Stardust Protocol

The blob crept across the cold, metal floor as it surveyed it's surroundings. It watched the glowing entryways to the containment chambers, each positioned a generous distance apart from each other, pass by. Four long protrusions extended from the central mass and positioned themselves behind it. The blob took the form of a snake slithering across the floor. It seemed to grow with every inch, it's protrusions lengthening ever so slowly.

The mass crept into a crossroad in the corridor, whilst a pair of guards patrolled it. The guards stopped from shock of the sight. The blob had changed shape... into a pony. A transparent blue mass surrounded by a thick, white membrane. A crystal-like horn protruded from the center of it's forehead The protrusions had morphed into long tentacles, capped with thin, wide fins, and twitched and floated around randomly. The equine shape managed to control it's extra appendages into a stop and they dropped behind it.

The creature stared into the glass viewing window of the white cell within which it resided. It's stare was emotionless yet unsettling. It seemed as if it contemplated the demise of it's watchers, but, at the same time, mourned their impending doom.

Behind the glass, Strange stared back with as little emotion as he could muster, as if he feared the thing could read his own thoughts. He turned around to the lab coated unicorn beside him.

"So, any idea what this thing is?"

She shook her head, "We only know that it escaped from Containment Chamber #12-7."

That's where the organism from the meteorite was being held, Strange thought to himself. He thought something like this may happen, but was glad it didn't grow to this size in his own lab, especially not under his microscope.

Strange stared directly into the eyes of his 'friend' with apathy.

Why am I the one who has to do this?

"So. How is your stay so far?" Strange asked casually.

Staring...

"I'm sure you must miss your family, being so far away from them."

Staring...

"I hope they're not worrying about you too much." He was starting to lose his patience.

Staring...

"What's wrong with you?" He asked, his voice brewing with anger which he tried to control.

"Water." It muttered.

"Huh?"

"Water." It repeated, this time, with more volume.

Strange cut the top of the water jug clean off with the small mana blade he had summoned, before the blade faded out of existence. The creature stuck it's tongue out, a long, squirming tentacle, and let it slither into the water. It's tongue began a wave-like motion across itself, sucking up the water.

The water it drank gushed into it's transparent body, swirling around before coursing through it's limbs and dissipating. The creature drank the entire jug dry without even moving it's head down, so it's eyes could continue their stare into Strange's soul. It moved it's hoof up slowly and gently knocked the jug away... into the unicorn's face.

Strange fell to his back, "Hey!" He exclaimed.

The creature did not answer. Instead, it looked into it's hoof with curiosity, as if it had never used any sort of limbs other than it's wing-tentacles.

"Oh..." Strange apologized whilst returning to a sitting position, "Will you talk now?"

The creature looked up and nodded, before beginning it's long speech.

"My name is Haven." A voice similar to that of Strange's escaped it's mouth. "I bring tidings of doom. You see, my people, who have reached the pinnacle of evolution, wished to ascend into much higher levels. Unfortunately, no one could predict our fate." It moved one of it's tentacles to touch the unicorn's forehead and their minds melded into a single consciousness.

Strange found himself floating in a boundless void, surrounded by voices and darkness. Before him, a massive sphere hung in nothingness.

"This, is what was born from this desire, G.E.N.E.S.I.S." Haven's voice echoed through the unicorn's mind. "We thought it would allow us to reach our goal, but instead, it was our doom. What we had started devoured us all, it took away our will and made it it's own. The more life forms it absorbs, the stronger it becomes. For ages, I have attempted to stop it, but I have failed time and time again, only to witness the demise of another species at the hands of this abomination. And it's coming for you next."

Everything went black.

Strange's vision returned to him in a flash and the first thing he saw was Haven on the floor, his eyes closed. A pair of guards held him down.

"What happened?" The confused and dazzled unicorn inquired.

"That thing did something to you, we need to make sure it didn't inject anything." The lab coated mare replied.

"It... Was a warning." Strange spoke whilst staring at the creature, lying on the floor.

"Of course." The mare replied sarcastically.

If what he said is true, then why haven't we seen anything coming?

"Fine. I'll let myself be examined." The unicorn stood up.

Stronghoof walked down the hallway, soaked in sweat, breathing heavily. A hundred laps. A hundred laps, around a fully equipped obstacle course. He was mad. Mad at himself for letting his attitude trash Gearbreaker's engine. Mad at his personality for getting him in trouble with his boss.

He stopped in front of the door to his cell. A welcome sight greeted him, his anger dissipated the instant he saw her. He smiled at the mare sitting on the side of his bed. Flameburst stood up.

"I came here to say I'm sorry." She spoke with guilt.

"It's... Fine." Stronghoof replied.

"No. I'm really sorry. I'm sorry for getting you in trouble." She pressed on.

Stronghoof walked up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault. I'm the one responsible for all of this. Frankly, I deserved the punishment."

"Nopony should ever go through any punishment Heavy dishes out." She replied sympathetically.

"True. But at least my ordeal is over now." He finished then rolled into his bed and puffed the pillow before putting his head down. "I'll be fine."

Flameburst brushed his mane aside before shaking her head.

What are you thinking? If somepony finds out, we'll both be put off duty, She thought to herself before walking out to the long corridor and making her way to her own cell...

If he's right, then we should have found something by now. Strange thought to himself as he listened to the relaxing beep of the consoles. To him, it was music. The music of astronomy, how he called it. He was determined to find out if Haven's warning was true, even if it would take him all night long. He sat back in his seat with boredom as he listened to the music of astronomy. He had set the telescope to a continuous mapping of the sky until he would find something.

New Canterlot Observatory was the place to go for a pony with such a task. At this time of day, nopony would be doing anything here. And, since Strange had the key, nopony could interrupt him. The consoles beeped long into the night. After a couple of hours of boredom, Strange paused the telescope. He decided to look at the pictures it took during it's run time. He placed his hoof on the touch-console and brought up the pictures.

That can't be right. He though to himself as he stared into the big, white dot on the image. It was tinted red, indicating that it was coming towards the telescope. What was odd, is that it wasn't there a few images ago. Something that big would have been picked up a long time ago already. You don't usually see a rogue planet hurdling through the sky. Something was up. Haven was right. G.E.N.E.S.I.S. was coming.