Breeze Of Cerberusby ExperimantalChaptersIntroductionPrologue: Our technology...Chapter 1: Goodbye, daily routineChapter 2: ContaminationChapter 3: Poker AceIntroductionYear 7591, equestrian technology has reached a level that nopony would have expected, a level of hope, a level of joy, a level of... discoveries. Ponies have achieved space travel, the dream of all adventurers and scientists... but not only that, It became the dream of everypony since the world started to become overpopulated... Buildings were built higher and higher, but also deeper and deeper, it started to become unlivable... but then, spaceships were made. At first there were big ones, ponies would live directly on them, then came the fast ones, to scan planets in search of resources and to find unknown minerals... next in line were mining spaceships, with only one objective at first: extract the resources and take them back to the scientists for analysis... It was... perfect, nopony would have expected such minerals to exist! The first thing to come out of them was amelioration for ships, making them able to travel to another galaxy in a year for the slowest ships, it was wonderful. With some technology, engineers made a mining laser, it was really big but worthwhile, making mining much faster which helped the miners a lot. But it wasn't enough, because it was destroying a lot of minerals at the same time. Next was some kind of amelioration to that laser, making it able to be held by a pony mouth, the plasma cutter. It was used, in addition to others mining resources, to make the work much easier for the miners. But after some accidents, the army started to think about it... and weapons were made: a lot of them, like pistols, rifles and many others... They also made cannons to protect ships from asteroids. Everything was perfect, but it didn't last long... Revolts started to blow up in a few ships, making a huge mess, and taking control of the ships in the process. Everything started because ponies were exhausted of living in a spaceship, the confinement syndrome, making them a bit crazy. A civil war started, using both technology and killing magic, it was hard for most civilians, to know that they could be attacked any moment by ponies outside their ship, or inside... Many were killed, revolutionaries using military weapons to fight the “crazy tyranny”, as they said. A lot of battles occurred and it all finished with... the death of all revolutionaries... Thinking that the weapons were too murderous and fearing a war again, they were locked away, in case of a problem, and only for the army. The guards only have an electric rod in case of a problem, not their usual gun. Space stations were soon built, wonderful cities built on pieces of asteroids and planets, making them able to have a mine. On those space stations, ponies, zebras and other peaceful species live in harmony... They are all governed by a single alicorn, one per space station. The space stations are like real cities, with schools, shops, restaurants and many other things. I live on one of them, Cerberus, one of the most wonderful space stations, because each space station is unique... My name is Spring Breeze, I'm a security mare, and this is what I lived... Breeze Of Cerberus Prologue: Our technology...Before I start telling my story, I think you should know things about our technology, not everything, but the essentials. Major technology to know about is the Resource Integration Gear, or RIG. Almost everypony has a RIG, it helps a lot, whatever your job is. It comes with three functionalities: Health management, Holographic display and a Navigation system. I'll explain every functionality, in that order: The Health management is the most distinctive feature of the RIG, it displays the wearers health by segmented colored bars that runs along the spine of the wearer, allowing interaction with the wearers nervous system and the ability to check the wearers health status. This bar drains and refills depending on the users level of health, and if the wearer of the RIG dies, it will give off a flatline sound, identical to an alert cardiograph. It is a great feature for many ponies, like miners or engineers. With the Holotech Operating System, or HOS, the RIG is able to project a holographic display about a meter in front of the wearer. It also moves with the user, if he moves around while using it. This holographic display is used for many features, the main one is communication between ponies through a live video chat, or to send live video messages to another one, like a radio. The RIG also allows the user to store text logs within the RIG's built-in memory, they are displayed on a wide screen projection to make the reading easier. The navigation system has two distinctive parts: the map and the holographic line. The map uses the HOS and is really helpful. You can navigate through the map, changing which level of the station or ship you want to see, it displays stores and workshops too. You can place a mark on the map that will help you find your way with the holographic line. The holographic line, that we commonly call hoof line because the device is on the front right hoof, automatically guides you to your mark, it's really helpful. There are three colors for the line: the blue is for your mark, the orange is for the nearest store and the purple for the nearest workshop. I dare you to tell me it's useless! The RIG is available on each type of suit, and there are many types of them. The common suit is the civilian one, it is nothing more than clothes with a RIG installed. The suits are mostly used for work, like engineering or security. I don't know much about them because I work as a security mare, and we don't really use our suits, they make us a bit slower. There are not many problems, just some misunderstandings or fights from time to time... Talking about our technology, my cutie mark is kind of related to it... It's a cog with two lightning bolts underneath. I'm pretty good with technology, but mostly with computers, like hacking and things like that... But there is just one tiny, little problem... Computers explode or stop working from time to time when I attempt to hack into them... But I'm often successful at hacking. That's all you need to know... Let’s begin. Chapter 1: Goodbye, daily routineBeep beep beep Uhh... I hate that sound... always have hated it... nothing more. Why do I hate this sound? Is it something important like a fire alarm or a bomb? No, it's just my stupid alarm clock saying that it's Monday morning and that I have to wake up... But this morning I'm too tired. I try to reach it to make it stop, and when I do finally reach it.. I just fall off my bed... I hate Mondays, but at least this little fall woke me up. I get up, clean off the dust I have on my coat, stop the alarm clock and look at my messy room. I'm not a tidy pony. My room is a real mess, nothing more, nothing less, with books, papers and other things everywhere. I should clean up, but it's not like I often get visitors. My room is a classic room on the station; it is opened with my RIG by a RIG scan. That's how we access limited area and personal locations. It has a bedroom as a first room and a bathroom as a secondary room, it's a bit small but it's enough to live properly when you are single. I'm not really interested in anypony right now, this is the same for the others with me... I take a look at the clock and see that I'm a bit late, crap, don't want to be late on the first day of the week! I quickly go to the bathroom, do what I need to do except shower (it would take too long because I love them so much), I take another daily suit and go outside of my room, trotting fast so that I have time to eat my breakfast at least... It's a bit early in the morning but there are already many ponies outside of their rooms, parents guiding their foals to school, workers going to their stores or to the mine, many things like that. The majority of them take the elevators to go to the tram station, so we are a bit... crushed into the elevators. The tram is the only way to quickly go from one point of the station to another, really useful. On my way to my work, I stop at a small shop and buy an apple, we are lucky to have a farm on the station. I put it into my saddlebag; can't really eat it while trotting, like the unicorns do, when you're an earth pony. Thankfully I reach my work in time, even a bit early, I might have galloped at times, but, well, at least I'm not late. I say “hi” to my friends and co-workers then go to the monitoring room and sit on my chair. I take my apple out of the saddlebag and start to watch the monitors... Because yes, watching boring monitors is part of my job, just to check if anything happens. It's not the only thing I do though, I also do some security checking around the station just to be sure that everything is alright and to be able to react immediately if anything happens. I finish my apple and continue to watch the monitors, but I'm sleepy and start to fall asleep... Ok, I fell asleep, but I'm soon woken up by one of my coworkers and friends: -“Hello sleeping beauty” he tells me “Hee! Geez Snow, don't wake me up like that!” I screamed at him, almost falling off the chair “Ahahah, your reaction is so funny” And he just laughs a bit... He's Snow Fall and he loves to prank me time to time, or just scare me... I can tell he's good with that. He is a white coated unicorn with a clear blue mane and tail, his eyes are as green as emeralds. His cutie mark represents a snowflake in a shield, because his talents are protection and ice magic, which are useful talents... if they were needed, because almost nothing has happened lately. “So, you fell asleep again?” He asks me “Yes” “You shouldn't go to sleep that late...” “I'm not, I just love my bed and don't like to wake up early...” “Whatever, I'm here to take your place, it's your turn to go patrol in the station” “Alright then” I say, happy that it's my turn “Those monitors are boring...” “I totally understand you there.” “What do you mean by that?!” “Hmm, nothing, you can go.” I get up of the chair and he takes my place, as I go out of the room he tells me to go check the medical area closely, because it seems that there were some accidents and the doctors are running to help the patients. Why is it always the others that find interesting things on the monitors? I walk out of the security Headquarters. I start to walk into the station, it's peaceful as usual, well lighted and heated enough so you don't feel cold or hot. Every part of the station has a different atmosphere, like the shopping zone or the nightclub one, but it doesn't mean we can't find shops or bars outside of these zones, no, we can still find some. The station is more lively now than in the mornings, ponies wandering for pleasure, others working at their shop or industry. I feel good when walking around, even if I do leave my head lowered because I'm a bit shy... A shame for a security mare huh? Well, I took this job because I want peace on the station, so if there is a problem it's my pleasure to solve it. On my patrol, I see an old mare in front of a food stall, she is looking at some apples... She seems to hesitate with something, I stay on alert, carefully watching her. Stealing might be uncommon, but it stills happens, plus the merchant turned his back to the mare. After a moment, she reaches into her saddlebag, takes out some bits, puts them on the stall and takes an apple, I relax and continue to patrol. “Always stay on alert, anything can happen”: that's what the chief taught me when I was a rookie, and he's right, even if it's peaceful, anything can happen... I think I should finally go to the medical center of this zone, to make a report on the situation. Snow told me there is a lot of activity there right now. I go to the elevators and take one to the 7th floor, there are many floors on the station, but we are on “the ring”, a halo that is around the administrative zone, which is 100 floors high. The highest floor on the ring is floor 37 and the security HQ is on the 16th. So yes, it's better if you don't fear heights. I reach the floor and go out of the elevator, then I start to walk towards the medical center. After 10 minutes of walking I finally see the red holographic cross that indicates the medical center. I enter it and go where the disorder seems to of come from and as soon as I arrive a horrible smell enters my nose. I try to resist it and go near the doctors. There is some blood on the ground. I ask for a report from one of the doctors, he comes near me, allowing me to see the RIG of the patient: he is in the blinking red, meaning he's close to death! I ask the doctor about what happened and the only thing he tells me is that there was a mining accident and two miners are badly hurt; one is in the blinking red and the other one in the red. He then left immediately after because the patients are more important, I understand, they have to save them... And that smell... I start to feel really nauseous. I run out of the room and sit on a chair in the waiting room... I breath calmly, slowly... But it stays in my nose... It's horrible! I run for the toilets, I need to wash my face! I arrive and wash it, I want that smell off or I'll puke! It finally wears off... I sigh in relief, happy that it came off. I look at myself in the mirror... I see a dusty silver coated mare, with a slightly darker shade of gray mane her tail is the same. Her mane is a bit long, but it's a bit messy-looking... She has normal blue eyes, not too dark, not too light and also has a black citizen shirt, with the security symbol on it... Yes, it's me... well I can't say I'm ugly but I'm not beautiful either. I understand why nopony has any interest in me. I finally go out of the toilet and reach the waiting room, but as soon as I sit down I hear a flatline sound... It's over. Doctors start coming out of the room, a sad look on their face. They didn't succeed in saving the miners lives... I call one of the doctors to ask him what had happened for my report. “Hey doc! Do you mind giving me a second so I can write my report please?” I asked “Sure thing” answered a mid aged mare “Can you tell me what happened exactly?” “Apparently, there was an accident in the mines involving sharp rocks and acids, the two miners got caught. Apparently one of them needed to...” “Needed to what?” “Cut off one of his hooves... He arrived one hoof less” “Oh my!” “Yes, they were severely cut by some rocks apparently and they also got touched by the acid, it was not beautiful to see, not at all... When they arrived, one was in the yellow the other one in the red but now... they are not with us anymore...” “I'm sorry... Is there anything else I should know?” “You should ask to the miner that saved them in the tunnel, he is right here...” And then she points at a stallion, who is sitting on one of the waiting room seats. I thank the doctor and make my way to meet him. He looks... traumatized. I ask him the same question, the only thing he could add is how horrific the scene was... he called it a “bloody hell”. Tears start to form at the corners of his eyes as he tells me they were his friends... Poor thing... it must be really hard for him. I apologise for what he must have gone through and for making him remember it, then leave the medical center. Well, it was a sure break from my daily routine, finally. I shouldn't be happy of somepony’s death. At least I'm doing my job, even if it's not helping, it's a part of it, and I'll have to do a report. Well mining accidents have happened in the past, causing the deaths of ponies. The mines are dangerous with all the heavy rocks above their heads, it just needs to collapse and it's all over with... These ones were unlucky to find some acid in there. The only thing I can tell myself is: at least they won’t suffer anymore. But still... I'm sad for them. I use my HOS to display the time; 11am. Geez it's not even noon yet and I'm already starving! Well I'll continue my patrol a bit, I guess. I patrol on this floor for 30 more minutes then go back to the HQ to say I'm taking my break, so somepony else can take my place for patrolling in the station, then I go to the tram station. And I'm REALLY lucky, there’s some maintenance and I need to wait at least 15 minutes for another tram to go to where I want to. A tram finally arrives... 25 minutes after I had arrived, thank you engineer for telling us it would be only 15 minutes... Geez I'm even more hungry now. I enter the tram and try to find a seat. No one left the tram. I stay close to a bar and lower my head, I don't really like knowing if anypony is looking at me, I want to think a bit about what happened this morning, but I don't have time because we have already arrived where I'm heading: a zone with a bar-restaurant. I know the boss of one of the bars, he is a friend. I like to talk with him when it's my lunch break, and also the dishes there are delicious! I arrive and sit at the bar, then I put my head on it, thinking of those poor miners from this morning. That guy might need a psychologist after what he saw. As I'm thinking, Sweet Liquor, my friend and boss of this bar, a brown coated stallion pegasus with an orange mane and tail, purple eyes, and a cutie mark of a shaker with a plate (it is a no wonder why he is the boss of this restaurant), comes over to me: -“Hey breeze, how are you?” He asks me “Fine, I'm fine” “You don't really look like you're fine” “You don't say” “I guess it's some problem with your work. You were late again?” “Oh, just because I'm a bit sad doesn’t mean my boss gave me more hours again!” “Woooo calm down Breeze, I was just joking, same as usual I guess?” “Of course, same as usual, this lunch is part of my daily routine after all, hehe...” “So what's the matter?” he asks as he starts to prepare my lunch “There was an accident in the mines, two ponies died this morning. I like it when something happens but... somepony dying... I feel like I failed in my job...” “I guess so, I feel the same when somepony asks for an apple, but I don't have any...” “This is serious Liquor, stop joking...” “Alright then, I'll leave you to your thoughts, I have other clients waiting, see ya later my friend” “See ya Liquor...” He gives me my lunch and leaves to meet his other clients. My lunch is basic but he makes it so well: lettuce, carrots and mushrooms with his secret homemade sauce, and a cup of cider. As I said, basic, but every time it fills me up and it is so damn good! I hungrily start to eat it, because I am! After I have finished my lunch, Liquor comes back and asks the usual price: 34 bits. I pay him and chit chat a bit, I do what I want during my lunch break after all. But as usual he reminds me of the hour, but this time he reminds me a bit late. I don't like to run after lunch, but I thank him and leave, galloping a bit to not be late, I can say I have been running a lot today, but it happens. This time, not like in the morning, I'm late. Great, I might do more hours. Luckily, almost nopony is here yet so I'm saved, phew. I look at the digi-clock... one past seven... I'll go check the monitors again. As I enter the monitoring room, I am surprised by a purple mare that leaves immediately, blushing a bit. Snow is on the chair and when I ask him who she was, he blushes and just says “somepony”. Meh, no need for him to say something to know the truth, we can read in him like an open book, she's obviously his special somepony, and I'm happy for him. He is lucky that it was me who surprised them in here, visitors, even family, are not allowed in here, it being a security pony only area. I tell him that he can go and take his lunch break, and when he leaves I sit on the chair... and start to look at those boring monitors, again. the daily routine comes back. And I fall asleep. I wake up not long after that, maybe half an hour, but it's still some time taken out of work, which is never good. I can lose track of time if I do this, especially when I have to watch the monitors. I remember that I also have a report to write about this mornings accident. I immediately start, and as usual, I don't forget to put every single detail about what I had learnt, and as soon as I finish it, I will ask for somepony to replace me for a second while I go to the bosses office. The boss is a good mare, even if she is really serious at work, she likes to have fun. She is a dark purple coated mare with a black mane and tail, with orange eyes. She is an earth pony like me, her cutie mark is a security badge. I think that's why she is the boss. I heard her name is Gold Blossom, but this might be a fake, I don't know. I arrive at the front of her door, knock and open it when she authorizes me to enter, she has got a lot of paper on her desk, being the boss might not be easy everyday. I put the digital report on her desk: “Here is the report of this mornings accident ma'am.” “Thank you Spring Breeze, can you make me a short version?” “Yes ma'am, this morning around 9:12, an accident occurred in the mines, severely injuring two miners, they were saved by one of their friends, but died at the medical center, the friend is in a bad psychological state. There are more details in the report ma'am.” “Thank you. I heard you were late when you returned from your lunch break?” *gasp* (how does she know?!) “I err... I...” “It's ok for this time, you were not that late, but do NOT let that happen ever again, understand?” “Yes ma'am!” “Good... Go now.” As she says, I go outside of her office... that was really close! Either I got lucky this time, or she was just in a good mood. I go back to my monitors and finish my day of work, I go with Snow to the restaurant to pass some time, I talk to him and then we separate. I go to the tram and take it to the zone where my room is located. As I walk, I start to think again about those two ponies, I pity them, working hard to help everypony, then dying like that... It's not happy at all. I take another path to my room, so that the walk will be longer, I like to walk while thinking. Well, I walk a lot with my work but I'm ok with this, because in the end I know many ponies just by doing my everyday patrol, and it makes me happy. I continue to think when suddenly, an alarm rings and the lights turn red. I look around a bit surprised, wondering what's happening when suddenly, anti-contamination doors trap me in the corridors. Chapter 2: Contamination“Warning, contamination detected, please stay calm and wait for the decontamination team” That message is the first thing I hear along with this loud and annoying alarm, I know it's to inform the decontamination team, but gosh, it's so stressful, how can I keep my calm with this and the fact that I'm in a contaminated area? The colors don’t help either: red and orange lights, how are we supposed to feel like we’re not going die? I truly wonder who the idiot is that chose the colors, seriously, I know it's meant to warn you, but he could have chosen Zen colors, which would make ponies a little less stressed... Yes, I'm stressed! But I'm also pissed, I'm the only pony trapped here, who could have better luck than me?! I need to relax... To ‘keep calm’ as the message says... It's hard to do so though, knowing that you are trapped, wondering if the contamination is or isn't going to kill you... I shouldn't think of that though, or I will panic and that would not be good. I lie down against the wall and try to relax, it's the only thing I can do after all; Less than 10 minutes have passed and I'm already tired of waiting. I don't know how long this is supposed go on for but, I'm sure of one thing; It’s pissing me off! I would like to fall asleep, but the floor is so uncomfortable. I'm here, alone, with only one thing to keep me away from boredom... my imagination. I start to imagine myself with lots of friends. We’re having fun in a Pinkie Pie styled party (I don't know where this name came from but these parties are the best we can find and the most expensive too). It’s nothing special though, I’ve never had enough friends for something like that, or enough money. Soon a handsome stallion comes near me, he starts to talk to me in a sweet voice and I fall for his charm. We dance together then, after, go to “the lovers cliff”. It's a small bridge that goes a bit away from the station. We have a magnificent and romantic view of Space all around us because of the windows that are at the end of the bridge. The windows let us see the Space and Loralius VII, an arctic planet, with a beautiful white and blue color (I've been there before... I was alone and it was for work. There were a lot of happy couples… well it is THE romantic view of the station after all...) And then, after looking into each others eyes he starts to get his mouth closer to mine... A loud, metallic sound snaps me out of my daydreaming... Oh come on! But It was so good! Whatever… The sound came from the end of the corridor that I'm in. I look at where it came from and see something on the ground... from the way that it looks... it's a pony! How could he get in here? And what was that metallic sound? I guess the only way to know is to go to him. I get up and begin to walk, directing my path to the pony and soon see where he came from, but also guess by all the metal shards on the ground: the vent. He passed by it and destroyed the panel to get out from there, making that metallic sound... Well, he'll get a rude wake up for stopping my dreams. But I don't think he'll wake up soon... Or wake up at all... There’s... only half of his body on him! All of his hind part is missing... But there’s no blood, how can this be?! His RIG doesn't have a single bar… He is dead, for sure... But there is something strange... Something… disturbing on his back… there are two appendages, with sharp claws at the end of each one... I have never seen anything like this. I don't have time to get a closer look at him; he wakes up and looks at me! His face... It's all rotten! Or rather, there’s no skin on it! And his mouth, it is missing the bottom part... it’s disgusting... But how can he be living?! It's.... It's impossible! He looks at me with his dead eyes before attacking me with one of his back appendages! I fall to the ground, he, no, it misses me, but it was close! I start to crawl backwards but it chases me, moving by using its strange claws! I get up and start to gallop the opposite way. The thing is slow but still moves fast enough to follow me. I gallop as fast as I can, fear tearing my stomach, making my legs move by themselves. I can't hear anything except that voice in my head screaming “RUN!”. I can't think of the pain in my legs and my lungs, because the fear is so big that it takes every single place in my thoughts. That thing is a real monster, and my body can feel it. Some tears form at the corners of my eyes of the fear. I feel like my stomach is being crushed. But I can't stop running, I have to continue, or I'll get killed! I reach two small corridors, one on my left, the other on my right; each one is a dead end because of those anti-contamination doors. I'm trapped in here with that thing; it starts to catch up with me. But I see something at the end of one of the corridors... Yes! It's a security post, its small letting only two ponies in, but it can be closed! Its door and window, bullet proof as well, since the revolts years ago. It's my chance to get protection! I go down the left corridor and gallop to the security post, when I'm in I make the heavy door slide down and lock myself in. Security… Never felt so good to be in one of my job places and I’ve never been so happy to be either. That… thing reaches the station and starts to hit the glass with its claws. It can try, but it will never succeed in getting in here! Alright... Now the first thing to do is to try and join somepony, anypony. I take a look at the computer and access it with my security code. I start to mess up a bit, trying to find any communication system, but the ‘thing’ keeps disturbing me making me miss the ‘click’ many times... In moments, a window opens on the screen and a video begins to play... A yellow Pegasus with a pink mane and blue eyes appears in front of what ever device recorded this video; she starts to talk with a calm and shy voice: “Hum... Twilight, are you sure I should do this, I mean, it doesn't seems necessary... “ -“Of course it is Fluttershy! Ponies in the future will be able see you and learn about what you thought of!” (This voice come from behind the camera, I don't know who this, “Twilight”, is) -“You mean... they can see me?!” she hid herself with her wings -”No they can't Fluttershy, don't worry.” -”Ok Twilight...” she takes a deep breath and starts to talk “Since I've seen those... brutes attacking my poor little tortoises with those filthy guns, and how their shells resisted a bit before breaking, I had an idea. Because… I'm scared that somepony could get hurt with them guns... you know... by accident... nopony would attack another pony though, right? But with the help of Twilight we made bullet proof windows and doors and it works perfectly! I'm so happy that I'm useful for the well being of my little friends!” -”Ok, now Fluttershy, go behind the window so we'll show that it is effective.” -”Hum... I'm not sure Twilight, if something goes wrong... I mean, because it's not meant to...” -”Trust me Fluttershy, go on!” -”If you say so...” she takes a lot of “protection accessories” like pillows and a football helmet, then goes behind a glass, but hides her face. A gun levitates in front of the camera and shoots at the glass stopping the bullet, Fluttershy still scream though... I think it was a scream. “Pl...Please Twilight, tell me everything is ok...” -”Everything is ok, you can come back now.” the yellow mare returns in front of the recording device -”Well... that's how it works... I think...” And the video ends, it was sure... special, but, at least I know more about those windows… even if it doesn't really help me. I now feel that this place is a real fortress, some luck finally. Talking of luck, as I continue to search the computer, a small radio I hadn't seen starts to make a static noise, then a voice could be heard from it: “Hello? Can anypony hear me?” -”Hello?” I answer -”Oh thanks, finally somepony, I started to lose any hope, who are you?” -”I'm Spring Breeze, a security mare.” -”Spring?! It's me, Bolt!” -”Bolt?! I'm so happy to hear somepony I know!” Shining Bolt is a co worker. Even though we talk during work, we don't really go out and do things like friends. “I'm trapped because of this damn anti-contamination system, and also, a pony, if we can even say it is one... It chased me and is now hitting the glass of the security post I'm in!” -”What do you mean by 'if we can even say it is one'” I quickly described it. “I see. The whole station has gone mad, everypony galloping everywhere in panic, I think now we know why... Can you take a closer look at this... thing?” -”Yes, I think so...” I take a closer look then gasp. “No... It’s not possible...” -”What is it?!” -”This... thing... it's one of the dead miners from this morning! It's... It's impossible...” -”Hmmm... Maybe it's a plague from the mine, so it means there’s how many of them?” -”Only two.” -”Thanks goodness there’s not more, those things can't be stopped by our rods, and using knives doesn't work either!” -”Oh... is anypony with you?” -”Yes, Hortensia is with me.” -”Alright, so you said there’s panic in the station?” -”Yes, it's a real mess and... “ A mare scream can be heard, Bolt then screams in terror too. The only thing remaining is the radio static... -”Bolt?! Answer me, Bolt!” But there’s no answer. No... it can't be... Is he... dead? I can't think like that, I'm sure they galloped away, they must have galloped away! They can't be dead! I roll up like a ball on the ground, shaking and whining, everything is a real nightmare, I have to wake up from it, this is impossible! Why do I have such bad luck?! Why can't I live happily like the other stations do? Why does this have to happen on MY station?! I... I have to calm down... I'm a security mare... I should be prepared for these situations... Calm... I need to breathe calmly... Take my time... As I stop shaking and finally calm myself, another voice comes out of the radio, this one’s not Bolt’s voice, but it's still a voice: “Anypony there?! Please answer me, I need some help!” -”Spring Breeze here, I'm a security mare, how can I help you?” -”Oh good, a security mare, just what I need! I'm trapped in a security post, I closed the door but I destroyed the button by punching it. I can't get out of here!” -”I... I really don't know how to help, I'm trapped in an anti-contamination area, I can't get out.' -”But... Don't you have an emergency code, to open these doors in case of a problem?” -”I'm really sorry... but I can't... Sorry...” -”Can't you hack the security post computer and access the door opening system to free yourself?” -”Maybe... I'll give it a shot but... I promise nothing, ok?” -”Ok, I wish you good luck.” Well, luck is really what I need right now... Well, I had better get started. I open the computer console and start to hack the system, damn it's pretty hard, but it’s not a security computer for nothing. It has a lot of securities and firewalls that I need to override, and of course, it doesn’t let me do it easily, and the stress doesn't help. I’ve had to restart my hacking many time’s, doing it fast doesn't mean that it will be done quicker... So I start to think before doing, taking my time, then... finally I access the anti-contamination doors system! “I did it! I'm in the door system!” -”Oh great! I'm on the 8th floor, in the east wing!” -“Alright, I'm coming; I'll be as quick as possible!” I turn off the radio and recall about that thing... it’s not hitting the window... I take a look and see, and find that It’s not there anymore... It has gone. Carefully, I unlock the security post door and slide it open. I then peek outside, it’s not there... Good, then it’s time to go. I open the anti-contamination doors and step outside the corridor to reach the plaza on this floor... Bolt was right, it is a real mess, ponies galloping/flying everywhere, some stomping on others without caring because of the panic. But they are all trying to go in the same direction: the docks, where the ships are located. It's understandable, everypony wants to leave this station now. But I don't have time for this, I have to help somepony! I gallop to the elevator and go to the 8th floor, where he said he was located. I use my map and my holographic line to find the east wing, it’s a pretty easy route, because I have reached the heavy doors of the corridor quite fast. This is where the pony is located. I start hacking them, trying to keep my concentration even with all the screams of panic. After like... 10 minutes, I finally unlock the doors. I walk into the corridor and go to the security post, the pony is there. He welcomes me with a big smile and says that I might need to override the system in this door too because it's locked... But I'm not that good at door overriding; I'm only good at computer hacking... But, well, I still have to try to save him. I open a small area on the door and start to mess up the wires. After a moment, I see something in the vent behind the pony, I shout to him: “Behind you!”, he turns around... a thing grabs him and pulls him into the vent. I can hear the echo of his screaming! Some blood leaks out of the vent... and... an hoof fall off...No... Not him too... I'm a failure at protecting other ponies... I'm not worthy of my job... Why did I choose this work? No, it's not that... I was just not fast enough to save him, If only I had hacked those doors faster, he could still be alive... I continue whining, laying against the wall... But I don't have time for this. A sound could be heard from the corridor, it frightens me and I start to run opposite way, running away from it. I'm really scared and don't watch where I'm going. I bump into a Pegasus that is flying in mid air to go faster. He is a bit dizzy from the shock and passes over the rail, falling. I try to catch him before he falls, I don't want another death on me. But the only thing I do succeed to do... Is fall down with him… Chapter 3: Poker AcePain... It's the only thing I can feel right now... My hooves, my back, my head, everything hurts... The pain is awful... But I can bear it. Soon I end up with just an headache, but a quite violent one... Now I understand how Snow felt when he had that hangover. At least I think I have nothing broken... At least I'm hoping that... When I'm finally able to think of something else, I remember the grey Pegasus... I quickly open my eyes as I feel something on me, I feel my face getting hot... The Pegasus fell on top of me, it's... so embarrassing... But he’s unconscious; he didn't do it on purpose... And he seems unarmed... At least I saved him, I think... after making him fall... I'm truly the worst security mare possible... I begin to shake him a little, in attempt to wake him. He is a grey Pegasus, his mane is mid black mid grey, it stops at the end of his neck. His tail is also alternate between those two colors. He’s wearing sunglasses with blue lenses, so I can't really see his eyes, add to it the fact that his eyes may be closed, but even if they weren't, I still wouldn't be able to see them. He is wearing an elegant black vest with small grey strips. I can't see his cutie mark from where I am. All I can tell is that he is around the same age as me. After some time of shaking him he wakes up and looks at where he is... He jumps on his four legs and says: “So...Sorry, I... I didn't want to...” he seems pretty embarrassed -”It's ok, calm down, are you alright?” I try to calm him as I stand up -”Ye...yes, I think... What happened?” -”Well... hum... I should be the one apologizing...” -”Why’s that?” -”I... I made you fall, I tried to catch you but I fell too... But you fell... on me and you don't have anything... I'm so sorry...” -”At least you saved me, at the cost of your own sacrifice” he smiles “So thank you, no need to apologies, you saved me.” -”Oh... You... You're welcome.” He’s the first one to truly thank me... He makes me feel a bit useful... even if I'm the one who caused the problem... -”So... we fell, where are we?” he takes a look at the floor “the 6th floor?! Crap, I need to go back to the 8th floor!” He seems in an urge now, he doesn't even care about the fact we fell 2 floors... -”Calm down! Why do you need to get there? We need to evacuate the station!” -”My family’s up there, they are locked into their apartment, I need to go there!” -”Alright let me help then, first though… Why are they locked?” -”They said that their holographic display to open the door has broken on their side, so they can't get out!” -”All right let's go then, we'll take the elevator.” -”We must hurry, I can go by myself, it will be faster if I fly.” -”No, you stick with me, it's too dangerous and it's my duty to protect the citizens.” -”In that case, jump on my back and we'll fly to the 8th floor together!” -”I... I can't do that, I'm just too heavy... you won't be able to fly...” And it is true, even if I do look quite thin, I weigh a lot, as strange as it seems -”Don't worry; come on, we don't have all day!” -”F...Fine...” I get on his back, and as soon as I'm on top, I see that he has some difficulties with me on his back “I...I told you...” -”It's … fine” he smiles at me “Enjoy the ride!” As he says that, he jumps on the rail and prepares himself to jump... I start to stress... A lot, I'm an earth, I shouldn't fly... There’s also the fact that... I fear heights... Every time I look down from a rail, I begin to panic a bit and stress a lot... Soon, to my big surprise... He jumps instead of flying, and we start to fall... I start to scream, we'll die; I'm too heavy! We are taking speed; I can see the ground getting close to us... I close my eyes and wait for the shock... But instead, I feel a change of direction... We start to go up! I open my eyes and see that his wings are open; he used the speed of the fall to get higher than we were! We finally reach the 8th floor and I jump down, happy to get on the ground again. I'm shaking so much; I just had the biggest fear of my life! That monster was nothing compared to what just happened. I sit on the ground and try to calm down “I'll...I'll never fly again...” I say, still shaking from the fear -”Oh... Sorry for the fear, I should have explain... geez, you destroyed my ears with your screams.” -”It's...it's..n..not... funny...” -”Sorry... calm down, it's alright now...” -”Y...yes... let's go save your family.” I get up, still shaking a bit, but feeling better. I take a look around, there’s almost nopony left, there are still some late ponies galloping, trying to escape the station at all cost. How long were we unconscious? I can even see some dead ponies on the ground... It's... horrible, they died because of the others... They got crushed under the crowd... But some... Have cuts... those miners... They have done a lot of carnage... And before I start to get too emotional because of the sadness of the situation, the Pegasus put a hoof on my back and tells me to follow him and that we must hurry... He is right; we don't really have time right now... we must hurry... I start following him. He trots towards the corridor behind the anti-contamination door I had opened earlier... Where that pony died... And as we pass next to the security post, I look at the wall, trying not to remember what happened... Once we passed it, I start to look at the grey Pegasus again and follow him. I can now finally see his cutie mark, it shows two cards, a king and a queen, the king is on the queen, but neither of the cards have a color, it is kinda weird for poker cards, but, well I don't really know much about poker, I think I'm too unlucky and shy to go to a casino and play poker, blackjack or any other game that requires a bit of lying and luck. I’m about to ask what his cutie mark represents when he stops in front of a door, we have arrived at our destination. He knocks on the door, calling his parents saying that he has arrived, then looks at the holographic display, it works on this side of the door. Happily, he opens the door... and then jumps with surprise. Wondering what had surprised him I go next to him, taking a look... Red... It's all red... The blood is covering the whole room; a horrific scene. The smell of blood tickles my nose; I start to feel sick again. I look at the Pegasus and I can feel the sadness just by looking at his face: yes, the blood means what it means; his parents... are gone... I can see some tears flowing on his cheeks, I need to make him move because we can't stay here... I try to calm him a bit, talking with a calm voice, but nothing seems to work, he is in shock... But I keep trying: “Please... listen... its dangerous and we need to move... I can understand your pain...” -“H..How can you... understand such thing...” -”I... I lost a friend... it's not the same... I know... but I know that it hurts... please... come on” I grab one of his hooves and pull him a bit -”Lea...Leave me alone... please...” -”You know that I can't... Please... for me... follow me... we need to get out of here... Once this is over... I promise that we'll make a beautiful burial... ok?” -”I... I just... wanted to save them...” -”And I want to save you... it's my job... don't make me feel like I'm a failure... please” -”You...You aren't...” -”Then follow me and prove it” -”Ok... Let’s... Let's get out of here...” He cleans his face from the tears and makes a forceful smile, but I can still feel his sadness... Poor him... Living such a misadventure... And I was calling myself unlucky... But he is more so than I am at the moment... No on should have to live that... And I can sense he is forcing himself to follow me, so I won't feel like a failure... I pull him for the first few steps and then he walks by himself, following me. He stays a bit behind, I let him do so, he wants to be alone for some time... After a few more steps I hear a metallic sound behind us... the same sound that I heard when I was trapped in the corridors, because of them anti-contamination doors. I quickly turn around to see another monster at the end of the corridor, I scream at the grey Pegasus to run and start to run myself, fear tearing me apart again, but I feel that he isn't following. I turn around again and see him on the ground, looking at the thing in shock. He doesn't move he just stares. I run to him and attempt to make him move but he doesn't, neither does he talk. It's time to return the favor I guess. I take him on my back and begin to run; it makes him snap out of his shock. I feel less fear this time, even if that... thing can run too now. I feel less fear because I have somepony to save now, and in thinking this, we need to find a safe place: “Do you know of a safe place?!” I yelled -”Wh...What?” -”A safe place to hide! Without a vent?!” -”The...there is the janitor room... It's small but... doesn't have a big vent...” He guides me to the janitor’s room, and as soon as we arrive I open the door using the security code that helps opening some doors, that I have in case of a problem. He was right; this room is really small... But I don't have time to think, I enter it with him and then lock the door, I can hear the monster walking around, it’s searching for us... I sit down feeling in-security and look at the Pegasus; he’s in shock because of that monster... He repeats the same words: “No...It's impossible...No no no... Impossible” He keeps saying this, his head in his hooves -”Calm down, I know it's a real nightmare...” -”Impossible... No... It's impossible...” -”I said calm down!” I slap him, making him snap out of his delirium... Why did I slap him..? It’s not my type of action... -”I...I...I'm sorry...” -”No no no, I slapped you...” -”There were a reason... and the stress... it made you do that...” -”Maybe...” -”Th...Thank you... for saving me...” -”It's my job... So why... were you that shocked in front of... that?” -”Be...Because...” I can see some tears flowing again “it... Was my mother...” -”Yo...Your mother?!” I yelled in surprise -”Y...Yes...” We stay silent for a while... His mother... How is it... possible?! Does it mean that... the plague can infect other ponies outside of the mine?! It's... A bigger problem than I thought... More of those things... It's like in those old horror movies with them stupid zombies... Except that they are smarter... Much smarter... The silence is awful... It's a deadly silence... And I can't stand it anymore, so I break it: “Tell me... What is your name?” -”My name? My name is Poker Ace.” -”Really? It is quite a special name” -”Well, you see, my mother is... was a scientist, so she wanted to call me 'Beaker', quite a special thing don't you think?” He smiles and giggles, and so do I, guessing it was a joke “But she was nice, and my father was a non-conformist, so to please my mother and himself, he proposed this name, because in card games, there is a scientific part, with mathematics, and this name would be special.” -” I see... It explains out quite well.” I smile as I say that so he feels more comfortable. -”And your name is...?” -”I didn't tell it?” -”No you didn't.” -”Oh sorry! That’s impolite of me, my name is Spring Breeze, but call me Breeze, its shorter.” -”Then call me Ace, its shorter too.” and he giggles, I think that I succeeded in making him forget about what happened... for now... And he also makes me giggle, I need to decompress too... -”So... I saw your cutie mark, it has a link with the casinos right?” -”Yes, my cutie mark represents the facts that I'm a good poker player, I know how to bluff and manipulate the other players, so I win quite often even if it does happen that I lose, and your cutie represents?” -”Well, mine means that I'm good with technologies, especially computers, I can hack some, but sometimes... they just explode... I'm lucky right?” he laughs and so do I -”Yes, you're the luckiest mare on this station for sure!” -”I know right?” -”So, you're a security mare right?” -”What made you guess? The fact that I have said it many times or my security badge?” -”Yeah, stupid question, stupid answer right?” -”Yes of course... You think it has gone?” -”Maybe... let's give an ear.” I put my ear on the door and listen carefully, I can't hear anything; there’s nothing in the corridor. I think it might be gone; I inform Poker Ace and open the door. It’s gone, we can go, but I stay on my guard, as does Ace. We start walking to get out of here, I keep an eye on him, to be sure he is following me and that he’s alright. Soon, he states that we might need to find a safe place for the night and that we'll need some rest... He is right after all, such stress, we'll have to sleep tonight, and the station will soon turn into night period. He says that if those things can pass through the vents, we will need a place which, once closed, can't be entered. I know a place like that. Some floors below, there’s a security base, smaller than the HQ, but it has a anti-revolt system, like the other bases: A heavy door closes it, and when it's closed, nopony can enter, It was made to be a real fortress. I tell him about the base and begin to head in it's direction, but this time, we'll use the elevators, I will never fly again. After some time, the base is in view. We walk towards it. Once we arrive I search for how to activate the anti-revolt system while Ace looks to see if there’s anything bad in the base. I finally find how to activate it, and when he gives me the green light, I launch the program. But there’s something quite bad about it... An alarm start as the doors slowly closes, we take a look at the bridge in front of the base and we see something terrifying... There are several monsters running this way, the only thing we can hope for now is that the doors close in time. The stress and fear starts to make me mad as I lose the ability to stand up, I don't want to die, but they will arrive and the doors are really slow. We'll die, I don't want to die! Ace calls me, he wants some help to put objects in front of the door to slow them, What a genius! We take tables and desks, putting them on our side of the door, It’s faster than putting them on the other side. Then we start to push against it, the things are here. They start to hit the barricade, we push as hard as we can then we hear a disgusting sound... The monsters hitting the barricade are getting crushed by the doors. And then, the doors completely close... Lots of blood on them... “Do you think they are dead?” I asked -”Nothing can survive a crush like that... if they are alive, it would mean that they are immortals... so let's think positive.” -”Yes, you are right” We are finally in a real secure place, where we can rest and have enough space to move. Safety... It’s quite a rare word right now... And I enjoy the fact that I can use the word, and I'm not alone, Poker Ace seems happy to be able to rest as well. I'm about to talk to him when my stomach makes a shameful sound... Ace laughs when he hears it, then his makes the same sound, we end up laughing like crazies. He tells me to wait a second and he searches his saddlebag, he has difficulties to find what he’s searching for, even if I guess what it is. He finally finds it, and takes out two gorgeous apples, he tells me he had bought them for lunch and dinner but hadn’t had time for lunch, so has one for me; Lucky me for once. I take it and start to eat, hungrily. It is so good to finally be able to eat something, we’ve been running so much; I'm not sportive at all! Then I see Ace’s “shocked” face because of the way that I’m eating, I'm sure that I'm blushing now, so I start to eat normally. He eats his apple too then smiles, satisfied because he’s no longer hungry. I smile too, it's almost like we have forgotten about everything else in this hell. We make some room and lay down, using our saddlebags as pillows; there’s nothing else we can use to sleep on, so we’ll sleep like this. After we settle both of us say “good night” and I quickly fall asleep, exhausted by this day. I wake up in a corridor and stand up. Everything looks like it's made of smoke: the ground, the walls etc. I stress a bit, wondering where I am, but I have only one way to go, because I'm in a dead end. I follow the path until I arrive in front of a glass. Behind it I can see a black stallion unicorn, happy to see me. His mane is half white half black, same for his tail. He has emerald eyes. He’s made of smoke, like everything else. I’ve already seen this situation... and I try to remember where... Then he points at a door. I remember and warn him about the vent but it's too late, again. He’s pulled into the vent, screaming, blood flowing out of it. I start to punch the window, screaming that it's not possible, until I hear a sound behind me. When I turn around, my breath is cut of surprise: I'm surrounded by monsters made of smoke. They approach... and suddenly attack! I jump, and scream when I wake up... It was just a nightmare... All those events have really traumatized me... I take a look at Poker Ace, he’s still sleeping, but it seems like his sleep isn't nice too... I should wake him up... And it's what I do. I go next to Ace and shake him, he softly wakes up “Oh... hum... Good morning” he says -”Good morning, sorry to wake you... you were having a bad dream too...” -”Oh... I don't remember... You had one then?” -”Yes... Because what has happened... it has truly traumatized me... Geez...” -”Yeah... What a nightmare night...” as he says that, he takes out some chocolate from his saddlebag “Breakfast?” -”Thanks” I take some of it, I’ve never tried eating chocolate as breakfast, but it's not bad. And it helps making the stress of the night go away. A new horror day begins... but today, we'll get out of this hell, I'm sure of it! We need to reach the spaceship station and take one out of this nightmare. We'll finally be free. Thinking that it will soon end makes me strong, and I think it's the same for him. He soon says that we should get going, and I agree, the sooner we get out of here, the better I'll feel. I search again for the system, because of course, I forgot where it is. As soon as I find it I launch the program and the doors start to open, but this time there isn't an alarm, it's better this way... But, when we can see in-between the doors, a single thing can be read on our faces: terror.
IntroductionYear 7591, equestrian technology has reached a level that nopony would have expected, a level of hope, a level of joy, a level of... discoveries. Ponies have achieved space travel, the dream of all adventurers and scientists... but not only that, It became the dream of everypony since the world started to become overpopulated... Buildings were built higher and higher, but also deeper and deeper, it started to become unlivable... but then, spaceships were made. At first there were big ones, ponies would live directly on them, then came the fast ones, to scan planets in search of resources and to find unknown minerals... next in line were mining spaceships, with only one objective at first: extract the resources and take them back to the scientists for analysis... It was... perfect, nopony would have expected such minerals to exist! The first thing to come out of them was amelioration for ships, making them able to travel to another galaxy in a year for the slowest ships, it was wonderful. With some technology, engineers made a mining laser, it was really big but worthwhile, making mining much faster which helped the miners a lot. But it wasn't enough, because it was destroying a lot of minerals at the same time. Next was some kind of amelioration to that laser, making it able to be held by a pony mouth, the plasma cutter. It was used, in addition to others mining resources, to make the work much easier for the miners. But after some accidents, the army started to think about it... and weapons were made: a lot of them, like pistols, rifles and many others... They also made cannons to protect ships from asteroids. Everything was perfect, but it didn't last long... Revolts started to blow up in a few ships, making a huge mess, and taking control of the ships in the process. Everything started because ponies were exhausted of living in a spaceship, the confinement syndrome, making them a bit crazy. A civil war started, using both technology and killing magic, it was hard for most civilians, to know that they could be attacked any moment by ponies outside their ship, or inside... Many were killed, revolutionaries using military weapons to fight the “crazy tyranny”, as they said. A lot of battles occurred and it all finished with... the death of all revolutionaries... Thinking that the weapons were too murderous and fearing a war again, they were locked away, in case of a problem, and only for the army. The guards only have an electric rod in case of a problem, not their usual gun. Space stations were soon built, wonderful cities built on pieces of asteroids and planets, making them able to have a mine. On those space stations, ponies, zebras and other peaceful species live in harmony... They are all governed by a single alicorn, one per space station. The space stations are like real cities, with schools, shops, restaurants and many other things. I live on one of them, Cerberus, one of the most wonderful space stations, because each space station is unique... My name is Spring Breeze, I'm a security mare, and this is what I lived... Breeze Of Cerberus
Prologue: Our technology...Before I start telling my story, I think you should know things about our technology, not everything, but the essentials. Major technology to know about is the Resource Integration Gear, or RIG. Almost everypony has a RIG, it helps a lot, whatever your job is. It comes with three functionalities: Health management, Holographic display and a Navigation system. I'll explain every functionality, in that order: The Health management is the most distinctive feature of the RIG, it displays the wearers health by segmented colored bars that runs along the spine of the wearer, allowing interaction with the wearers nervous system and the ability to check the wearers health status. This bar drains and refills depending on the users level of health, and if the wearer of the RIG dies, it will give off a flatline sound, identical to an alert cardiograph. It is a great feature for many ponies, like miners or engineers. With the Holotech Operating System, or HOS, the RIG is able to project a holographic display about a meter in front of the wearer. It also moves with the user, if he moves around while using it. This holographic display is used for many features, the main one is communication between ponies through a live video chat, or to send live video messages to another one, like a radio. The RIG also allows the user to store text logs within the RIG's built-in memory, they are displayed on a wide screen projection to make the reading easier. The navigation system has two distinctive parts: the map and the holographic line. The map uses the HOS and is really helpful. You can navigate through the map, changing which level of the station or ship you want to see, it displays stores and workshops too. You can place a mark on the map that will help you find your way with the holographic line. The holographic line, that we commonly call hoof line because the device is on the front right hoof, automatically guides you to your mark, it's really helpful. There are three colors for the line: the blue is for your mark, the orange is for the nearest store and the purple for the nearest workshop. I dare you to tell me it's useless! The RIG is available on each type of suit, and there are many types of them. The common suit is the civilian one, it is nothing more than clothes with a RIG installed. The suits are mostly used for work, like engineering or security. I don't know much about them because I work as a security mare, and we don't really use our suits, they make us a bit slower. There are not many problems, just some misunderstandings or fights from time to time... Talking about our technology, my cutie mark is kind of related to it... It's a cog with two lightning bolts underneath. I'm pretty good with technology, but mostly with computers, like hacking and things like that... But there is just one tiny, little problem... Computers explode or stop working from time to time when I attempt to hack into them... But I'm often successful at hacking. That's all you need to know... Let’s begin.
Chapter 1: Goodbye, daily routineBeep beep beep Uhh... I hate that sound... always have hated it... nothing more. Why do I hate this sound? Is it something important like a fire alarm or a bomb? No, it's just my stupid alarm clock saying that it's Monday morning and that I have to wake up... But this morning I'm too tired. I try to reach it to make it stop, and when I do finally reach it.. I just fall off my bed... I hate Mondays, but at least this little fall woke me up. I get up, clean off the dust I have on my coat, stop the alarm clock and look at my messy room. I'm not a tidy pony. My room is a real mess, nothing more, nothing less, with books, papers and other things everywhere. I should clean up, but it's not like I often get visitors. My room is a classic room on the station; it is opened with my RIG by a RIG scan. That's how we access limited area and personal locations. It has a bedroom as a first room and a bathroom as a secondary room, it's a bit small but it's enough to live properly when you are single. I'm not really interested in anypony right now, this is the same for the others with me... I take a look at the clock and see that I'm a bit late, crap, don't want to be late on the first day of the week! I quickly go to the bathroom, do what I need to do except shower (it would take too long because I love them so much), I take another daily suit and go outside of my room, trotting fast so that I have time to eat my breakfast at least... It's a bit early in the morning but there are already many ponies outside of their rooms, parents guiding their foals to school, workers going to their stores or to the mine, many things like that. The majority of them take the elevators to go to the tram station, so we are a bit... crushed into the elevators. The tram is the only way to quickly go from one point of the station to another, really useful. On my way to my work, I stop at a small shop and buy an apple, we are lucky to have a farm on the station. I put it into my saddlebag; can't really eat it while trotting, like the unicorns do, when you're an earth pony. Thankfully I reach my work in time, even a bit early, I might have galloped at times, but, well, at least I'm not late. I say “hi” to my friends and co-workers then go to the monitoring room and sit on my chair. I take my apple out of the saddlebag and start to watch the monitors... Because yes, watching boring monitors is part of my job, just to check if anything happens. It's not the only thing I do though, I also do some security checking around the station just to be sure that everything is alright and to be able to react immediately if anything happens. I finish my apple and continue to watch the monitors, but I'm sleepy and start to fall asleep... Ok, I fell asleep, but I'm soon woken up by one of my coworkers and friends: -“Hello sleeping beauty” he tells me “Hee! Geez Snow, don't wake me up like that!” I screamed at him, almost falling off the chair “Ahahah, your reaction is so funny” And he just laughs a bit... He's Snow Fall and he loves to prank me time to time, or just scare me... I can tell he's good with that. He is a white coated unicorn with a clear blue mane and tail, his eyes are as green as emeralds. His cutie mark represents a snowflake in a shield, because his talents are protection and ice magic, which are useful talents... if they were needed, because almost nothing has happened lately. “So, you fell asleep again?” He asks me “Yes” “You shouldn't go to sleep that late...” “I'm not, I just love my bed and don't like to wake up early...” “Whatever, I'm here to take your place, it's your turn to go patrol in the station” “Alright then” I say, happy that it's my turn “Those monitors are boring...” “I totally understand you there.” “What do you mean by that?!” “Hmm, nothing, you can go.” I get up of the chair and he takes my place, as I go out of the room he tells me to go check the medical area closely, because it seems that there were some accidents and the doctors are running to help the patients. Why is it always the others that find interesting things on the monitors? I walk out of the security Headquarters. I start to walk into the station, it's peaceful as usual, well lighted and heated enough so you don't feel cold or hot. Every part of the station has a different atmosphere, like the shopping zone or the nightclub one, but it doesn't mean we can't find shops or bars outside of these zones, no, we can still find some. The station is more lively now than in the mornings, ponies wandering for pleasure, others working at their shop or industry. I feel good when walking around, even if I do leave my head lowered because I'm a bit shy... A shame for a security mare huh? Well, I took this job because I want peace on the station, so if there is a problem it's my pleasure to solve it. On my patrol, I see an old mare in front of a food stall, she is looking at some apples... She seems to hesitate with something, I stay on alert, carefully watching her. Stealing might be uncommon, but it stills happens, plus the merchant turned his back to the mare. After a moment, she reaches into her saddlebag, takes out some bits, puts them on the stall and takes an apple, I relax and continue to patrol. “Always stay on alert, anything can happen”: that's what the chief taught me when I was a rookie, and he's right, even if it's peaceful, anything can happen... I think I should finally go to the medical center of this zone, to make a report on the situation. Snow told me there is a lot of activity there right now. I go to the elevators and take one to the 7th floor, there are many floors on the station, but we are on “the ring”, a halo that is around the administrative zone, which is 100 floors high. The highest floor on the ring is floor 37 and the security HQ is on the 16th. So yes, it's better if you don't fear heights. I reach the floor and go out of the elevator, then I start to walk towards the medical center. After 10 minutes of walking I finally see the red holographic cross that indicates the medical center. I enter it and go where the disorder seems to of come from and as soon as I arrive a horrible smell enters my nose. I try to resist it and go near the doctors. There is some blood on the ground. I ask for a report from one of the doctors, he comes near me, allowing me to see the RIG of the patient: he is in the blinking red, meaning he's close to death! I ask the doctor about what happened and the only thing he tells me is that there was a mining accident and two miners are badly hurt; one is in the blinking red and the other one in the red. He then left immediately after because the patients are more important, I understand, they have to save them... And that smell... I start to feel really nauseous. I run out of the room and sit on a chair in the waiting room... I breath calmly, slowly... But it stays in my nose... It's horrible! I run for the toilets, I need to wash my face! I arrive and wash it, I want that smell off or I'll puke! It finally wears off... I sigh in relief, happy that it came off. I look at myself in the mirror... I see a dusty silver coated mare, with a slightly darker shade of gray mane her tail is the same. Her mane is a bit long, but it's a bit messy-looking... She has normal blue eyes, not too dark, not too light and also has a black citizen shirt, with the security symbol on it... Yes, it's me... well I can't say I'm ugly but I'm not beautiful either. I understand why nopony has any interest in me. I finally go out of the toilet and reach the waiting room, but as soon as I sit down I hear a flatline sound... It's over. Doctors start coming out of the room, a sad look on their face. They didn't succeed in saving the miners lives... I call one of the doctors to ask him what had happened for my report. “Hey doc! Do you mind giving me a second so I can write my report please?” I asked “Sure thing” answered a mid aged mare “Can you tell me what happened exactly?” “Apparently, there was an accident in the mines involving sharp rocks and acids, the two miners got caught. Apparently one of them needed to...” “Needed to what?” “Cut off one of his hooves... He arrived one hoof less” “Oh my!” “Yes, they were severely cut by some rocks apparently and they also got touched by the acid, it was not beautiful to see, not at all... When they arrived, one was in the yellow the other one in the red but now... they are not with us anymore...” “I'm sorry... Is there anything else I should know?” “You should ask to the miner that saved them in the tunnel, he is right here...” And then she points at a stallion, who is sitting on one of the waiting room seats. I thank the doctor and make my way to meet him. He looks... traumatized. I ask him the same question, the only thing he could add is how horrific the scene was... he called it a “bloody hell”. Tears start to form at the corners of his eyes as he tells me they were his friends... Poor thing... it must be really hard for him. I apologise for what he must have gone through and for making him remember it, then leave the medical center. Well, it was a sure break from my daily routine, finally. I shouldn't be happy of somepony’s death. At least I'm doing my job, even if it's not helping, it's a part of it, and I'll have to do a report. Well mining accidents have happened in the past, causing the deaths of ponies. The mines are dangerous with all the heavy rocks above their heads, it just needs to collapse and it's all over with... These ones were unlucky to find some acid in there. The only thing I can tell myself is: at least they won’t suffer anymore. But still... I'm sad for them. I use my HOS to display the time; 11am. Geez it's not even noon yet and I'm already starving! Well I'll continue my patrol a bit, I guess. I patrol on this floor for 30 more minutes then go back to the HQ to say I'm taking my break, so somepony else can take my place for patrolling in the station, then I go to the tram station. And I'm REALLY lucky, there’s some maintenance and I need to wait at least 15 minutes for another tram to go to where I want to. A tram finally arrives... 25 minutes after I had arrived, thank you engineer for telling us it would be only 15 minutes... Geez I'm even more hungry now. I enter the tram and try to find a seat. No one left the tram. I stay close to a bar and lower my head, I don't really like knowing if anypony is looking at me, I want to think a bit about what happened this morning, but I don't have time because we have already arrived where I'm heading: a zone with a bar-restaurant. I know the boss of one of the bars, he is a friend. I like to talk with him when it's my lunch break, and also the dishes there are delicious! I arrive and sit at the bar, then I put my head on it, thinking of those poor miners from this morning. That guy might need a psychologist after what he saw. As I'm thinking, Sweet Liquor, my friend and boss of this bar, a brown coated stallion pegasus with an orange mane and tail, purple eyes, and a cutie mark of a shaker with a plate (it is a no wonder why he is the boss of this restaurant), comes over to me: -“Hey breeze, how are you?” He asks me “Fine, I'm fine” “You don't really look like you're fine” “You don't say” “I guess it's some problem with your work. You were late again?” “Oh, just because I'm a bit sad doesn’t mean my boss gave me more hours again!” “Woooo calm down Breeze, I was just joking, same as usual I guess?” “Of course, same as usual, this lunch is part of my daily routine after all, hehe...” “So what's the matter?” he asks as he starts to prepare my lunch “There was an accident in the mines, two ponies died this morning. I like it when something happens but... somepony dying... I feel like I failed in my job...” “I guess so, I feel the same when somepony asks for an apple, but I don't have any...” “This is serious Liquor, stop joking...” “Alright then, I'll leave you to your thoughts, I have other clients waiting, see ya later my friend” “See ya Liquor...” He gives me my lunch and leaves to meet his other clients. My lunch is basic but he makes it so well: lettuce, carrots and mushrooms with his secret homemade sauce, and a cup of cider. As I said, basic, but every time it fills me up and it is so damn good! I hungrily start to eat it, because I am! After I have finished my lunch, Liquor comes back and asks the usual price: 34 bits. I pay him and chit chat a bit, I do what I want during my lunch break after all. But as usual he reminds me of the hour, but this time he reminds me a bit late. I don't like to run after lunch, but I thank him and leave, galloping a bit to not be late, I can say I have been running a lot today, but it happens. This time, not like in the morning, I'm late. Great, I might do more hours. Luckily, almost nopony is here yet so I'm saved, phew. I look at the digi-clock... one past seven... I'll go check the monitors again. As I enter the monitoring room, I am surprised by a purple mare that leaves immediately, blushing a bit. Snow is on the chair and when I ask him who she was, he blushes and just says “somepony”. Meh, no need for him to say something to know the truth, we can read in him like an open book, she's obviously his special somepony, and I'm happy for him. He is lucky that it was me who surprised them in here, visitors, even family, are not allowed in here, it being a security pony only area. I tell him that he can go and take his lunch break, and when he leaves I sit on the chair... and start to look at those boring monitors, again. the daily routine comes back. And I fall asleep. I wake up not long after that, maybe half an hour, but it's still some time taken out of work, which is never good. I can lose track of time if I do this, especially when I have to watch the monitors. I remember that I also have a report to write about this mornings accident. I immediately start, and as usual, I don't forget to put every single detail about what I had learnt, and as soon as I finish it, I will ask for somepony to replace me for a second while I go to the bosses office. The boss is a good mare, even if she is really serious at work, she likes to have fun. She is a dark purple coated mare with a black mane and tail, with orange eyes. She is an earth pony like me, her cutie mark is a security badge. I think that's why she is the boss. I heard her name is Gold Blossom, but this might be a fake, I don't know. I arrive at the front of her door, knock and open it when she authorizes me to enter, she has got a lot of paper on her desk, being the boss might not be easy everyday. I put the digital report on her desk: “Here is the report of this mornings accident ma'am.” “Thank you Spring Breeze, can you make me a short version?” “Yes ma'am, this morning around 9:12, an accident occurred in the mines, severely injuring two miners, they were saved by one of their friends, but died at the medical center, the friend is in a bad psychological state. There are more details in the report ma'am.” “Thank you. I heard you were late when you returned from your lunch break?” *gasp* (how does she know?!) “I err... I...” “It's ok for this time, you were not that late, but do NOT let that happen ever again, understand?” “Yes ma'am!” “Good... Go now.” As she says, I go outside of her office... that was really close! Either I got lucky this time, or she was just in a good mood. I go back to my monitors and finish my day of work, I go with Snow to the restaurant to pass some time, I talk to him and then we separate. I go to the tram and take it to the zone where my room is located. As I walk, I start to think again about those two ponies, I pity them, working hard to help everypony, then dying like that... It's not happy at all. I take another path to my room, so that the walk will be longer, I like to walk while thinking. Well, I walk a lot with my work but I'm ok with this, because in the end I know many ponies just by doing my everyday patrol, and it makes me happy. I continue to think when suddenly, an alarm rings and the lights turn red. I look around a bit surprised, wondering what's happening when suddenly, anti-contamination doors trap me in the corridors.
Chapter 2: Contamination“Warning, contamination detected, please stay calm and wait for the decontamination team” That message is the first thing I hear along with this loud and annoying alarm, I know it's to inform the decontamination team, but gosh, it's so stressful, how can I keep my calm with this and the fact that I'm in a contaminated area? The colors don’t help either: red and orange lights, how are we supposed to feel like we’re not going die? I truly wonder who the idiot is that chose the colors, seriously, I know it's meant to warn you, but he could have chosen Zen colors, which would make ponies a little less stressed... Yes, I'm stressed! But I'm also pissed, I'm the only pony trapped here, who could have better luck than me?! I need to relax... To ‘keep calm’ as the message says... It's hard to do so though, knowing that you are trapped, wondering if the contamination is or isn't going to kill you... I shouldn't think of that though, or I will panic and that would not be good. I lie down against the wall and try to relax, it's the only thing I can do after all; Less than 10 minutes have passed and I'm already tired of waiting. I don't know how long this is supposed go on for but, I'm sure of one thing; It’s pissing me off! I would like to fall asleep, but the floor is so uncomfortable. I'm here, alone, with only one thing to keep me away from boredom... my imagination. I start to imagine myself with lots of friends. We’re having fun in a Pinkie Pie styled party (I don't know where this name came from but these parties are the best we can find and the most expensive too). It’s nothing special though, I’ve never had enough friends for something like that, or enough money. Soon a handsome stallion comes near me, he starts to talk to me in a sweet voice and I fall for his charm. We dance together then, after, go to “the lovers cliff”. It's a small bridge that goes a bit away from the station. We have a magnificent and romantic view of Space all around us because of the windows that are at the end of the bridge. The windows let us see the Space and Loralius VII, an arctic planet, with a beautiful white and blue color (I've been there before... I was alone and it was for work. There were a lot of happy couples… well it is THE romantic view of the station after all...) And then, after looking into each others eyes he starts to get his mouth closer to mine... A loud, metallic sound snaps me out of my daydreaming... Oh come on! But It was so good! Whatever… The sound came from the end of the corridor that I'm in. I look at where it came from and see something on the ground... from the way that it looks... it's a pony! How could he get in here? And what was that metallic sound? I guess the only way to know is to go to him. I get up and begin to walk, directing my path to the pony and soon see where he came from, but also guess by all the metal shards on the ground: the vent. He passed by it and destroyed the panel to get out from there, making that metallic sound... Well, he'll get a rude wake up for stopping my dreams. But I don't think he'll wake up soon... Or wake up at all... There’s... only half of his body on him! All of his hind part is missing... But there’s no blood, how can this be?! His RIG doesn't have a single bar… He is dead, for sure... But there is something strange... Something… disturbing on his back… there are two appendages, with sharp claws at the end of each one... I have never seen anything like this. I don't have time to get a closer look at him; he wakes up and looks at me! His face... It's all rotten! Or rather, there’s no skin on it! And his mouth, it is missing the bottom part... it’s disgusting... But how can he be living?! It's.... It's impossible! He looks at me with his dead eyes before attacking me with one of his back appendages! I fall to the ground, he, no, it misses me, but it was close! I start to crawl backwards but it chases me, moving by using its strange claws! I get up and start to gallop the opposite way. The thing is slow but still moves fast enough to follow me. I gallop as fast as I can, fear tearing my stomach, making my legs move by themselves. I can't hear anything except that voice in my head screaming “RUN!”. I can't think of the pain in my legs and my lungs, because the fear is so big that it takes every single place in my thoughts. That thing is a real monster, and my body can feel it. Some tears form at the corners of my eyes of the fear. I feel like my stomach is being crushed. But I can't stop running, I have to continue, or I'll get killed! I reach two small corridors, one on my left, the other on my right; each one is a dead end because of those anti-contamination doors. I'm trapped in here with that thing; it starts to catch up with me. But I see something at the end of one of the corridors... Yes! It's a security post, its small letting only two ponies in, but it can be closed! Its door and window, bullet proof as well, since the revolts years ago. It's my chance to get protection! I go down the left corridor and gallop to the security post, when I'm in I make the heavy door slide down and lock myself in. Security… Never felt so good to be in one of my job places and I’ve never been so happy to be either. That… thing reaches the station and starts to hit the glass with its claws. It can try, but it will never succeed in getting in here! Alright... Now the first thing to do is to try and join somepony, anypony. I take a look at the computer and access it with my security code. I start to mess up a bit, trying to find any communication system, but the ‘thing’ keeps disturbing me making me miss the ‘click’ many times... In moments, a window opens on the screen and a video begins to play... A yellow Pegasus with a pink mane and blue eyes appears in front of what ever device recorded this video; she starts to talk with a calm and shy voice: “Hum... Twilight, are you sure I should do this, I mean, it doesn't seems necessary... “ -“Of course it is Fluttershy! Ponies in the future will be able see you and learn about what you thought of!” (This voice come from behind the camera, I don't know who this, “Twilight”, is) -“You mean... they can see me?!” she hid herself with her wings -”No they can't Fluttershy, don't worry.” -”Ok Twilight...” she takes a deep breath and starts to talk “Since I've seen those... brutes attacking my poor little tortoises with those filthy guns, and how their shells resisted a bit before breaking, I had an idea. Because… I'm scared that somepony could get hurt with them guns... you know... by accident... nopony would attack another pony though, right? But with the help of Twilight we made bullet proof windows and doors and it works perfectly! I'm so happy that I'm useful for the well being of my little friends!” -”Ok, now Fluttershy, go behind the window so we'll show that it is effective.” -”Hum... I'm not sure Twilight, if something goes wrong... I mean, because it's not meant to...” -”Trust me Fluttershy, go on!” -”If you say so...” she takes a lot of “protection accessories” like pillows and a football helmet, then goes behind a glass, but hides her face. A gun levitates in front of the camera and shoots at the glass stopping the bullet, Fluttershy still scream though... I think it was a scream. “Pl...Please Twilight, tell me everything is ok...” -”Everything is ok, you can come back now.” the yellow mare returns in front of the recording device -”Well... that's how it works... I think...” And the video ends, it was sure... special, but, at least I know more about those windows… even if it doesn't really help me. I now feel that this place is a real fortress, some luck finally. Talking of luck, as I continue to search the computer, a small radio I hadn't seen starts to make a static noise, then a voice could be heard from it: “Hello? Can anypony hear me?” -”Hello?” I answer -”Oh thanks, finally somepony, I started to lose any hope, who are you?” -”I'm Spring Breeze, a security mare.” -”Spring?! It's me, Bolt!” -”Bolt?! I'm so happy to hear somepony I know!” Shining Bolt is a co worker. Even though we talk during work, we don't really go out and do things like friends. “I'm trapped because of this damn anti-contamination system, and also, a pony, if we can even say it is one... It chased me and is now hitting the glass of the security post I'm in!” -”What do you mean by 'if we can even say it is one'” I quickly described it. “I see. The whole station has gone mad, everypony galloping everywhere in panic, I think now we know why... Can you take a closer look at this... thing?” -”Yes, I think so...” I take a closer look then gasp. “No... It’s not possible...” -”What is it?!” -”This... thing... it's one of the dead miners from this morning! It's... It's impossible...” -”Hmmm... Maybe it's a plague from the mine, so it means there’s how many of them?” -”Only two.” -”Thanks goodness there’s not more, those things can't be stopped by our rods, and using knives doesn't work either!” -”Oh... is anypony with you?” -”Yes, Hortensia is with me.” -”Alright, so you said there’s panic in the station?” -”Yes, it's a real mess and... “ A mare scream can be heard, Bolt then screams in terror too. The only thing remaining is the radio static... -”Bolt?! Answer me, Bolt!” But there’s no answer. No... it can't be... Is he... dead? I can't think like that, I'm sure they galloped away, they must have galloped away! They can't be dead! I roll up like a ball on the ground, shaking and whining, everything is a real nightmare, I have to wake up from it, this is impossible! Why do I have such bad luck?! Why can't I live happily like the other stations do? Why does this have to happen on MY station?! I... I have to calm down... I'm a security mare... I should be prepared for these situations... Calm... I need to breathe calmly... Take my time... As I stop shaking and finally calm myself, another voice comes out of the radio, this one’s not Bolt’s voice, but it's still a voice: “Anypony there?! Please answer me, I need some help!” -”Spring Breeze here, I'm a security mare, how can I help you?” -”Oh good, a security mare, just what I need! I'm trapped in a security post, I closed the door but I destroyed the button by punching it. I can't get out of here!” -”I... I really don't know how to help, I'm trapped in an anti-contamination area, I can't get out.' -”But... Don't you have an emergency code, to open these doors in case of a problem?” -”I'm really sorry... but I can't... Sorry...” -”Can't you hack the security post computer and access the door opening system to free yourself?” -”Maybe... I'll give it a shot but... I promise nothing, ok?” -”Ok, I wish you good luck.” Well, luck is really what I need right now... Well, I had better get started. I open the computer console and start to hack the system, damn it's pretty hard, but it’s not a security computer for nothing. It has a lot of securities and firewalls that I need to override, and of course, it doesn’t let me do it easily, and the stress doesn't help. I’ve had to restart my hacking many time’s, doing it fast doesn't mean that it will be done quicker... So I start to think before doing, taking my time, then... finally I access the anti-contamination doors system! “I did it! I'm in the door system!” -”Oh great! I'm on the 8th floor, in the east wing!” -“Alright, I'm coming; I'll be as quick as possible!” I turn off the radio and recall about that thing... it’s not hitting the window... I take a look and see, and find that It’s not there anymore... It has gone. Carefully, I unlock the security post door and slide it open. I then peek outside, it’s not there... Good, then it’s time to go. I open the anti-contamination doors and step outside the corridor to reach the plaza on this floor... Bolt was right, it is a real mess, ponies galloping/flying everywhere, some stomping on others without caring because of the panic. But they are all trying to go in the same direction: the docks, where the ships are located. It's understandable, everypony wants to leave this station now. But I don't have time for this, I have to help somepony! I gallop to the elevator and go to the 8th floor, where he said he was located. I use my map and my holographic line to find the east wing, it’s a pretty easy route, because I have reached the heavy doors of the corridor quite fast. This is where the pony is located. I start hacking them, trying to keep my concentration even with all the screams of panic. After like... 10 minutes, I finally unlock the doors. I walk into the corridor and go to the security post, the pony is there. He welcomes me with a big smile and says that I might need to override the system in this door too because it's locked... But I'm not that good at door overriding; I'm only good at computer hacking... But, well, I still have to try to save him. I open a small area on the door and start to mess up the wires. After a moment, I see something in the vent behind the pony, I shout to him: “Behind you!”, he turns around... a thing grabs him and pulls him into the vent. I can hear the echo of his screaming! Some blood leaks out of the vent... and... an hoof fall off...No... Not him too... I'm a failure at protecting other ponies... I'm not worthy of my job... Why did I choose this work? No, it's not that... I was just not fast enough to save him, If only I had hacked those doors faster, he could still be alive... I continue whining, laying against the wall... But I don't have time for this. A sound could be heard from the corridor, it frightens me and I start to run opposite way, running away from it. I'm really scared and don't watch where I'm going. I bump into a Pegasus that is flying in mid air to go faster. He is a bit dizzy from the shock and passes over the rail, falling. I try to catch him before he falls, I don't want another death on me. But the only thing I do succeed to do... Is fall down with him…
Chapter 3: Poker AcePain... It's the only thing I can feel right now... My hooves, my back, my head, everything hurts... The pain is awful... But I can bear it. Soon I end up with just an headache, but a quite violent one... Now I understand how Snow felt when he had that hangover. At least I think I have nothing broken... At least I'm hoping that... When I'm finally able to think of something else, I remember the grey Pegasus... I quickly open my eyes as I feel something on me, I feel my face getting hot... The Pegasus fell on top of me, it's... so embarrassing... But he’s unconscious; he didn't do it on purpose... And he seems unarmed... At least I saved him, I think... after making him fall... I'm truly the worst security mare possible... I begin to shake him a little, in attempt to wake him. He is a grey Pegasus, his mane is mid black mid grey, it stops at the end of his neck. His tail is also alternate between those two colors. He’s wearing sunglasses with blue lenses, so I can't really see his eyes, add to it the fact that his eyes may be closed, but even if they weren't, I still wouldn't be able to see them. He is wearing an elegant black vest with small grey strips. I can't see his cutie mark from where I am. All I can tell is that he is around the same age as me. After some time of shaking him he wakes up and looks at where he is... He jumps on his four legs and says: “So...Sorry, I... I didn't want to...” he seems pretty embarrassed -”It's ok, calm down, are you alright?” I try to calm him as I stand up -”Ye...yes, I think... What happened?” -”Well... hum... I should be the one apologizing...” -”Why’s that?” -”I... I made you fall, I tried to catch you but I fell too... But you fell... on me and you don't have anything... I'm so sorry...” -”At least you saved me, at the cost of your own sacrifice” he smiles “So thank you, no need to apologies, you saved me.” -”Oh... You... You're welcome.” He’s the first one to truly thank me... He makes me feel a bit useful... even if I'm the one who caused the problem... -”So... we fell, where are we?” he takes a look at the floor “the 6th floor?! Crap, I need to go back to the 8th floor!” He seems in an urge now, he doesn't even care about the fact we fell 2 floors... -”Calm down! Why do you need to get there? We need to evacuate the station!” -”My family’s up there, they are locked into their apartment, I need to go there!” -”Alright let me help then, first though… Why are they locked?” -”They said that their holographic display to open the door has broken on their side, so they can't get out!” -”All right let's go then, we'll take the elevator.” -”We must hurry, I can go by myself, it will be faster if I fly.” -”No, you stick with me, it's too dangerous and it's my duty to protect the citizens.” -”In that case, jump on my back and we'll fly to the 8th floor together!” -”I... I can't do that, I'm just too heavy... you won't be able to fly...” And it is true, even if I do look quite thin, I weigh a lot, as strange as it seems -”Don't worry; come on, we don't have all day!” -”F...Fine...” I get on his back, and as soon as I'm on top, I see that he has some difficulties with me on his back “I...I told you...” -”It's … fine” he smiles at me “Enjoy the ride!” As he says that, he jumps on the rail and prepares himself to jump... I start to stress... A lot, I'm an earth, I shouldn't fly... There’s also the fact that... I fear heights... Every time I look down from a rail, I begin to panic a bit and stress a lot... Soon, to my big surprise... He jumps instead of flying, and we start to fall... I start to scream, we'll die; I'm too heavy! We are taking speed; I can see the ground getting close to us... I close my eyes and wait for the shock... But instead, I feel a change of direction... We start to go up! I open my eyes and see that his wings are open; he used the speed of the fall to get higher than we were! We finally reach the 8th floor and I jump down, happy to get on the ground again. I'm shaking so much; I just had the biggest fear of my life! That monster was nothing compared to what just happened. I sit on the ground and try to calm down “I'll...I'll never fly again...” I say, still shaking from the fear -”Oh... Sorry for the fear, I should have explain... geez, you destroyed my ears with your screams.” -”It's...it's..n..not... funny...” -”Sorry... calm down, it's alright now...” -”Y...yes... let's go save your family.” I get up, still shaking a bit, but feeling better. I take a look around, there’s almost nopony left, there are still some late ponies galloping, trying to escape the station at all cost. How long were we unconscious? I can even see some dead ponies on the ground... It's... horrible, they died because of the others... They got crushed under the crowd... But some... Have cuts... those miners... They have done a lot of carnage... And before I start to get too emotional because of the sadness of the situation, the Pegasus put a hoof on my back and tells me to follow him and that we must hurry... He is right; we don't really have time right now... we must hurry... I start following him. He trots towards the corridor behind the anti-contamination door I had opened earlier... Where that pony died... And as we pass next to the security post, I look at the wall, trying not to remember what happened... Once we passed it, I start to look at the grey Pegasus again and follow him. I can now finally see his cutie mark, it shows two cards, a king and a queen, the king is on the queen, but neither of the cards have a color, it is kinda weird for poker cards, but, well I don't really know much about poker, I think I'm too unlucky and shy to go to a casino and play poker, blackjack or any other game that requires a bit of lying and luck. I’m about to ask what his cutie mark represents when he stops in front of a door, we have arrived at our destination. He knocks on the door, calling his parents saying that he has arrived, then looks at the holographic display, it works on this side of the door. Happily, he opens the door... and then jumps with surprise. Wondering what had surprised him I go next to him, taking a look... Red... It's all red... The blood is covering the whole room; a horrific scene. The smell of blood tickles my nose; I start to feel sick again. I look at the Pegasus and I can feel the sadness just by looking at his face: yes, the blood means what it means; his parents... are gone... I can see some tears flowing on his cheeks, I need to make him move because we can't stay here... I try to calm him a bit, talking with a calm voice, but nothing seems to work, he is in shock... But I keep trying: “Please... listen... its dangerous and we need to move... I can understand your pain...” -“H..How can you... understand such thing...” -”I... I lost a friend... it's not the same... I know... but I know that it hurts... please... come on” I grab one of his hooves and pull him a bit -”Lea...Leave me alone... please...” -”You know that I can't... Please... for me... follow me... we need to get out of here... Once this is over... I promise that we'll make a beautiful burial... ok?” -”I... I just... wanted to save them...” -”And I want to save you... it's my job... don't make me feel like I'm a failure... please” -”You...You aren't...” -”Then follow me and prove it” -”Ok... Let’s... Let's get out of here...” He cleans his face from the tears and makes a forceful smile, but I can still feel his sadness... Poor him... Living such a misadventure... And I was calling myself unlucky... But he is more so than I am at the moment... No on should have to live that... And I can sense he is forcing himself to follow me, so I won't feel like a failure... I pull him for the first few steps and then he walks by himself, following me. He stays a bit behind, I let him do so, he wants to be alone for some time... After a few more steps I hear a metallic sound behind us... the same sound that I heard when I was trapped in the corridors, because of them anti-contamination doors. I quickly turn around to see another monster at the end of the corridor, I scream at the grey Pegasus to run and start to run myself, fear tearing me apart again, but I feel that he isn't following. I turn around again and see him on the ground, looking at the thing in shock. He doesn't move he just stares. I run to him and attempt to make him move but he doesn't, neither does he talk. It's time to return the favor I guess. I take him on my back and begin to run; it makes him snap out of his shock. I feel less fear this time, even if that... thing can run too now. I feel less fear because I have somepony to save now, and in thinking this, we need to find a safe place: “Do you know of a safe place?!” I yelled -”Wh...What?” -”A safe place to hide! Without a vent?!” -”The...there is the janitor room... It's small but... doesn't have a big vent...” He guides me to the janitor’s room, and as soon as we arrive I open the door using the security code that helps opening some doors, that I have in case of a problem. He was right; this room is really small... But I don't have time to think, I enter it with him and then lock the door, I can hear the monster walking around, it’s searching for us... I sit down feeling in-security and look at the Pegasus; he’s in shock because of that monster... He repeats the same words: “No...It's impossible...No no no... Impossible” He keeps saying this, his head in his hooves -”Calm down, I know it's a real nightmare...” -”Impossible... No... It's impossible...” -”I said calm down!” I slap him, making him snap out of his delirium... Why did I slap him..? It’s not my type of action... -”I...I...I'm sorry...” -”No no no, I slapped you...” -”There were a reason... and the stress... it made you do that...” -”Maybe...” -”Th...Thank you... for saving me...” -”It's my job... So why... were you that shocked in front of... that?” -”Be...Because...” I can see some tears flowing again “it... Was my mother...” -”Yo...Your mother?!” I yelled in surprise -”Y...Yes...” We stay silent for a while... His mother... How is it... possible?! Does it mean that... the plague can infect other ponies outside of the mine?! It's... A bigger problem than I thought... More of those things... It's like in those old horror movies with them stupid zombies... Except that they are smarter... Much smarter... The silence is awful... It's a deadly silence... And I can't stand it anymore, so I break it: “Tell me... What is your name?” -”My name? My name is Poker Ace.” -”Really? It is quite a special name” -”Well, you see, my mother is... was a scientist, so she wanted to call me 'Beaker', quite a special thing don't you think?” He smiles and giggles, and so do I, guessing it was a joke “But she was nice, and my father was a non-conformist, so to please my mother and himself, he proposed this name, because in card games, there is a scientific part, with mathematics, and this name would be special.” -” I see... It explains out quite well.” I smile as I say that so he feels more comfortable. -”And your name is...?” -”I didn't tell it?” -”No you didn't.” -”Oh sorry! That’s impolite of me, my name is Spring Breeze, but call me Breeze, its shorter.” -”Then call me Ace, its shorter too.” and he giggles, I think that I succeeded in making him forget about what happened... for now... And he also makes me giggle, I need to decompress too... -”So... I saw your cutie mark, it has a link with the casinos right?” -”Yes, my cutie mark represents the facts that I'm a good poker player, I know how to bluff and manipulate the other players, so I win quite often even if it does happen that I lose, and your cutie represents?” -”Well, mine means that I'm good with technologies, especially computers, I can hack some, but sometimes... they just explode... I'm lucky right?” he laughs and so do I -”Yes, you're the luckiest mare on this station for sure!” -”I know right?” -”So, you're a security mare right?” -”What made you guess? The fact that I have said it many times or my security badge?” -”Yeah, stupid question, stupid answer right?” -”Yes of course... You think it has gone?” -”Maybe... let's give an ear.” I put my ear on the door and listen carefully, I can't hear anything; there’s nothing in the corridor. I think it might be gone; I inform Poker Ace and open the door. It’s gone, we can go, but I stay on my guard, as does Ace. We start walking to get out of here, I keep an eye on him, to be sure he is following me and that he’s alright. Soon, he states that we might need to find a safe place for the night and that we'll need some rest... He is right after all, such stress, we'll have to sleep tonight, and the station will soon turn into night period. He says that if those things can pass through the vents, we will need a place which, once closed, can't be entered. I know a place like that. Some floors below, there’s a security base, smaller than the HQ, but it has a anti-revolt system, like the other bases: A heavy door closes it, and when it's closed, nopony can enter, It was made to be a real fortress. I tell him about the base and begin to head in it's direction, but this time, we'll use the elevators, I will never fly again. After some time, the base is in view. We walk towards it. Once we arrive I search for how to activate the anti-revolt system while Ace looks to see if there’s anything bad in the base. I finally find how to activate it, and when he gives me the green light, I launch the program. But there’s something quite bad about it... An alarm start as the doors slowly closes, we take a look at the bridge in front of the base and we see something terrifying... There are several monsters running this way, the only thing we can hope for now is that the doors close in time. The stress and fear starts to make me mad as I lose the ability to stand up, I don't want to die, but they will arrive and the doors are really slow. We'll die, I don't want to die! Ace calls me, he wants some help to put objects in front of the door to slow them, What a genius! We take tables and desks, putting them on our side of the door, It’s faster than putting them on the other side. Then we start to push against it, the things are here. They start to hit the barricade, we push as hard as we can then we hear a disgusting sound... The monsters hitting the barricade are getting crushed by the doors. And then, the doors completely close... Lots of blood on them... “Do you think they are dead?” I asked -”Nothing can survive a crush like that... if they are alive, it would mean that they are immortals... so let's think positive.” -”Yes, you are right” We are finally in a real secure place, where we can rest and have enough space to move. Safety... It’s quite a rare word right now... And I enjoy the fact that I can use the word, and I'm not alone, Poker Ace seems happy to be able to rest as well. I'm about to talk to him when my stomach makes a shameful sound... Ace laughs when he hears it, then his makes the same sound, we end up laughing like crazies. He tells me to wait a second and he searches his saddlebag, he has difficulties to find what he’s searching for, even if I guess what it is. He finally finds it, and takes out two gorgeous apples, he tells me he had bought them for lunch and dinner but hadn’t had time for lunch, so has one for me; Lucky me for once. I take it and start to eat, hungrily. It is so good to finally be able to eat something, we’ve been running so much; I'm not sportive at all! Then I see Ace’s “shocked” face because of the way that I’m eating, I'm sure that I'm blushing now, so I start to eat normally. He eats his apple too then smiles, satisfied because he’s no longer hungry. I smile too, it's almost like we have forgotten about everything else in this hell. We make some room and lay down, using our saddlebags as pillows; there’s nothing else we can use to sleep on, so we’ll sleep like this. After we settle both of us say “good night” and I quickly fall asleep, exhausted by this day. I wake up in a corridor and stand up. Everything looks like it's made of smoke: the ground, the walls etc. I stress a bit, wondering where I am, but I have only one way to go, because I'm in a dead end. I follow the path until I arrive in front of a glass. Behind it I can see a black stallion unicorn, happy to see me. His mane is half white half black, same for his tail. He has emerald eyes. He’s made of smoke, like everything else. I’ve already seen this situation... and I try to remember where... Then he points at a door. I remember and warn him about the vent but it's too late, again. He’s pulled into the vent, screaming, blood flowing out of it. I start to punch the window, screaming that it's not possible, until I hear a sound behind me. When I turn around, my breath is cut of surprise: I'm surrounded by monsters made of smoke. They approach... and suddenly attack! I jump, and scream when I wake up... It was just a nightmare... All those events have really traumatized me... I take a look at Poker Ace, he’s still sleeping, but it seems like his sleep isn't nice too... I should wake him up... And it's what I do. I go next to Ace and shake him, he softly wakes up “Oh... hum... Good morning” he says -”Good morning, sorry to wake you... you were having a bad dream too...” -”Oh... I don't remember... You had one then?” -”Yes... Because what has happened... it has truly traumatized me... Geez...” -”Yeah... What a nightmare night...” as he says that, he takes out some chocolate from his saddlebag “Breakfast?” -”Thanks” I take some of it, I’ve never tried eating chocolate as breakfast, but it's not bad. And it helps making the stress of the night go away. A new horror day begins... but today, we'll get out of this hell, I'm sure of it! We need to reach the spaceship station and take one out of this nightmare. We'll finally be free. Thinking that it will soon end makes me strong, and I think it's the same for him. He soon says that we should get going, and I agree, the sooner we get out of here, the better I'll feel. I search again for the system, because of course, I forgot where it is. As soon as I find it I launch the program and the doors start to open, but this time there isn't an alarm, it's better this way... But, when we can see in-between the doors, a single thing can be read on our faces: terror.
