Deep in the furthest reaches of The Commonwealth of Stars at the edge of known space in a region known as The Vectis Expanse a lone ship dropped out of hyperspace. The two pilots checked over their sensors to ensure everything was as it should be.

Before the ship a massive space station hung in the void of space, the only artificial structure within several star systems besides the lone ship approaching a marvel of engineering here in this lonely region of space.

With their checks complete one of the pilots keyed their coms. “Calypso Point Station this is ZTS Tempest requisition permission to commence docking. Transmitting codes.”

There was a brief pause before another voice came over their headsets. “This is docking control, you are cleared to dock in bay 34B, welcome to Calypso Point Station and glad to have the fresh blood.”

With that the pilots keyed the internal comms. “This is your pilot speaking we are on final approach to Calypso Point, please make sure you have everything before disembarking. Station Time is 09:43.”

With that final message the pilots returned to their controls as within the passenger compartment several people, a mix of ponies, zebra and griffins waring varying jumpsuits marking them as researchers, security and engineers, the uniforms all marked with ZyraTech on the back showing them as employees all sitting in their comfortable seats in the spacious compartment colored a light blue with white trim to invoke feelings of relaxation and calm.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle was one such passenger, wearing the white jumpsuit with blue accents around her wrist, collar and shoulders marking her as a magical researcher for ZyraTech.

The young researcher had her muzzle in her datapad reading up on the latest magical theory papers, focusing on those written by Dr. Arcane Eclipse given she was being assigned to his team on something called Project Everlight. She wasn't sure what the project was as her orders had been devoid of much details save it was some sort of research into magical energy though for seeming to not have a lot of progress something happened to the previous team as every other researcher on the ship was replacements for them, including several guards and engineers.

Twilight could hear the others talking about what happened to the previous employees, the prevailing rumor was they had all been killed in some sort of accident during an experiment and now they were replacing the dead.

Twilight paid this no mind as she didn't put stock in unsubstantiated rumors, especially when they were something like that. She had worked for a few years with ZyraTech and knew that while they pushed limits they were far from stupid as they pride themselves on their reputation as a cutting edge and safe company. They were a top company because of it and one Dr. Sparkle had jumped at the chance to work for four years ago when she graduated from The Royal Canterlot University and their recruiters contacted her.

She had worked in a few labs here and there on minor projects but now she was headed for the big leagues not only heading to Calypso Point Station, one of ZyraTech’s top research stations but also getting to work with the legendary Dr. Arcane Eclipse, someone she looks up to a great deal as the top stallion in the field of magic studies. To say she had squealed like a school filly and jumped around her room when she got the email of her new assignment would not have been a lie.

Finally she was moving up and recognized for her work.

Though for now she had to get to the station and they finally were arriving as she finished the paper she was reading and closed her datapad returning the palm sized computer to her pocket after taking a moment to look at the picture of her with her family at her graduation from RCU. Now with her head not buried in her screen she looked around the compartment seeing all those who were there and her eyes settled on something that didn't belong.

A white furred unicorn mare with a well styled purple mane sat near the back of the compartment distinctly not wearing the various colored jumpsuits of normal employees.

Now she wore a light gray knee length skirt with black pinstripes, a matching blazer jacket wearing some nice shoes and wearing makeup. It wasn't hard for Twilight to identify someone from upper management when she saw one though what someone like her was doing aboard was anyone's guess as Twilight was too far to see the pin on the neck area of her blazer to mark her department.

The cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane sitting next to her wearing a ZyraTech Security uniform, dark blue jumpsuit with red accents around the shoulders and end of the sleeves and sturdy combat boots. A few things stood out about this security mare.

One, she was a captain unlike the others guards aboard the ship who’s highest rank was a sergeant, for another she already was wearing a tactical vest and lastly Twilight recognized a ZyraTech Arc Blaster Mk II on the mare's back. The mare wasn't heading for the station to be given an assignment like the rest, she clearly was already assigned a post, and it was clear it was guarding the upper management mare next to her.

“I heard she’s an investigator sent by the company to look into the accident.” The mare next to Twilight said.

Twilight looked at her, seeing she wore a white jumpsuit like herself but with green accents marking her as specializing in biology rather than magic theory.

“What makes you say that?” Twilight said normally she wouldn't indulge in rumor mill but her curiosity was very high given the total lack of information on the two.

“One of the guards tried to talk to the captain, was told to back off but got a look at that mare’s lapel and she’s a corporate investigator.” He said.

“Hmm….”Twilight said looking at the mare, she let herself entertain the idea there really was an accident that resulted in nearly two dozen replacement employees…..and the more she entertained the idea the more she connected dots, why would the company suddenly need this many new employees all heading for the same station, sure Calypso Point was a big station being a small city in itself suddenly needing this many replacements and all for the same section….

She was drawn out of her thoughts before it really got anywhere by a feeling of the gravity aboard shifting marking the transition from the ship's artificial gravity to the station’s as they entered the docking bay and soon two loud thuds sounded as the ship was grabbed by the docking clamps.

There was a tone as the intercom was activated. “We have successfully docked with Calypso Point Station. Please make sure you have everything before disembarking.” The pilot’s voice said.

Twilight sighed and removed the harness before standing along with the others as she grabbed her small duffle bag from above her seat and headed for the door. Soon her light boots met the deck of the station and she took a deep breath of that station air and…..her face scrunched up.

“Gah what is that smell?” She said covering her nose as she was hit with an unpleasant odor she couldn't place but was definitely there coming out of the clean air of the ship.

“Yeah yeah, I'm working on it.” A voice said sounding annoyed and Twilight looked to see an orange mare wearing a thick dark gray jumpsuit with bright yellow accents marking her as an engineer, the utility belt filled with tools also did that.

Twilight blinked at her. “Huh?” She said,

“I said I'm working on it, it's the environmental systems, been having issues all week…..bah why am I explaining it to you.” The mare scolded herself before walking off heavy bootfalls fading quickly.

Twilight could just blink after the mare before sighing…..and wincing at the smell before starting to walk again towards the security checkpoint.

Due to the delay caused by the unpleasant smell she ended up near the back of the line waiting with her duffle.

A moment later the supposed corporate investigator walked past the line with her guard following behind looking board and stepped up to the guards at the checkpoint. The guard took one look at her and the captain behind her and waved them through without a second look.

Twilight had to admit she wished she could bypass all the checkpoints. Though the thought was quickly forgotten as the line started to move and after about 15 minutes she was at the head of the line stepping onto a yellow square. “Name?” The griffin guard said rather testily.

“Dr. Twilight Sparkle, Magical Research.” She said,

“Right couldn't tell that by the uniform.” He said rolling his eyes causing Twilight to frown at the unprofessionalism, she was not used to that at a ZyraTech facility and didn't expect it at one of their top stations. He grabbed the badge off her chest without hesitation and scanned it. “Right, like I told the others, none of your quarters are ready so you’re going to have to stay in the waiting area till they are done.”

“What?” Twilight said, blinking confused. “We got this assignment 3 weeks ago, how aren’t our quarters ready?” She asked.

The griffin frowned. “Because they aren't, and keep giving me attitude and you can wait for your quarters in a cell.”

Twilight snapped her mouth shut.

“That's what I thought, please place your bag on the cart, it will be brought back to you after we check it.” He said as another guard with the barest hints of dark circles under his eyes rolled a cart over and Twilight placed her bag on it, it was marked with an ID so they shouldn't send it to the wrong person, she hoped.

“Stand with your arms out to the side for a scan.” The guard said and twilight stood as instructed, this was normal for a research station so this wasn't unexpected as two arms lowered down from the ceiling and started to spin as light shone from them, it made one full rotation when it suddenly made a noise that didn't sound good and stopped. The guard growled, took his baton and hit the scanner hard enough there was a loud clang and the scanner started rotating again. “Gref, remind me to chew out engineering, the damn scanner is broken, those lazy bastards have been slacking on our equipment.”

Twilight remained silent as the scanner spun 5 times and then gave a tone turning green before raising back up and the griffin handed Twilight a system interface uplink “Alright, follow the blue line along the floor to the waiting room, we’ll get you there when your room is done.” The guard said

Twilight nodded as she placed the uplink over her ear and saw a it display over her right eye when it connected to her datapad as well as the station’s systems and walked through the open door of the checkpoint into a hall where she saw two guards on patrol, the zebra guard eyes darting from shadow to shadow and she got worried when his eyes jumped to her, his hand going for his side arm before he visible relaxed, nodding to her and walking past.

Twilight let a breath out she hadn't realized she had been holding when he did that. “What in the world…..” She said under her breath before she started walking along the designated line, being sure to step exactly on the center as instructed.

She passed 3 engineers head off somewhere down a side hall as well as another security patrol, they had a lot of security here, though it was their top research station so they probably are just being safe. Twilight thought.

Soon enough Twilight entered a brightly lit room with various benches along the wall and the center area, a couple doors marked as bathrooms and along the right wall was a window with two security guards in it to watch them though there wasn't a door from them to the waiting room, just the thick glass window with a large screen above the far wall playing a sort of orientation video giving a virtual tour and welcoming them to the team on repeat.

The room was populated by those who came with her on the ship minus the investigator and her guard of course, some of whom had gathered into small groups based on department to talk among themselves.

Twilight chose to not join one of these groups and instead took a seat along the wall sighing….and smelling that unpleasant odor still. What a great start to what should be a shining moment of her career.

After a few more minutes the rest of the passengers entered and either found seats of their own or joined the clusters of people, Twilight simply observed them wondering if she had worked with any of them before and just forgot, she was well aware she had a bad habit of getting wrapped up in work and forgetting people but she hadn't really done anything about it as she was too busy working to worry.

About ten minutes after the last of the passengers enters the door opened again and the most aggressively pink mare Twilight had ever seen wearing a teal jumpsuit with white accents marking her as part of the psychology team….though her uniforms had all sorts of pines on it from little balloons, to party hats and other such things making it look like decoration had exploded on her, she also had the biggest smiles on her face Twilight had ever seen.

“Ahem! Excuse me, could I have everyone’s attention please?” She said she didn't raise her voice yet it carried with ease and Twilight couldn't help noting it sounded like she was on the verge of laughing.

Slowly everyone turned to face her as she looked at each of them in turn including Twilight then back to the middle of the room. “My Name’s Pinkie Pie, I’m one of the psychologists here on Calypso Point Station, though I prefer to be called a ‘Morale Officer’ if you’d be so kind.” She said and giggled, twilight barely kept from rolling her eyes at the desire for the unofficial title, Twilight never understood people like that.

“Anyways I am here as I want to address the rumors you most likely have all heard and no doubt talked about regarding why you are all here.” She said, becoming serious so fast Twilight nearly got whiplash from it. “First off, yes we had a bad accident here on the station and you are replacing those we lost here.”

Twilight blinked at that, the rumor was true?

“Now, security is looking into it and I heard the company is sending someone to look into things as well to ensure it doesn't happen again and station administration plans to take things slow for a while to make sure there aren't any issues that might have led to the accident. You have nothing to worry about as once we know what happened protocols will be put in place to ensure it doesn't happen again.”

“Now then if anyone is concerned or has concerns over your week of orientation do not hesitate to come by the office or send questions to the admins, we are here to ensure you get settled in as best as you can and feel comfortable as well as safe here at the station. We are all a team here and we only succeed when we are all doing well.” She said the last part and then suddenly the big smile was back on her face.

“Anyways, I just wanted to welcome you all to Calypso Point Station! We have fun here and are doing great work.” She said, smiling at each of them before turning on her heels and heading for the door.

After a couple minutes everyone slowly drifted back to what they had been doing, talking amongst themselves or sitting doing things on their datapad or in one case appearing to try to take a nap.

Twilight sighed and took out her datapad to read one of her books when suddenly the lights went out in the room and she heard a couple people yelp in surprise.

The light came back on a moment later and the group was looking around concerned.

There was a tone from the speaker above the security station. “Relax everyone, it's just a power fluctuation, we've been having them a few times a week, it's nothing to worry about probably one of the labs running an experiment.” one of the guards said.

This seemed to calm the others but not twilight, she had studied the info she had access to regarding the station, it has a Stellar Forge Mark II reactor, the latest and best reactor, those labs would have to be doing something insanely dangerous to cause such a power drain, something that goes against some major ZyraTech safety protocols and wouldn't be approved……perhaps it was good the investigator was here as it seemed some people were doing something they really shouldn't be.

As she stood up and started to walk towards the security window to ask them what was really going on as there was too much wrong here for this place, too many malfunctioning systems and the strange behavior of those she had seen.

She was nearly to the glass when she felt a strange ripple move through the room and cause her horn to hurt as her stomach started doing somersaults and she lost her balance for a moment but got her feet back under herself before falling hand going to her head to clear the weird fog that hit it for a moment seeing other unicorns doing the same as….did something flicker in the shadow under one of the benches?

No, of course not.

She looked to the guard room and saw the zebra slumped over on the console as the other one was shaking him trying to get a response and kicking into whatever training he had as he hit his radio saying something Twilight couldn't hear as he looked out at the now worried faces of those in the room.

He keyed the intercom. “Relax everyone, there is nothing to worry about, I’m sure he’s just been having trouble sleeping and it caught up to him. Everything is okay.” He said as twilight saw the Zebra twitch.

And then an alarm started blaring as emergency lights started spinning in the room.

“Warning, a Code Red Security Alert has been initiated, a lockdown is in effect, please follow all directions of security personnel and remain calm, once more, remain calm.” An automated message said and started to repeat.

And then they all heard a scream from outside the locked door and gun fire.

“What in tartarus is going on?” Someone yelled as the unassigned guards in the room that had been passengers aboard the ship moved to take defensive positions or tried to find weapons.

The intercom toned again causing some to look towards the guard room including Twilight. “Now everyone remain calm, I'm sure it's just…uh…some sort of drill…yeah I'm sure everything’s fine.”

As he spoke the gunfire outside the door continued as the unconscious Zebra guard in the security room shifted and proceeded to vomit blood all over the console as the guard looked to him. “Zeria?” he said before removing his finger from the button so the mic stopped so everyone in the room watched silently as the zebra started to have a violent seizure and fell from his chair and the guard hit his radio again no doubt calling for help.

A different tone came over the speaker. “Attention, this is Colonel Zeryal.” An authoritative voice came over, twilight remembered that was the name for the one in charge of the station security forces, a zebra if she recalled his picture correctly, well decorated. “An unknown breach has occurred, all non combat personnel are to shelter in place and follow all directions of security personnel till containment can be reestablished. All security forces, code red, use of lethal force has been authorized. You are to meet up with–” There was a sudden crash through the speaker and an inequus roar that caused twilight to feel fear on a primal lever came through the speaker. “What the….Star? What….what happened…….stay back!” There were energy discharges and a crash. “Star...waht….get off of..ahahahaggghhh”the sound of the colonel's scream field the room turning into wet gurgling sounds before the speaker cut out.

Panic was starting to set in among the passengers as they looked around and then there was a shot from the security room and all eyes snapped to it to see the guard, a slug thrower pistol drawn aimed as….Twilight mind reeled at what it was seeing.

“It was the size of a griffin, with a split lower jaw forming two lower mandibles of sharp teeth, its arms were unnatural long and ended in claws as it had a sort of hunched over stance, its back with a small hump to it with spikes running down it that almost looked like broken ribs…..and it was wearing a bloody security uniform and had matted blood covered fur.

They all watched as the thing lunged at the guard inside of the room with it having him in its long fingers as she struggled to try and get his pistol up his screams silent behind the glass as the thing grabbed the guard’s head in one claw and slammed it into the glass hard enough to spider web the security glass as red exploded inside the room.

The thing then slammed into the glass causing it to crack more as Twilight moved without thinking and dove under the bench she had been sitting on along the same wall as the security room just in time to hear the glass shatter and the same inequus roar as they heard over the radio s the thing dragged itself through the hole it just made in the glass.

Someone screamed as the thing lunged at the nearest passenger and twilight closed her eyes as it lifted the mare up that twilight vaguely recognized as the one who had been sitting next to her on the ship grabbing her leg as it held her upper body.

Twilight heard her scream along with the sound of tearing fabric and meat as the scream cut off, replaced by many other screams and that roar.

‘You need to move…..if you stay here you're dead. Move through the window. Move now damnit!’ Twilight screamed at herself in her head as she lay there frozen under the bench.

Then something hit the top of the bench and her eyes snapped open and she darted out from under the bench her mind automatically cataloging the sound came from a severed arm wearing a security uniform was what hit the bench.

And then she was at the hole in the glass climbing through, luckily the glass was designed to not be sharp and she was wearing her researcher jumpsuit which provides some protection.

She was soon in the security room, the smell of copper thick in the air as the floor and walls were covered in dark red blood and some black substance.

She looked over the controls and saw one labeled for the door and hit it hearing the locks disengage on the door outside. ‘Yes, we can get out and get help!’

The door opened and three more things wearing bloody uniforms rushed in pouncing on those who made a run for the opening door and her eyes went wide and she looked around and saw the door out of the room was locked with a keypad that she didn't know the code for.

Her eyes frantically darted around as she heard the screams and those roars in the other room, then her eyes settled on the vent grate.

She rushed forward taking out a small pocket knife, mentally thanking her older brother for getting it for her on her 10th birthday when he couldn't find a book she hadn't read yet as it had come in handy many times and now it just might save her life as she used it to unscrew the grate and got it to swing open starting to crawl inside as something hit the glass.

She looked back seeing one of the engineer passengers, bloody handprint where he hit as he moved to crawl through the broken window. “Come on!” Twilight yelled.

Then one of those things grabbed his leg and he tried to hold on, then he was gone and Twilight was crawling for her life having pulled the grate closed holding it wouldn't be noticed.

The vents were not exactly meant for researchers such as herself, this being the domain of engineers and their little repair bots, not a researcher like her. But then it wasn't like she knew the station, all she could rely on was the system map which wasn't for vents.

She crawled taking random turns seeing out of one vent cover as an engineer was set upon by 3 of those things as he tried to run and was dragged down.

Through another she saw one of the guards firing on those things as they charged him, two engineers behind him. “When in tartarus are these things, and why are they wearing station uniforms!” he yelled before the power cell in his laser pistol clicked and he tried to replace it….he wasn't fast enough.

Twilight kept crawling through the maze unsure where she was going, taking random turns hoping to find safety only to see those things outside moving in the halls and room or others being killed.

Then she saw a guard with Shormbreaker shotgun firing on those things and killed a couple of them….before the vent above him exploded and one of those things grabbed his head and dragged him screaming as he fired wildly around himself into the vent.

Twilight blood ran cold……they were in the vents…..they were in the vents with her…..

Her eyes darted around, she needed to get out of here, if one of them saw her there was nowhere to go….

She crawled looking for somewhere to get out when she heard one of those inquire roars behind her and the sound of claws on the vent, she looked back and saw one of them forcing its body, dragging itself toward her around the corner of a side vent as it locked eyes on her wearing an engineer uniform it having been a griffin from the look of it.

She screamed and scrawled as fast as she could to the next vent not even looking as she kicked it out crawling out and dropping into some sort of storage room filled with shelves and parts Twilight didn't recognize as she ran from the vent as she heard the thing reach the vent starting to drag itself out roaring before she heard the wet slapping sound of its feet on the deck as it sprinted after.

Tears streamed down Twilight’s face as she ran between the shelves quickly reaching the end and taking a right hearing that thing slam into the shelves at the end of the path growing almost in annoyance right behind her before starting to run again.

No no, she didn't want to die.

She turned up another set of shelves running, where was the door?

She heard a crash as the shelves were knocked over and the thing was right behind her, she practically felt its breath on her neck as it gained ground quickly.

She grabbed a shelf to use it to sling shot herself around….and felt her boots slide out from under her as she hit a pool of blood spreading under the torn apart remains of an engineer and went down hard.

“No no no….”She said crawling as she heard the thing come around the corner behind her…then felt its claw grab her leg and she screamed.

She tried to grab a shelf, screaming again as she wildly kicked at it with her free leg as it started to drag her back holding onto the shelf for dear life.

Its claw dug into her leg and she worried it was going to break it as her life flashed before her eyes.

She saw her discovering her first book and reading on her own….discovering magic theory….learning her first spell learning what a library was….her 10 birthday, her brother heading off to university, her getting first place at her school’s science fair……graduating high school and getting accepted into RCU, get recruited by ZyraTech….everything leading up to here and now where she was going to die in the storage room of a research station she dreamed of working at.

“Hold it you damn varmint!” She heard someone yell and heard a humming sound and then the creature roared in pain as it let her leg go.

Twilight scrambled away till she reached the wall and put her back to it looking back.

She saw a mare in an engineering uniform….the mare she saw when she first got off the ship, holding a plasma cutter as the thing turned to face her.

“Come on you nasty beasty!” The engineer said raising the plasma cutter kept it between her and the monster as twilight heart jackhammered in her chest and she took quick ragged breaths.

The monster lunged and the engineer dived to the side and slashed at the things side, it roared in pain and jumped away crashing into a shelf knocking it over before jumping at the mare again. Twilight couldn't figure out how something so big moved so fast.

The engineer barely dodged this one, heavy boots echoing in the small storage room mixing with the wet squelching slap of the monster’s own footfalls.

The thing lunged and the engineer put the plasma cutter through tis hand and it roared in pain and slashed at her with its other claw, the engineer barley dodging this one and it was clear she was out matched by one of these things that twilight had seen kill a an armed guard without much trouble, and that one had been a Zebra, this one used to be a griffin which were already strong and fast.

The Engineer was going to lose, she was going to die and then twilight was going to die here in this storage room.

Twilight didn't even think, she felt as she gathered magic in her horn and fired off a spell, the magic blast struck the thing and it roared in pain snapping around to face her and she froze in absolute fear as it took a step towards her.

Then the engineer was on its back, her thick jumpsuit protecting her from the spikes, her arm around its neck. “Got you!” She said and plunged the cutter into the top of the things head and started moving it down as if cutting through a simple part, though the flesh of the creature gave way far easier than metal as the plasma cutter sliced through with ease.

The thing gave a roar as the engineer didn't stop dragging the cutter over its head as the creature gave one pathetic shake to try and get her off, lost its balance and fell forward with a loud thud on the deck giving a couple of twitches then lay still.

The engineer panted as she got to her feet looking down at the thing…..then broch her boot up and back down on its head….once…twice…thrice till rubber met decking each blow met with sickening cracks and squelches before the engineer stepped back and dropped back to sit on the floor against a shelf and pointed sharply at the thing. “An’ stay dead……” She panted out.

Twilight looked at the mare who looked at her. “You okay sugarcube?”

Twilight swallowed hard and gave a small nod.

“Good….what’s your name? Names Applejack, Lead Maintenance Engineer. Though feel free to call me AJ.”

Twilight licked her lips. “D…..Dr. Twilight Sparkle…..Class 3 Research Specialist….I’m new here…just arrived an hour ago….”

AJ gave a low whistle. “Well ya sure picked a mighty fine time to arrive.” She glanced at the thing.

“What’s going on? What are those things?” Twilight asked.

“Don’t rightly know….but I can tell you they were part of the crew…was in the environment systems with Wrench….watched him pass out….have a seizure and turned into one of these things….”

“Wait…this….these things are crew?” Twilight asked eyes wide and AJ nodded. It made sense, they were wearing torn uniforms…her mind raced, this all started after that weird ripple that made her feel sick…it went down her horn…it had to be magic based to affect her and the other unicorns like that but….what could cause all of this?

”Yes, don’t rightly know what's happened but we can't stay here.” AJ said standing up and dusting herself off before walking over to Twilight holding out a hand. “Think we’d be safer together.”

Twilight blinked then gave a nod taking her hand and being nearly yanked to her feet, the mare was stronger then she looked. “Where are we heading?”

“Ah was heading for the checkpoint at the airlock, trying to get back to engineering section as I got radioed from the chief to get back there though not heard anything since so for all I know it's just as bad there as here but hoping this is just in the ring.” AJ said, checking over the plasma cutter to see how much battering it had left.

“I…think this is everywhere, the colonel was killed while making an announcement and he should have been in the Admin Section.” Twilight said looking herself over for injury, her leg was hurting where the thing had grabbed her and she could feel the deep bruise forming but the blood on her uniform wasn't hers so that was good…..at least….

“Yeah, heard that too but was hoping he was in Docking for some reason though we won't know till we get out of here.” AJ said with a sigh. “Anyways, you know any combat spells?”

Twilight nodded. “A couple though never used them…brother insisted I learn some growing up in case I ran into anyone weird though I doubt he was thinking of ‘station being taken over by mutated crew’ when he said weird….” Twilight said.

AJ chuckled and this got a small smile from AJ. “Well nice to see you can joke, used to you researcher being rather stuck up….no offense.”

“None taken.” She said, both mares could tell the other was doing all they could to hold it together in this situation.

After a moment longer they headed for the door and it opened with a small hiss that made both mares wince but they didn't hear anything outside and AJ peeked into the hall. “It's clear…”

Together they stepped out and twilight tried not to look at the pools of blood but then she did look at them as she noticed some sort of black oil like substance in the blood….there were no bodies so clearly this was where crew had turned into those things and thinking about it the Zebra in the security room had vomited up blood with the same black substance in it.

Her mind’s gears were spinning as she thought about this before AJ pulled her arm. “Don’t zone out on me, we need to stay focused.” The Engineer mare drawled.

Twilight blinked and shook her head giving a nod. “Yeah sorry…..the scientist in me took over for a moment….” She said blushing.

“Well tell ‘er to wait her turn as we need you in the driver seat Twi.” Aj said before starting to walk down the hall, the sound of the alarm was still blaring and emergency lights flashed but they could still hear distant roars, screams and gunshots letting them know those things were still around.

At each intersection they peeked around the corner before darting across it, or if they saw creatures would find an alternative route doing their best to avoid them when able.

Then AJ stopped at a panel. “Hold on, I know a shortcut that might be safer…” She said as she used a tool that was a small drill, sounding unbearably loud in between the alarms as she unscrewed some bolts and removed the panel revealing a ladder up. “Maintenance passage…..it's cramped but no one was working in this area so it should have been empty so unlikely one of those things are in it.” Aj explained. “You go first, I'll keep an eye out.” She spoke

Twilight nodded having to agree with her reasoning before she climbed up the ladder to the small maintenance area, AJ wasn't kidding the place was only about three feet tall at best so she would need to crawl but still if AJ was correct, it would be safer than the corridors.

So, she climbed in and a moment later she heard AJ closing the hatch and sealing it before climbing up, glancing back to watch her enter the passage.

AJ nodded to her. “Just head along here and take the second right.” She said and Twilight nodded back before starting to crawl.

The corridor was eerie… She could hear the alarms still, but they were muffled and unlike the corridors below that had lights on, this corridor was lit by spread out red lights bathing everything in hellish red with gaps of darkness between them, it was clear they were meant to have flashlights up here.

And a moment later a light came from behind Twilight, and she looked back to see AJ’s system uplink had a flashlight on it, she chuckled. “Engineering uplink, we got a few more bells and whistles.”

Twilight nodded, wishing she had such bells and whistles, but she would make do as she started crawling relying on the light that made it past her which thankfully AJ was making sure plenty did.

Soon enough she took the second right she came across. “Take the first left.” AJ said and Twilight nodded though doubted AJ saw it as she crawled forward taking the left.

“Alright, third left then a right and we will be as close as we can be…” AJ said as the two mares crawled through the maintenance corridor…..then froze as she heard several muffled gunshots below them followed by a muffled scream.

Twilight held her breath for what felt like an eternity before she heard AJ let out her own breath. “Okay….we’re good…..keep moving….” twilight let out her own breath and started crawling taking the turns as instructed till she was starting to pass a ladder.

“Okay we are here, we should be one hall over from the airlock.” AJ said and twilight moved passed so AJ could reach the ladder, turning off her flashlight she descended, and Twilight heard her unscrewing the panel which seemed to echo in the mostly silent passage then stopped.

A moment later. “Come on, it's clear Dr. Sparkle.” She heard AJ’s voice, and she descended down and was soon in the corridor and gave an eep as she saw several torn apart bodies of guards and engineers and several dead creatures, the creatures oozing that black oily substance along with the blood.

AJ started to reseal the access causing Twilight to look to her. “What are you doing?” she whispered.

“Closing it so those things don't wander up there in case we need to use them later.” AJ explained and twilight said no more, hoping they didn't need to use them again. “Looks like security made a small stand here….most likely from the airlock checkpoint.”

Twilight nodded and the two started to walk to the end of the corridor before taking the left and there ahead of them was a checkpoint and the airlock beyond a flickering sign above the checkpoint annoying it as an airlock to the Entertainment Section.

The door to the office was open….a severed leg laying there having prevented it from opening and AJ headed for it a moment before they heard a knocking on the airlock door, and they froze looking at it before they heard a muffled voice. “Hello? Mr. Guards? Is that you? Can you let me out please?”

The two mares looked at each other realizing someone was in the air lock and AJ headed for the office entering it.

A moment later there was the sound of hissing air that sounded so damn loud before the door opened to reveal the “moral officer” from psychology looking relieved.

“Oh, thank you so….wait what are you doing here? Wait, are you okay!?” She asked moving towards her, looking worried clearly seeing the blood on Twilight’s uniform before she stopped and looked around blinking. “Where is everyone? What's going on?”

“Shhhhhhh” Twilight said as the mare was being rather loud. “They will hear you…”

The mare blinked and leaned forward whispering. “Are we playing hide and seek?” She whispered. “You know this isn't the palace for that right?”

Twilight just blinked at the mare. “No we aren't playing hide and seek, we are trying to stay alive, the crew’s turned into monsters and are killing the rest, we are trying to get out of here.” Twilight whispered harshly.

The mare, Pinkie Pie Twilight thinks she said before, blinked and looked around and then spotted the severed leg holding the door to the office open and her mane seemed to deflate ever so slightly as her eyes went wide looking back to twilight she gulped and gave a nod. “Rodger dodger.” She whispered back as the two made their way into the officer to see AJ looking over the controls. “Damnit….systems locked down on the other side too…” AJ was saying.

“Can you open it?” Twilight asked.

“I’m trying….”

“Hello, you three in Checkpoint 17b, can you hear me?” The PA system above them said and they all three looked up. “Oh good….set your uplinks to system setting 174.3.” The voice said.

The three looked at each other before doing so and a moment alter the display in front of their right eyes activated and the video had a see-through screen of the white unicorn that came with Twilight’s ship displayed before their eye, transparent enough to not block their vision as the mare seems to be sitting in some office.

“Good, this is Rarity, Special Investigator for Executive Compliance….I see you are Dr. Sparkle, Class 3 Research Specialist, Applejack, lead maintenance Engineer and Dr. Pie…..head of psychology…Okay…..not the best but work with what i got.” the mare said.

“Ma’am what are you talking about?” AJ said, frowning. “Aren’t you aware we are in the middle of a crisis?”

“Yes, darling I am quite aware, believe me if not for Captain Dash we would not be having this conversation right now.” Rarity said somewhat tersely. “Anyways, I need you to do something for me.”

“Ma’am with all due respect but we got our own problems.” AJ said.

“Yes, I imagine you do and I would like to help but as it stands the systems are damaged, so I have limited access. I can lift the lockdown on the airlock so you can get into the entertainment section, but you’ll find the power is out in much of it leaving me with limited access. What I need for you to do is reroute power past the damaged systems and restore power to that part of the station.” Rarity said. “Once you do that, I can better guide you and use my access to handle things.”

Aj Was silent for a moment then sighed. “Alright, I see what you mean, where’s the damaged systems?” She said,

“Sending them to your uplinks now, once you leave the entertainment checkpoint connection will be spotty at best so don't expect a lot of help from me.”

Suddenly the cyan mare, Captain Dash Twilight guest was pushing into the view of the camera. “Hey, you three are at a checkpoint, right?”

“Uh…yeah?” AJ said.

“Cool, look for a metal cabinet on the wall, should be in the back of the office.” She said and the three looked at the obvious metal cabinet with a red light in the center.

A moment later there was a beep, and the light turned green. “Grab what you need, I'm authorizing you three to use whatever means you deem necessary to keep yourself alive and help Rare’s here with what she needs.”

“Yes…good idea Captain…. anyways good luck you three I’ll keep in touch as long as I can….stay safe…" She said and the connection terminated.

The three looked at each other before walking over to open the cabinet and saw multiple Aurora Pulse Pistols on full display as well as multiple batteries for them.

They blinked and looked at each other.

“Any of you know how to shoot?” AJ asked.

Pinkie and Twilight shook their heads.

“Alright, well these are easy….just aim it at something you want to destroy, keep pulling the trigger till it stops moving and socially replace the battery when it's dead.” AJ said grabbing pistols and handing them out as well as multiple batteries handing them out as well.

Twilight had never held a gun in her life, but she took it feeling the weight and put the spare batteries in one of her chest pockets as did Pinkie.

She might not have ever held a gun before, but logic dictated if she wanted to survive then she would need to use one.

With them now armed with more than just a plasma cutter the three of them headed for the airlock and when they entered the door started to close behind them as they prepared to enter the Entertainment Section of Calypso Point Station.

Author's Note

You know, I never thought I would ever write horror given I'm not really a fan of it, yet here I am pumping out a nearly 8,000-word first chapter with a drive for me.

So, guess I'm going horror for a while.

happy Halloween everyone!