought of the radio, as the ship used a stronger frequency than their comms. Hudson turned, and was met with an ebony figure, like a human shaped black hole. Hudson could see a large tail swishing behind it. It hissed loudly, and dove forward. Hudson grunted and rolled sideways, still gripping his rifle. The black thing released a high pitched squeal as it plunged over the edge of the cliff. “What fuck?!” Hudson shouted as he jumped to his feet, accidentally knocking the radio receiver he'd set up, over.

Then, he saw Sheckly. He was sprinting towards him from the ship. “Sheckly, you will not believe what-” Hudson started, still gripping his rifle, his knuckles turning white.

“No time, c'mon!” Sheckly shouted, and doubled back to the ship. Hudson heard stark fear in his voice, something he'd never heard before. Hudson quickly gathered himself, and made off after Sheckly.

When they reached the ship, it's thrusters were active, and was ready for liftoff. The two marines neared the ship ramp, and saw another black think at the base of it. Hudson and Sheckly both raised their rifles, only to be cut off, as four loud reports echoed from within the ship.

The black thing screeched and fell to the ground in a flurry of green blood. Soon after, Archer Flynn jogged down the ramp, an M11 gripped in his hands. “Run!” He shouted as to the right of the ramp, the ground seemed to sag downward, then burst out as another black thing jumped up. Flynn quickly pumped three more rounds into it, sending it careening back down into the hole.

Hudson and Sheckly wasted no time, as they raced up the ramp, meeting Flynn and sprinting inside. Flynn quickly punched the ramp control, before running through the open door to the cockpit.

“Fuck, oh, what the fuck?!” Sheckly shouted, collapsing onto the crate German had been resting on, his rifle laying in his lap.

Meanwhile, Hudson kept his rifle trained on the raising ramp. Sure enough, another black thing was scuttling its way up the ramp. Hudson fired a shot off, the round slamming into the thing's chest, and launching it backwards.

Before the ramp had even closed, Flynn launched the ship into the air, taking deep breaths, and remaining calm. Or, as calm as he could be after hearing Karl scream and get dragged off the ship by one of those things. Flynn pulled the throttle upward, and sent the ship airborne. “Strap in!” Archer shouted to his two passengers. 'It should be three.' Flynn mentally shook himself awake, and continued to rise. Then, one of those things was on his windshield. Like and enormous bug, it crawled over the cockpit windshield. “Hang on!” Flynn shouted as he jerked the throttle up, launching the ship sky bound. Flynn tilted the ship upward, and punched the thrusters. The ship jerked forcefully, and rocketed off, steadily going upward. All over the ship, the black things were thrown off like rag-dolls to the wind. The one on the windshield was pressed against the sloped glass, before Flynn tilted back down, causing the thing to slide over the top of the dropship, screeching as it was sucked away into LV-426's atmosphere.

The ship whipped back and forth, throwing the things off as it raced through the grit-filled atmosphere of the planet.

Sheckly and Hudson were both strapped into the reserve seats in the cargo hold, their heads being whipped back and forth as Flynn did his daredevil evasive maneuvers. “We'll circle back around and link with the rest of the group! I- what the fuck?” Flynn shouted as his ship was enveloped in a purple glow.

“Oh what the fuck now!” Sheckly screamed as his helmet banged against the headrest.

“Shit! Hold onto some-” With a bright flash, the ship was gone, leaving behind no trace that it was ever there, while the wind continued to rage above LV-426, and the black monsters fell like rain from the sky.

----Weyland-Yutani Scientific Outpost Alpha Mess Hall, Planet LV-426----

“Cover fire!” Corporal Rin Han screamed as she unloaded a five round burst through the darkened doorway. She couldn't see what was down that hallway, but she knew that it had killed Acrope, O'Brien, and probably Holman too.

It'd started simple enough. The team going down, and clearing the dorms room by room. Then, O'Brien had opened his door. Maple's motion tracker started to beep crazily, as O'Brien let out a small scream before he was pulled into his room by long ebony hands. Rin had been closest, and she raised her rifle and fired off a burst at the thing that had nabbed O'Brien. She hit dead on. The side of O'Brien's face was doused with green blood as the thing collapsed to the floor. It took a moment for it to sink in.

“OH GAAAAAAAAAAAWD!” O'Brien screamed, clawing at his face. Rin stood, petrified as O'Brien screamed and pitched forward, slamming his burned, head into the side of the bed, smashing it in. Rin backed into the wall as Maple's motion tracker continued to scream warnings.

“What just happened?” R.J shouted. Then, it happened. Holman's door was ripped open as he was watching Rin. He turned just in time to see an eight foot tower of ebony death loom over him. He didn't even make a sound. 'The perfect killing mach-' Holman's thoughts were cut off as it reached out and pulled him into the room.

“Where's Holman?” Maple shouted as he turned to look past R.J and Rin.

Rin Han was the first to catch on. “Run!” She screamed, as almost instantaneously, every door in the hallway was ripped open.

The trio of marines raced down the hallway, black spindly arms reaching out for them as they ran past. “Mess hall!” Maple shouted in the lead.

“Move whitey!” R.J hollered in a deep bellowing voice, as Acrope slammed into the door, then ripped it open.

Acrope, R.J, and Rin filed quickly through the door as the hallway behind them was filled with earsplitting shrieks. R.J immediately flipped the nearest table and shoved it against the other of the two doors leading into the room.

Maple turned to shut the door, and was met with a sleek, black, elongated head. “Fuck.” The thing grabbed Maple and dragged him into the hallway kicking and screaming.

“Acrope!” Without hesitation, Rin sprayed her clip down the hallway, silencing Maple's screams.

And that's where they were now. Maple's motion tracker lying, and beeping wildly on the metal floor, and R.J was barricading the second door, while Rin crouched a foot from the fist door, spraying bullets into the dark.

“Cover fire!” Rin shouted again, spotting another shape crawling in the darkness and firing another burst at it.

“Gotcha girl!” R.J said deeply as he took up position just behind her, his smartgun ready.

Rin quickly jumped out of the way, as to avoid R.J's smartgun. Rin stood up, dropped her clip, and slapped a fresh magazine in, before thumbing the safety off. Behind Rin, the door was thrown open, and R.J's makeshift barricade came clattering down in a rain of tables and chairs. “Six o'clock!” She shouted, taking up position behind R.J so they were back-to-back. They continued to spray bullets down the halls, slaughtering the swarms of monsters. As R.J once said, just like fucking zombies.

Maple's abandoned motion tracker's beeps got slower. R.J looked down and saw that the motion tracker screen was facing him, it's blue light illuminating the readout. The remaining hostiles were all on Rin's side. “I'm out!” Rin shouted in a terrified voice.

R.J quickly whipped his smartgun around, and started to unload down the hallway, his muzzle right next to Rin's head. “AAGH!” Rin screamed, and threw herself away from R.J.

The fist thing Rin noticed was that she couldn't hear. It was just a far away ringing noise. And she'd never been more terrified in her life. She scrambled wildly on the floor, gripping her rifle like a life preserver in the rough waters of the ocean back on her home planet. It had always been wild. Her world was set on mute as she looked up, seeing R.J let out a war-cry, his mouth wide open, making it appear that he was making the ringing sound. He fired down the hallway, his muzzle flashes causing flickering shadows to dance a horrible dance on the dark walls of the room.

“Oh God please help.” She thought. Or did she say it? Rin didn't know, all she could hear was the distant ringing.

One of the black things tackled R.J to the ground, his smartgun still in his vice grip. He screamed silently and fell upon Rin, the air being squashed out of her as the combined weight of the black thing, and R.J with his gear squeezed the air out.

R.J kicked the thing off and shoved it away, before blasting it away. Two more of the things crawled in, seizing R.J by his arms, while a third scurried in and gripped her head. Rin grunted silently, and fought against the black thing's vice grip. R.J backed into Rin and nearly collapsed.

Rin felt herself start to be dragged away, when her, R.J, and the three things were enveloped in light. 'What?' Rin thought, as, with a bright flash of light, the two marines and three Xenomorphs were gone, leaving the remaining Xenomorphs with an empty room.

One host out of five. Not good. The Queen would not be happy. But she wouldn't punish her children. She loved her children.

----Canterlot Medical Facility, Critical Status Ward, Equestria----

“Will he be okay?” Celestia asked softly as she gazed upon the unconscious human, his chest rising and falling rhythmically, from the observatory room. Behind her, the Element bearers, Spike, Princess Cadence, and Shining Armor sat, still mulling over the events. Shining Armor comforted his wife, who'd never felt the kind of hatred the human had been radiating. Fluttershy had a similar reaction, for about five seconds before she toppled over, much like the human had. She now lay sleeping peacefully on one of the benches opposite from the observatory glass.

Rainbow Dash sat next to Applejack and Rarity, not knowing whether to be horrified by the human or impressed. If she had to guess, she'd say... a little of both.

Rarity, and Applejack however both had extremely one-wayed opinions on it. That human was bad news. The Princess had even said so herself, humans started wars. WARS! And they'd just seen it kill a creature. Granted, the creature was attacking it, but still, it killed it! “Not one iota of mercy” As Applejack would say, or “Absolutely no regret or remorse!” As Rarity would say. Although neither of them were in the mood to talk.

Twilight stood at her mentor's side, staring at the creature from myths. Not even famous myths, no, obscure myths that only one other pony had known about. And she probably didn't know about the wars. Twilight gave a slight shudder. Celestia wrapped her wing around her student comfortingly. She'd been having horn flares and migraines that came and went ever since the human came. At first everypony had been terrified, but once they realized nothing else had happened, they just tried to ease Twilight's pain. She'd had three in the last hour, the first was the worse.

Spike stood to Twilight's right, standing on his tip-claws to see the human. Like Rainbow, Spike didn't know whether to be horrified or impressed. The genetic dragon side of him was sickened, but was impressed, while the pony raised side of him was just flat out sickened.

In fact, the only being there who didn't seem affected was Pinkie-Pie. She knew that the black thing was a no good meanie, but she knew her friends wouldn't listen. They often didn't. Pinkie didn't mind though, they would find out eventually, just like they always do. She stood next to the benches, her pink hair slightly less poofy than normal.

Celestia asked the doctor again, “Will he be okay?”

Dr. Sawbones cocked his head as he stared at the human. “Hard to tell.” He drawled out. “We know next to nothing about, what was it? A human? Human anatomy. The only thing we do know, is it's sleeping. Well, more like unconscious from sleep deprivation, fatigue, and I'm going to guess high levels of stress, but still, it's not going to wake up anytime soon I don't think.”

Celestia nodded slowly. At this point, she didn't care whether the doctor was guessing or not, she just wanted some kind of reassurance. She needed as much as she could get. As if being the ruler of Equestria wasn't hard enough, now she's got humans and monsters that, from what the doctors in the room next to the humans had told her, bled acid. She'd even gotten the day off, and while her sister took over royal duties for the day, she got to sit here and stare at a creature she had been sure were all dead and gone. Not only were they back, they were back with far more advanced technology than before.

After finding out that the object she had on display was a human weapon with extreme lethality, Celestia had sent her guards to remove two of the objects. The weapon, and the tablet. Even though the tablet hadn't proved harmful in any way during the demonstration, Celestia didn't want to take any chances. Humans were – are – cunning creatures. Cunning and violent. The two never went hoof in hoof without somepony getting hurt. Or an entire civilization being wiped out.

In her mind, Celestia shook her head in pity. Such a clever race. And now... Now she didn't know whether to be relieved that such a clever species was back, or terrified that such a clever species was back.

“And what of the other creature?” Celestia asked, still staring through the glass at the human. That thing. It resembled the things in her dreams. But, that was impossible. Right?

“Well your highness, it's still dead... and we still don't know what it is. Every time we try to dissect it, it melts our tools. Whatever it is though, it looks like the perfect killing machine. Acid for blood, the sword like tail, the inner mouth with extremely powerful muscles, the durable exoskeleton. Whatever the human did to it, must have been incredible.” Sawbones commented.

'You weren't there.' Celestia thought angrily.

“What now?” A quivering voice asked from beneath Celestia's wing. Celestia looked down and saw her student staring back at her, the same look in her eyes when she'd been a filly, romping around in the garden, and finding a small dead bird for the first time. The same scared confused look. The same scared confused filly.

Celestia looked back up to the human. “I don't know.”

----Weyland-Yutani Scientific Outpost Alpha Outside Administrator Building, Planet LV-426----

“Keep the bloody things out!” Thomas Lander shouted to King as he typed furiously on the command console of the APC. Against Thomas's word, Macklin had exited the APC saying that he'd heard something, which he probably did. If Thomas had tried to stop him, Macklin would've just shoved him back. Thomas Lander was not the most athletic of individuals, and after all, this was a military drop, where Macklin had command.

Thomas grimaced bitterly. Without Macklin, this whole operation went bang out of order right quickly. Now, he'd have to wait seventeen days for rescue, as he didn't know the network code, which was highly encrypted. As it was, he'd had to pull a number of strings just to let this group escort him down here, and now he's stuck. It was ironic. Thomas hated irony.

Now, he's stuck inside an APC cockpit, with a pacifist android holding the door from the xenomorphs. Lander could reprogram King to be less of a right pussy, but it'd take too long.

'I'm bloody dead.' Thomas thought, as he frantically worked to get the APC controls working.

“I can't hold them off much longer!” King shouted as he struggled to hold the door in place.

“Almost!” Thomas shouted.

With one final grind of metal, King released his vice grip on the door as it slid sideways. “I'm sorry.” King said sadly as a xenomorph stalked into the room, and right past King, ignoring the synthetic man.

Thomas turned and saw the lumbering beast. “You stewpid cunt!” Thomas shouted, voice directed at King, but his eyes glued to the xenomorph. The xenomorph bore down on Thomas, grabbing him, and dragging him out of the APC cockpit, then, out the door, screaming the whole way.

King stood silently in the cockpit. “Don't blame me.” He whispered to himself. “Blame your “stewpid” programming.” He followed up mockingly, then shut up as the APC was enveloped in purple light. “Well now.” King whispered, before the APC was gone in a bright purple flash, leaving deep tire tracks in the dirt over the concrete of the compound. The wind blew, and the tracks were lost to the winds of LV-426.

And all the while, Thomas watched this, his mouth stuck in a large O shape. “No. NOOOO! You fucker! You Dumb Fuck! NO!” He screamed as he was dragged through the gaping door, and into the dim and dark bowels of the research facility.

----Weyland-Yutani Scientific Outpost Alpha Administrator Building, East Wing, Planet LV-426----

“Reloading!” Tiberius shouted as he slammed a fresh clip into his M41A, and squeezed off another burst of rounds down the red lit hallway. Tiberius didn't know where they came from, only that they came fast and hard. Styles was dead, and Cook was gone. Tiberius had tried to radio Macklin, but all he heard was the buzzing of static in his ear. It was just him, Houston, and Samuels.

“Samuels right!” Houston shouted, blowing the legs off one of the black monsters as it lumbered down the corridor.

Flag Samuels spun to his right and fired off, not waiting to see if there was anything there. “What the fuck are these things!?” Flag screamed as he blasted another one that had scurried out of a room to his left. The three marines were held out in an intersection. There were four hallways, and three marines. It was only a matter of time.

Mack Tiberius aimed to his left and opened fire on two of the things that were advancing. “Left flank!” He hollered, before turning back to the other hallway.

“NO NO NO NOOOOOO!” Samuels screamed as he was dragged downward by one of the ebony monsters, his rifle falling from his hands.

Katie Houston grabbed at Samuels' leg, trying to pull him out, while keeping her gun raised and firing down her corridor. Tiberius fell backwards into Katie as one of the things slipped past and tackled him, knocking his rifle to the ground, where it skittered across the metal floor.

The three marines, and the two xenomorphs were suddenly enveloped in a bright purple light. “SHIT, FUCK!” Samuels screamed as the five grappling beings blinked out of existence with a bright purple flash.

----Canterlot Gardens, Equestria----

Discord didn't think. He couldn't. Even if he wasn't in an endless slumber, to think would drive him to insanity. He reveled on that after he'd been broken out by those little rascals, the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He didn't know how Lulu did it. Well, she was kind of insane to begin with, being Nightmare Moon and all.

Then, Discord awoke. It wasn't the gradual easy awakening he'd had before, no, this was a sudden burst of chaos so great, it was almost... bad. It was like when a light got too much energy and overloaded. Discord's stone prison shattered, and threw him to the ground, his eyes blinded, and his ears deaf. No wait, he wasn't deaf, there was something really REALLY loud. 'Well, that explains the chaos.' Discord opened his eyes, and was met with a sight he was genuinely afraid of. A human.

Ah yes, the humans, a race so bent on chaos, that it had almost drove Discord to insanity. Now, apparently, they were back. 'How long was I in there this time!?'

The human had it's back turned to him, and was holding some kind of large metal object in both hands, that made this Celestia awful booming noise. 'Well, there's the noise, now where's the-' Discord's brain seemed to shut down as a looming black monstrosity rose from the ground in front of the human, it's ebony chest riddled with bleeding holes.

The human, who turned out to be male, screamed a war-cry as his object – Discord decided to call it a boomer – sounded off. The black thing screeched as it was blown backwards.

“Flag!” The human shouted and rushed away, his back still turned to Discord. 'Flag, what flag?' Discord climbed to an upright position, and stared as another male human was pinned beneath a black thing, which was clawing at his chest. Nearby, another human, a female, lay on the stone ground, bleeding from a head wound.

The first human threw his boomer to the ground, and body checked the black thing off the other human sending it sprawling.

The second male human grabbed a smaller metal object from his waist and aimed it at the black thing. “Clear!” he screamed as the first human dove away. The second human pulled a small trigger on his “mini-boomer” and the black thing flailed like a rag-doll, before crumpling to the cobblestone ground. “AH Fuck!” the second human moaned as he dropped his mini-boomer and clutched at his torn and shredded chest as bright crimson blood streamed onto the ground, sinking into its numerous cracks and crevices.

The first human knelt by his side. “What can I do?” He asked, gingerly touching the second.

The second human grunted, and said, “My bag, it's over there.” The second human squeezed his eyes closed in pain, and nodded his head in the direction behind the first human. Discord looked down at his mismatched claw and hoof. There was a small brown bag, bulging with some kind of equipment. Discord looked back up to see the fist human staring at him with wide fearful hazel eyes.

“Uh oh.” Discord uttered as the human's snatched his boomer from the ground and aimed it at Discord's form. “Oh buck!” He shouted louder, and quickly teleported away in a flash of golden light, going to the one being who would know just what to do. Celestia.

----Skies Above Everfree Forest, Equestria----

“-Thing!” Hudson screamed as the purple light suddenly vanished, leaving him somewhat disoriented, but fine. “What?” He asked bewildered, as he looked around, seeing that everything in the dropship was as it was before.

“What!?” Flynn shouted from the cockpit. “What. The. Fuck?” Flynn muttered as he gazed out of the cockpit. The dusty, blinding atmosphere of LV-426 was gone. The jagged rocky landscape, gone. The dim glowing sun, gone. Instead, it was all replaced with clear skies, a lush green forest, and a bright livid sun. Flynn's evasive maneuvers ceased as he kept a steady speed, cruising hundreds of feet above the utopian like forest.

Hudson unbuckled his straps, and stood up, making his way to the cockpit. “What is... it.” Hudson drawled out, staring out the cockpit windshield.

“I have no godly idea.” Flynn muttered.

Sheckly dragged himself in, fatigue growing on him. At the sight of the new landscape and horizon, Sheckly rubbed his eyes and said, “Um, okay, kind of a stupid question, but... where did the planet go?”

“You're right, stupid question, try again.” Flynn said, still staring out, as he lowered the thrusters power, bringing the ship to a hover.

“Okay~ where did WE go?” Sheckly asked again, slightly annoyed.

“I have no fucking idea.” Flynn said, as he glanced at the view magnifier. “There's some kind of settlement about four miles from here.” He said, reengaging the thrusters, and speeding off towards said settlement.

“Do we know if they're friendlies?” Hudson asked from his spot in German's co-pilot seat to the right of Flynn.

Flynn just shrugged.

“Hey, where's Karl?” Sheckly asked, looking back into the cargo hold.

“Dead.” Flynn responded simply, his voice calm, and focused, but layered with sadness.

The dropship flew past the forest edge, and entered a land of serene rolling green hills. “Well, it's better than the last shit hole.” Sheckly said, still shaken up from news of Karl German's death. “What the fuck were those things?” Hudson asked, staring out at the calming vista, a far cry from the land he'd just came from.

“Some kind of alien, or something, I don't know!” Sheckly said. “O'Brien told us about-” Sheckly stopped, and glanced at Hudson.

“What?” Hudson asked, watching him.

“O'Brien told us about your brother's briefing.” Sheckly said slowly, choosing his words with care.

“He did what?!” Hudson shouted, rounding on Sheckly, who backed up in fright.

“Oi! Would you two kindly shut up? Hudson, get on the radio, see if we can't link with Macklin.” Flynn ordered, as Hudson slowly turned back around, his steely gaze never leaving Sheckly until he was out of sight.

Hudson flipped through all the comm channels. All they heard was a deep static. Then, “-One copy, over! I repeat, I need medical assistance! Samuels is hurt, and Houston is out! Cook and Styles are both KIA, and I am in unknown territory! Hostiles in the area, does anyone copy?”

“That's Mack!” Sheckly said, recognizing the scared and confused tone over the radio.

Hudson quickly grabbed the microphone, and switched it on. “This is dropship, ah fuck it, it's Hudson! I'm here with Sheckly and Flynn. German is dead, and I can't reach anyone else! We're in some kind of... I don't even know, a new world or something! Where are you?” Hudson asked, moving the mic away from his mouth.

“Hudson? Shit man, we got attacked by those black thing! I don't know where I am, some... some kind of castle I think, but... This place is... clean.” Tiberius said.

“There's a castle on that mountain.” Flynn said, pointing to Hudson's right.

'The black things? How many people know about these fucking things?' Hudson thought bitterly, before radioing back, “Alright, we're on out way, sit tight!” Hudson said.

“Roger that, I just killed two of those black fuckers, and saw an eight foot tall goat dragon thing. I don't want to know what else this place has!”

“Dragon goat?” Sheckly muttered.

“After what I've seen today? Sure.” Flynn said, as he changed course, and ripped through the air towards the regal castle in the distance.

“A fucking castle? God-damn this shit just never ends does it?” Sheckly muttered exasperatedly as he slouched back into the cargo hold.

“Nope. It sure doesn't.” Hudson whispered. 'Black things huh?' Hudson stood and followed Sheckly. He grabbed his rifle from the weapon rack near his seat, while Sheckly collapsed into his. 'It never ends.'

----Canterlot Medical Facility, Critical Status Ward, Equestria----

Even from the quiet observatory room, the collected group heard the loud echoing blasts. “What was that?” Applejack asked, standing up and looking around the room.

Celestia also looked up from her seat, staring at the door that led out into the hospital hallway. “I don't-” FLASH!

“Celestia, we have a problem.” A deep male voice said, with absolutely no hint of teasing or humor. It was Discord. Standing with his back to the window.

Immediately, the Elements, including Fluttershy, who had awoken just minutes before, Shining Armor, and Cadence leaped up, gearing up for a confrontation. “Discord!” Celestia shouted in shock and outrage, planting herself between him and the Elements.”How did you get out?” She fumed, flaring her wings.

Then, she noticed the look he wore. Something close to... horror? Was Discord scared? It looked so, and this was backed up when he said, “That's just it! Humans! They're here! In the gardens!” He said, pointing back towards the door. “There's three of them, two hurt. They killed these two black things, and... I don't know what they were.” He said, before he turned, and saw the unconscious human. “What. Is. It. Doing. Here?” He drawled out, staring at the battered human.

“Discord! You said that they were fighting something? What did it look like?” Celestia asked assertively.

Discord turned and looked at her and saw her eyes wide. “It uh, it looked like-” He was interrupted by Twilight moaning in pain, and her horn flaring.

There was a bright flash, and in between Discord and the assembled ponies, and dragon, was a large scuffle. “That!” Discord shouted as a large dark human with heavy metal armor whipped his body to the side, throwing two large ebony monstrosities off him.

“God-damn!” He bellowed in a deep monotone voice. He raised a large metal device attached on a pivot, and fired at one of the things to Discord's left. The black thing was blown backwards into the wall, green blood hissing as it made contact with it.

The dark human quickly turned and fired at the second one, who was targeting the ponies. The second black thing quickly dodged the fire, and scuttled towards the ponies. Before Celestia could even charge her horn, The black thing reared back to attack. Discord heard Twilight scream in terror, along with the other ponies. Shining Armor took up stance next to Celestia, flaring his horn to attack.

Before he could, Discord, fueled by the chaos, launched a ball of high concentrated magic into the thing, blasting it away from them, and killing it instantly.

“Rin!” The dark human shouted as Discord turned to see the other human, a female, being dragged out of the room by the third black thing. She kicked and fought against it, as it dragged her. The black human raised his large-boomer, and aimed at the thing.

The black thing raised it's tail and pressed it against the girls throat. “You mother fucker!” The dark human bellowed, keeping his large boomer trained on the monster.

“D-Dun't Shute it!” The girl moaned, her voice distorted by something. The monster was slowly backing out of the room, it's tail blade still at the girl's throat. Discord was almost, once again, overwhelmed by the mass amounts of chaos just in this one room, and was starting to get a massive headache. It didn't help that the dark human's large-boomer was extremely loud, as if to purposely add to the chaos.

Just as everything was seeming to calm down, while all the assembled beings were focused on the hostage situation, the human on the bed awoke. “Gah, fucking hell!” He groaned, sitting up in his bed, and causing the monster to look in Discord's direction. He wished it hadn't.

The girl took this to her advantage, and quickly grabbed for a mini-boomer on her waist. Before the monster could react, she fell sideways, and brought the mini-boomer up, firing it into the monster's head as she fell. Green blood flew up, and rained downward like rain onto the surrounding area. Small droplets landed on the girl's left arm as she threw it up to protect her face.

Instantly, the blood started to hiss as it ate away at her metal armor. The dark human dropped his large-boomer and dove forward to assist. “Oh God~!” She moaned as she tore at her armor. The moan turned to a scream as the blood seeped through her armor and into her skin. Then flesh. Then bone.

“It's okay baby girl! It's okay!” The dark human cooed loudly, quickly tearing her forearm armor off, and watching helplessly as the acidic blood ate into her arm.

“R-R.J?” The girl, Rin, moaned in pain, her eyes squeezed closed.

“Yeah, yeah I'm right here.” He said, rubbing her face comfortingly.

Rin opened her eyes and stared into R.J's. “I-I cun't h-hear.” She whispered fearfully. Then, Discord noticed for the first time, there was a tiny trail of blood oozing from her ear.

“It's okay.” R.J whispered as he cradled her to his chest, while she stared at Discord and the other ponies. “It's okay.” The blood from her ear mixed with the beads of sweat that slid from under her helmet, and grew larger as it ran down the side of her face and dripped onto the floor. Thankfully, it didn't start to eat away at the floor. “It's okay.”

At that moment, two royal guards burst through the door leading to the hallway. “Your highness, there are reports of strange sightings all across Equestria, we-” He stopped as he observed the carnage. To his left, stood the Princess and her gathered ponies. To his right, Discord. At his feet, a dead monster that was busy sinking into the floor with a loud hissing noise. Across from him, two strange beings sat together, bleeding and tired. Behind Discord, another strange being like the two across from him leaned against the glass, as he too, observed the scene. The guard and the human both stared at the carnage, then to eachother.

“What.”

“What.”

“The.”

“The.”

“Buck?”

“Fuck?”

----Canterlot Fifth Street, Equestria----

“I'm telling you Bon-Bon, something just wasn't right about that letter yesterday.” Lyra Hearstrings said to her roommate Bon-Bon Frosting. “It was like something was missing.” She added, pausing in the middle of the cobblestone street and thinking.

“Ugh, C'mon Lyra. I want to get back home and sleep in my nice warm bed again.” Bon-Bon said agitatedly to roommate.

“And we will, but first, I think there's a mystery to solve!” Lyra said excitedly as she started off down the street, in almost the exact opposite direction of the train station.

“Lyra~!” Bon-Bon groaned and started off after her filly-like roommate.

Bon-Bon followed Lyra around a corner, and found her talking to a white unicorn. His wavy blue hair complimented his well kept coat. A small white and blue trimmed saddlebag rested on his back.

“Oh my gosh, Fancy! It's been so long, how are you?” Bon-Bon heard Lyra exclaim as she shook hoofs with the unicorn, Fancy.

“My goodness, Lyra? Lyra Heartstrings? It really is you isn't it?” He asked, disengaging the hoof-shake. “I'm doing quite well, how about yourself?” Fancy asked, keeping the conversation rolling.

Lyra gave a big goofy grin and said, “I've been doing pretty good! Oh! This is my roommate, Bon-Bon Frosting.” She said, indicating to Bon-Bon.

Bon-Bon grinned nervously and walked up. This couldn't be THE Sir Fancypants of Canterlot! How would Lyra know him though.

Fancy extended a hoof, which Bon-Bon sheepishly accepted. “A pleasure to meet you madame.” He said, with a small bow, showing off his gentlecolt charm.

“So, how do you know Lyra?” Bon-Bon asked, glancing at her roommate out of the corner of her eye.

“Oh, Lyra and I both went to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. We didn't finish top of our class however, no, that commendation fell to young Twilight Sparkle, another fine young filly I had the pleasure to be formally acquainted with as, she never did talk much in school.” He explained, looking back at fond memories. “So! Where might you two fine mares be headed off to this evening?” He asked, looking from Lyra to Bon-Bon.

“Well we were just about to head back to Ponyville.” Bon-Bon said, her hint falling on Lyra's deaf ears.

“Ah, so you're from Ponyville too? A lot of kind people from around those parts.” Fancy commented.

“What about you?” Lyra asked curiously. “Hosting another tuxedo party?” She asked teasingly and cocking an eyebrow.

Fancy blushed, Fancy! Lyra Heartstrings, resident of Ponyville, and roommate to Bon-Bon Frosting, made Fancypants of Canterlot blush! “Still worshiping humans?” Fancy replied in an equally teasing tone, now causing Lyra to blush. The two started to laugh, as Bon-Bon simply stood and watched as her roommate traded inside jokes with one of the most popular ponies in Equestria.

“Oh, speaking of strange and unusual things...” He started, then opened his saddlebag, and withdrew a small book. “I think you should have a look at this. I was just on my way to see young Twilight Sparkle, to discuss this very book. It's a journal that my fiancee found. Quite a strange, and, slightly disturbing tale.” He said.

Just as he was about to give her the book to skim, there was a bright flash of light. Fancypants was barely able to leap out of the way, before a behemoth contraption made of heavy metal, appeared roughly ten hooves high, and fell to the cobblestone street with am ear shattering, BOOM!

“Oh my gosh, Fancy!” Lyra yelped and assisted her fillyhood friend up.

“Dear me, what was that?” He asked, dusting himself off, and turning around. The object was all gray, save for a small glass port on the front. It had a sleek design, yet covered in heavy metal, like it was supposed to be fast and strong. There were four large wheels on the bottom, much like that of a wagon, but no visible entrance. “My goodness.” Fancy uttered as he, Lyra, and Bon-Bon, all walked around to the side.

Many ponies were gathering around now, watching as the three ponies approached the only thing that resembled a door. Before anypony could say a word, the large metal panel was thrust outward, and then slid to the left. Everypony present gasped as a large being stepped out. It was about six hooves high, with a light brown mane, and white skin. It wore loose blue clothing around it's body.

It was a human. “Fascinating.” he said as he looked down at the three ponies.

“Incredible.”

“No. Way.”

“OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH!”

The human stared curiously at them, before he heard a noise above him. He, along with everypony else on the street, craned their necks upward and watched as large metal object flew low overhead.

“Wow, what is that?” One pony asked as it watched the object fly overhead.

A few citizens voiced their guesses.

“It's a pegasus!”

“It's Mare Do Well!”

“No! It's, wait, what is that?” They all watched as the ship flew onward towards Canterlot Castle.

Only Lyra was still completely focused on the human, her mouth agape, and her golden eyes wide.

“Well, sorry to cut this little chat short, but I gotta go.” The human said, in a slightly gruff tone as he lowered his head back down, and turning, stepped back into the vehicle. The human grabbed the door, and slid the heavy door closed. After a few seconds, the vehicle roared to life, spooking most of the ponies out of the way. With another roar, louder roar, it slowly started to rumble its way down the now cracked and broken cobblestone street.

Behind it, three certain ponies all stood in shocked silence. “Did that just happen?” Bon-Bon uttered, staring after the vehicle as it rolled down the cracked cobblestone street.

“Yeah.” Lyra mumbled, then keeled over and passed out.

The vehicle rounded the bend, and disappeared from sight, it's roar bouncing off store fronts.

----Weyland-Yutani Scientific Outpost Alpha Administration Building, West Wing, Planet LV-426----

“Fuck.” William Hudson muttered as he tended to his arm. No only did it have the burn from the last shit hole he was in, but now it had a large laceration down the middle, seeping blood from under the torn bit of cloth he'd found on a hanging coat. “God I hate my life.” He grunted as he sat against the cool metal wall.

His room was just a simple square room, bathed in red light. There was a desk, a chair for the desk, a lamp for the desk with the chair, and a map under the light on the desk with the chair. That was IT, and quite frankly, Hudson wouldn't want it any other way. No small corners for the fucks to pop out of, and no grated floors. Just solid metal. Or, solid enough.

Hudson's motion tracker lay beside him, remaining silent. Just the way Hudson liked it. Hudson didn't know where Reed was, maybe he got nabbed, or maybe killed. Hudson didn't hear anything, he just ran like hell, got to the room, and sealed himself in. Just before he'd gotten in, one of those thing's tails had lashed out and sliced his arm. It wasn't deep, but it hurt like hell.

Hudson rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes, desperately wishing for a cigarette, or even better, a dropship. He'd thought maybe he'd heard gunfire, but he'd been running down a dark hallway with his armor clanging, and those things shrieking, so he wasn't sure. Even if it was, they were probably dead by now. 'Why do I always have to be the last one?' Hudson thought bitterly as he rested his eyes. At this point, William was almost asking for death to come.

Hudson's eyes opened slowly. But not before he got those fuckers back. Four weeks until he was out. Four weeks. They would pay.

Hudson gathered his pistol and motion tracker from the ground next to him and stood. He then walked over to the table, lay his equipment on it, and studied the map in the dim red light. It was the floor plans for the building. 'Must've been some kind of maintenance room, or office.' Hudson thought as he studied the plans. He studied the west wing of the building, offices and administration. That sounded about right.

Accounting

Administration

Security

Reception

Recreation Room

He saw the corner of another map sticking out from under the first. Hudson pinched it between his index finger and thumb, and pulled it out, before resting it on top of the first one. This was the lower levels.

Cell Block

Lab Alpha

Lab Beta

Communications

Lab Gamma “Omega”

Lab Lambda “The Lair”

Reactor

Research and Development

Hudson didn't know much about what was on the list, but he did understand one thing: Communications. “Okay,” Hudson mumbled. “Now I have a plan, and if this fails, then I guess I'll... just... kill myself or something.” He said, clipping his motion tracker to his side, and grabbing his M11. One and a half magazine left. No grenades. No knife. No nothing. Hudson ejected he half empty clip and replaced it with the full one. He pocketed the half empty one, and pulled the slide back on his M11. Hudson took a deep breath, and opened the door.