Fallout: Equestria, Darkness Falls

Chapter 19

“When was the last time you felt ‘good’ about anything?”

Secure Memo to all members of EXCAVATION, authorized eyes only.

Listen up everypony. You all know what to do. Keep your tools HIDDEN and out of sight! Especially when the Overmare orders bunk inspections. In all likelihood, they already know something is up. But it will only confirm it if they see your pipe cutting plasma rotors and survey javelin launchers souped up with extra compressors and disabled safety modules. If you don’t think you can adequately hide your modified tools, then give them to me for safe storage in room 316. I’ve hacked the maneframe and changed the room’s designation to general cleaning supplies. They won’t look here, so long as you idiots don’t get yourselves followed. And for fuck’s sake, DO NOT mention me and Quarts in the open! I’m off their radar, for now, but that won’t last forever.

Vengeance for Slatehoof!
Matter Horn.

Quartz,

Look, I get it. He was my best friend, okay? I want satisfaction against those assholes as much as you do. But I’m telling you it’s going to take time. We have three hundred ponies to arm, and that’s a LOT. Especially when you have to sneak around, do things off the clock, and can’t get a hold of certain supplies at the ready. So cut me some fucking slack!

Good news, though. I can easily modify the heavy work suits. And remember the pipbuck limiters? Finally got them disabled. It’s a lot of work, but I have one suit fully functional. I’m assuming you want that one, right? The code is RAFFLE in case I’m unavailable. Just follow the prompts when you step into the pod.

And hey, I know everyone’s in a frenzy, but can you try to get the less notable ones to at least act quiet and obedient? Make them keep filing the reports like they think it will do something, even though we all know it won’t. It will throw off the Overmare’s and Security’s estimations of just how many ponies from Excavation are about to riot and face-fuck them. It will buy us time.

But yeah… I agree, we can’t let them get away with this. And once everyone has weapons, they won’t. We’ll both make sure of it. For him.

Matter Horn.

Quartz! I don’t know what the FUCK is going on, but they’re attacking! Not Security, it’s some kind of weird creatures! They’re wearing overalls, it’s OUR OWN DEAD!! I don’t know if you’ll see this, but gather as many as you can and get to 316. I have a slew of weapons ready, we need to push and take Engineering, Security, and the Reactor NOW, not later. I’m gonna try and get medical supplies. We’re gonna need ‘em!

*** *** ***

I stared silently at the legible text logs, unable to fully wrap my brain around the lack of unity in Stable 68. Mares in my home sometimes had disagreements, but they were so trivial compared to this. That, and the fact that none ever resorted to violence or felt the need to arm themselves with improvised tools as weapons. Goodness, Butters would have a fit!

I couldn’t help but shake my head and mentally ask why. Why were the excavation ponies being ignored when accident after accident claimed so many lives? Was it really neglect or was there something more going on? What about Dr. Curette’s notes, which mentioned a large portion of the miners’ addiction to drugs? Did that play a role in all of this? How can a High Prie—er, I mean, how can a Stable Overmare be so irresponsible with the ponies under her care? This ‘Tinkleberry’ had so much to answer for, as did the ‘Science Division’ and the answers were frustratingly kept from me.

And something told me these monsters were somehow involved. This didn’t just ‘happen’. Some fowl evil was ahoof and I needed to find out what it was, lest it spill into the world above. It was honestly a miracle that it hadn’t already.

“Do you even know what that thing does?” Whiteout said and I looked up from the terminal. We had finally made it to 316 after the terrifying elevator incident without trouble, Scarlett unlocked the door, and we found a veritable treasure trove of weapons.

Well, not really weapons, not like Conviction or our traditional armaments, but several tools meant for mining or heavy-duty maintenance that had been modified.

But regardless, our prayers were answered. The entire room, messy and disorganized as it was, brimmed with crates, workbenches, stands, aisles, and boxes of equipment. Many of which had been converted as per the command of Quartz and by the hoof of this Matterhorn. There was even a mountain’s worth of overcharged sparkle battery packs for everything, which meant we had the pick of the litter. There was even some ammo for Conviction in abundance.

“No,” Scarlett beamed as she levitated up what looked like some form of… oh who am I kidding, it was a big tool and I couldn’t begin to guess its original function.

“It’s a rivet gun.” Blaster rubbed at his shoulder, and I winced. We didn’t have a lot of medical bandages, so I used what I had. The multiple falls in the elevator damaged the few potions we managed to take from Dr. Curette’s clinic. His shoulder was soaked in blood and we needed more… again. “That thing’ll shoot a metal slug through solid rock. Maybe even through a solid metal wall if it’s not armored.” Blaster took a closer look. “Yeah, they removed the safety range finding sensor.

“How do you know this?” I asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“We had the things back in muh village, and, uh…” Blaster gave me a sheepish grin and I knew he had been responsible for some manner of catastrophe.

“Ah-huh…” I gave my deadpan stare. “I think you would probably get along well with another pony I know…” I flatly stated.

Blaster and Scarlett helped each other into new forms of battle saddles. The big stallion had what he described as a ‘minigun’ but it was actually a converted steel stapler, used to quickly if crudely construct tunnel scaffolding, and an improvised launcher that could fire excavation charges like a grenade launcher. Scarlett hefted the rivet gun despite Blaster’s warning that it would have quite the kick, and also took a plasma line cutter, which was originally used for pipe cutting and digging. Whiteout peaked through the door, wielding a souped-up pneumatic force gun, which I’m told could break through thin walls like a can opener.

Thank goodness for Blaster because none of us would have an idea what any of this stuff was. I nodded gently to myself. I hadn’t yet picked a new weapon, but that’s because the terminal caught my eye. That, and the large bank of closed, pony-sized cylinders along the far wall. Both of which were secured with a strong system of security (including a booby trap of survey charges, which Blaster found and disarmed for ammo). Though, Matter horn and I had something in common… the inability to remember passwords and so it was written under the desk.

A bad habit I will need to rectify.

I sighed softly at myself as I put the password in: Caterium Ice Cream.

Whatever it meant was lost on me. It was probably some dumb mining joke.

Regardless, the cylinders hissed and the doors unlocked with a sudden puff of steam. Wonderful! Time to see what we found.

The first one was empty, the second had bits and pieces of armor, but that was completely overshadowed by the third.

“Whooooaaa!” Blaster looked on with a dropped jaw.

Whiteout craned her neck to see and her brow jumped, Scarlett likewise stared as the fog cascaded over the floor.

“Hot damn, Ah never thought Ah’d ever see one!”

Before us was a pony, but not like myself or the others. This one had more in common with the deadly robots that Ghost and I encountered in the M.A.R.S. office building. Clad in riveted metal, especially around the legs, shoulders, barrel, and flanks, which formed a fitted ‘cage’ around those areas of importance. Under the framework of metal was a thick, textured suit that traveled from hoof to hoof, back, and, well, everywhere else. The helmet matched the caged metal around the rest, with a ghostly purple visor underneath that glowed. Jutting from the forehead was an equally armored sheath of rivets, clearly designed with a unicorn in mind. Even the tail had armor.

“One what?” I asked, transfixed by the sight before me. I noticed Conviction levitated near me and I forced myself to relax. Suspecting it was another hostile robot, I must have had it up and ready to shoot. Thankfully no one else noticed either…

“That, darlin’, is a heavy EPA suit!” Blaster said in awe as he checked over the motionless thing. “Environmental Protection Apparatus. These get worn by ponies who work in the most hostile and dangerous places.”

I blinked as something didn’t make sense. “Wait… if they had these, then why were there so many accidents?”

“Well, they’re super expensive Darlin’. We might be lookin’ at the only suit in the whole Stable.” Blaster hummed once. “They probably had a dozen at the most.”

“Dibs!” Announced Scarlett. “You gotta let me try that thing!” Behind her Whiteout pouted as she clearly wanted to use the suit too.

Blaster barked a laugh. “Well Ah wouldn’t argue with ya, sweetheart, but none of us can use it. See this?” He gestured at the left foreleg. “Needs a Pipbuck interface to run. Plus this one looks a little too small for ya.”

Scarlett awed and sagged. “Damn it! Wait… you mean…?” She then flatly glanced at me.

I blinked. “That’s right, she has to use it.” Blaster winked.

Wait, me? “I, uh, um, what?” I blinked and shook my head. “I can’t possibly wear that! It’s… it’s…”

“Darlin’,” Blaster was suddenly all business. “Down here, ya won’t find a finer piece of gear.”

Those robes will keep you warm, but it’s not armored.

Watcher’s words suddenly came up to say hi. Damn it, they were right. And I knew it. So far, I was lucky to not be killed by these things, but how long would that last? I remembered Ghost and how quickly the terrifying monstrosities took down what was considered one of the deadliest Reapers in the world above.

Only a matter of time.

And now Ghost’s own words played, and I winced at his old prediction for me.

Eventually I gave a soft nod. “Okay… how do I get it on?”

*** *** ***

“Okay!” I gulped and tried to keep my voice down. “This feels really weird!”

“Hey, it works, though!” Blaster turned his head this way and that, clearly concerned as well.

It took almost an hour to figure out how to run the protocols, of which I knew nothing about. It became a brainstorm and fighting match between Scarlett, Whiteout, and Blaster while I stood in the tube and waited with the inner suit on. Breathing became a little bit of a chore, the thing squeezed my entire body like a glove. And of course as the little mechanical arms whirred and spun everywhere in the narrow tube, trapping me inside, hyperventilating became a real issue!

“Hey, it's okay darlin'!” Blaster's muffled voice just barely got through the reinforced glass, along with the annoying taps of his hoof. I wanted to believe him and give a nod, but the last time I moved the thing beeped and yelled at me to hold still. I straightened like I was at attention after being chastised by Eternal Dawn.

I'm trying REALLY hard to believe that!

The first large piece clamped down on my sides and that was when I first panicked, which constituted the majority of the armor. Now the arms worked to attach each piece and screw and some welds to hold everything together. Things got heavy quite quickly and I was glad for the crane holding my body up. There was no way I could support all this weight on my own.

Whiiiiiirrrrrr. Clank! Clank!

Oh yeah, and there was the cacophony of electronic and mechanical noises. I squinted my eyes shut and stifled another squeal. Oh Goddesses, please let me be okay! I beg of you! Please, please, PLEASE let me survive this demonic machine!!

It occured to me that this machine, just like the elevators and doors from earlier, was also centuries old with no maintenance. What was stopping this thing from crushing me like a pony in a can?

CLANK!

“Ahhhh!” I couldn't hold back that squeal as tears wanted to form. Damn my brain! Not funny!

“Hang on Darlin'.” Blaster tried to reassure me. “It's almost done... Ah think.”

You think!?

“Those arms look really tight,” Scarlett chimed in and I stared at her, on the brink of a meltdown. “How much force does it take to rip a pony's forelegs off at the shoulder?”

My eyes bugged and I trembled as the thing worked around me. Gyah! Whiteout winced behind them and Blaster, well, he tried not to laugh... Key word, tried...

“Ahahaha!” Scarlett, however, didn't as she guffawed and thoroughly enjoyed my distress. “The look on your face, princess! Priceless!”

“Celestia help me I will shoot you when I get out of here!” I yelled at her the deadly promise as heat gathered in my cheeks.

Beep! Then the synthetic voice told me to hold still.

Scarlett laughed even harder. “Ooooh, bad girl. Better be good!”

If my glare alone could melt stuff...

Before I could retort with another baseless threat, something big and black swung down over my face and muzzle. I felt my horn slide into something that was nearly as tight and winced at the sensation. The whirring and metallic clunks loudly assaulted my ears and I could do nothing to fold them back. Equally the terror of being in pitch black with no other sensations, it was like being back in the cave outside Stable 46's door.

It's okay... it's okay... it's okay...

I chanted that in my head over and over just to keep from panicking. Thankfully nothing hurt, aside from just being mildly squeezed.

Suddenly the blackness in front of my muzzle turned to a bright blue. Hundreds of words in tiny white font scrolled so quickly I couldn't make any of it out. Eventually that screen gave way to the familiar Eyes Forward Sparkle of my Pipbuck, which also had two flashing red areas where Conviction's ammo counter usually went, along with the words: Integrated Equipment Saddle error; not configured, please see your head engineer.

The screen then showed me the outside world again from inside the tube, then I felt the clamp release my torso. I expected to fall flat on my front, but as soon as it let me go the entirety of my body felt light as a feather.

“Whoa.” I blinked, then tested my limbs. Aside from a little dexterity loss, I could move just fine. Only slightly less as I felt the armored segments contact each other. All in all, it felt like swimming. I realized it had its own filter system as fresh, clean air flowed in front of my muzzle. That part was nice and helped me combat the claustrophobia. And that also meant I did not have to suffocate under the dreadful stench of the creatures! Yay!

I think I could get used to this, if only for as long as absolutely necessary.

A second later and the door hissed open, allowing me to exit the tube. I carefully trotted out as the others gave me room. While I felt light as a feather, the same could definitely not be said for my hoof steps. Each hoof gave an audible thunk into the metal floor. I was never a stealthy pony, but now I basically had my own announcement system. Hey look everypony, here comes dinner!

“Too cool!” Blaster grinned ear to ear and Whiteout nodded next to him.

“Kind of look like one of them Steel Rangers, but like... weird, iunno,” Scarlett remarked with a tilt of her head. “Why is the armor like plate strips again?”

“Well, these suits are designed for work site protection, not combat. So that means this thing will best protect ya from crushing injuries, falling debris, things like that. Same with temperature, fire, chemical hazards, that kind of stuff.” He smiled in awe at me and I blushed. “How ya doin' in there, darlin'?”

“I mean, it feels a little weird, but I feel...” I blinked under the helmet and tried to equate it to something. My first thought was I felt blessed by the Goddesses with Their truest protection, like Their great downy wings cradling my body, but I knew that would just garner groans from the others. “I feel protected.”

“Nothin' pinchin'?” I shook my head. “Then it sounds like everythin's perfect. Now we just need to get weapons in yer saddles 'n' we're set.” As I glanced around, several new icons dotted my EFS with functions I could only guess at.

I grinned again and eyed some of the improvised weapons. “I think I know which ones I want...”

*** *** ***

It endlessly wandered the dusty hallways, shambling around on an old and broken ankle that had long turned gangrenous with infection. But what would have been an agonizing and deadly injury to a living being, was nothing but a minor inconvenience to the creature that used to be line cook Lime Zest. The only remaining hint of that identity was the tattered, dirty rags of a cooking apron and a filthy name tag held on more by hopes than anything else.

Images flashed through the other's rot-addled mind; growing up in the outskirts of Stalliongrad, parents lost in a sky wagon crash and sent to an orphanage; scraping and clawing their way up to graduate from culinary school, then a decade and a half of grueling food service jobs that never made up for the effort put in school nor the sheer misery of such work. Instead of working that debt off, the once-pony spent their time chasing tail and partaking in exotic drugs. In fact, until this very sudden job opportunity popped up, their biggest concern was getting arrested for illegal drug possession. It never batted an eye for the lack of requirements and background checks to get a job cooking in Stable 68 and took it without question or concern, with the added figure of if they were in a locked Stable then the law would forget about them.

Regardless of who this pony had been, nothing now remained except the all-consuming hunger and hatred.

It had heard noise, loud and unusual for its surroundings and definitely not from its grotesque fellows. As if prodded by a lightning bolt, it raced down the halls to the source.

Others joined it. One with a large and grotesquely stretched underbelly, and another like it was, both bearing the tattered remains of workplace jumpsuits. But there were no other aliens here when they arrived. Without something to kill, it stood there, waiting until the next sound prompted action and signalled food as more tortured memories filled the gaps between.

Hissss.

That was a door, but the thing that had once been Lime Zest ignored it. It was a familiar noise, one that never required killing especially when others were around. Centuries of false alarms taught it so.

Even so, it only barely took notice of its fellow, the one with the belly, down the hall and facing it, growling into the air with bloody sputum from its caked maw.

Pzzzatt! Pzzzat!

A new noise behind it. Then something bright pink lanced through the air to its left, like an oversized dinner plate. It singed the creature's flank before it slammed into its fellow down the hall, not with force, but a devastating ability to slice through anything it touched. In one fell swoop the legs of its fellow were sawn off mid-gallop, sending it crashing to the floor where it became motionless from the damage.

Now the thing that was once Lime Zest turned as its super-charged adrenaline glands surged through its veins. That sound was not familiar, was not one of the collective whole, and thus it needed to die.

It spotted the new thing. Pony-shaped, clad in metal, horn aglow and with some large thing on its flank that steamed in the humid air. It was not of the collective. Unfamiliar. It had to die.

Pzzaat! Pzzaat!

But before the creature could fully turn, before it could get its impressive speed under its hooves, the other had fired again. Two more pink discs darted down the hall, but there was no comprehension of the danger despite having witnessed the results, no instinctive need for survival or self-preservation in the shambling corpse that had once been Lime Zest.

The first discus of magic-plasma energy gutted the charging zombie-pony from breast to flank, nearly bisecting them in half with most of its torso only barely holding onto itself. The impact forced it to slow down, only to try and quickly recover... as the second discus landed.

*** *** ***

I winced as the thing's head lopped off and rolled to a stop on the ruined floor, and once more tried desperately not to vomit. Again I was immensely thankful for the air filters as the weapon to my side hissed, cooled, then reloaded a fresh energy cartridge from the automated saddle.

The new weapons were effective. Excessively so. But they did the job in stark contrast to our original armament. I rounded the corner to find three more of the things as they meandered about, the group I had just gunned down, and was allowed to catch them off guard (for once) thanks to my integrated pip buck EFS, which actually showed elevation of the little red pips in question (how nice this was!).

Speaking of which, I saw no new blips on my compass and things seemed quiet now.

I clanked forward noisily on my newly metal hooves to the closest creatures. I could tell the skinny one had been nothing more than a cook, while her larger friend was once a maintenance pony. Now that I wasn't running away from these things, it sank in how they were once ponies like us... and the absolutely horrible fate they suffered.

I reached a hoof down and bit back the protest to not do so, then closed the horribly marred eyelids the best I could. “Rest in peace under Celestia's sun, sleep tight in Luna's night...” I murmured the prayer for them, a hoof to my barrel where I knew the pendant was. It was all I could do...

“There she goes again,” Scarlett remarked behind me. “Are you seriously going to do that every time you put one of the fuckers down? It's annoying and wastes time.”

I frowned inside my helmet. “Yes. I am. They didn't deserve this.” I could feel the roll of Scarlett's eyes even though she was behind me, but thankfully she spared me her insensitivity and did not comment further.

But that didn't stop me from thinking about those who were responsible.

Blaster offered a timely and welcome subject change. “Anywho,” he coughed. “Which way now, Darlin'?”

“Well...” I brought my map up and studied it. Every time we advanced further into the Stable, the marvelous map magic did its thing and revealed more to me. “We keep going down this corridor, and it opens up into... something.”

“'Something'?” Whiteout asked. “What do you mean?”

I squinted at the display for a moment longer before answering. “The outlines of the hallways become... irregular? I'm not sure.” It was weird. Everywhere else had the nice, straight lines of hallways, rooms, antechambers, etc. But the way forward turned to anything but normal. Winding tunnels and passages, chasms, but I could only see a little bit of the way forward as the rest was stubbornly kept from me until we advanced.

“Huh.” Blaster came up to my side. I glanced over at him and frowned. He was still nursing that shoulder and I swore he looked paler than before. “If Ah had to guess? That's that excavation site we been hearin' so much about.”

It made sense to me. I remembered how Stable 68 was repurposed after some important archaeological find mentioned back in the clinic. “What else can you see?” Whiteout asked.

I studied the thing for a moment longer. “Well, it seems to be the only connection between this part of Stable 68 and the other. Aside from the tram tunnel.”

“Wait, there's a tram tunnel and you didn't fucking say anything?” Scarlett jumped in.

I shook my head. “There is, but it's blocked.” Indeed the map 're-drew' that area with what I could only interpret as a mound of debris. It had done so before while we advanced, like back at the stairwell. “If it were a viable option I would have said so.” And I would have used it to go back and get Ghost.

Speaking of which... How was I going to accomplish that? More than enough time had passed since we left him in the autodoc tube. But between the elevators, the monsters, and the way the Stable constantly shifted in its deteriorated state, I didn't see a way back... yet.

But I will find a way... I just need to convince the others of the need to do so.

“Hey, babe, it's okay...” I blinked and looked up to see Blaster in a cold sweat and leaning into the wall with Scarlett by his side.

“Ah-ahm fine, sweetheart... just tired.” I winced and was glad that the helmet hid my expression. “Give me a moment and Ah'll be right as rain.”

Though I could tell from a glance he wouldn't be all right. At best he was running a high fever, and at worst...

“We could find a place to rest for a while,” I softly suggested. “I mean, we do have the means to protect ourselves now.”

Blaster shook his head then forced himself to stand and grin it off. “Nah Darlin'. Don't wanna be down here longer than we need to. Let's keep it goin', just... maybe slow down a touch.” I nodded and turned to lead on again. Somehow it felt more comfortable leading a smaller group of ponies rather than a Stable of hundreds. Even if it was through a death trap.

Winding our way through the rest of the living quarters went rather smoothly. There were still a great many of the creatures here scattered all around, so we avoided fighting the groups that were too large while quickly eliminating the odd straggler here and there. Thankfully the floor transitioned from bare rusted metal to moldy old carpet (gross) in this part of the Stable. It muffled my hoof steps fairly well.

“Is that it?” Whiteout asked when we came across a metal door several ponies wide and three high. It was the biggest door we had seen since the Stable entrance propper.

I checked the map. “Yes, this is it.” I studied the control panel. Luckily it didn't appear to require a security code or key card to access. But it was a big door. And just a rudimentary examination presented a problem.

“What are you waiting for?” Scarlett impatiently asked.

“The moment we open this door, the alarms will alert every creature within earshot.” I pointed to the inactive lights that lined the door frame. “We will need to close it – or hope it will close – as soon as we move through.”

“Is there another way? A quieter one?” Blaster suggested.

“Afraid not.” I sighed gently. But we needed to go. “Everyone get ready, okay?”

“Wait, I think we should...?” Whiteout paused. “Is this the best idea?”

“We don't have an alternative,” I stated more firmly and put my hoof on the lever. The longer we waited, the more likely Ghost would end up dead. “Get ready.” The old, rusted lever whined, groaned and resisted my efforts to pull it down, but only briefly.

If anything else had been said it was lost amidst the wailing alarm that blared loudly through the air. Most of the lights became active and bathed the room in strobing yellow. Then ancient locks in the enormous door disengaged with muffled thunks inside.

“Oh hell...” We all winced at the next set of noises. The dinner bell had been sounded and now the horde was coming. Yes, we had new weapons... but they still had superior numbers. This became more evident as red tick after red tick popped into my EFS compass with every passing second, until that sole direction became a red blot of imminent death.

And the door was taking entirely too long to open!

It was halfway when the creatures rounded the bend. There was not enough time. “Go! You three crawl through, I'll hold them, just get it closed as soon as you get through!” I stepped up to the only doorway, took aim, then let loose with the heavy magic-plasma cutter.

Pzzaat! Pzzaat! Pzzaat!

Bright pink discs of death raced down the hallway to meet the monstrosities head on. Those in front found themselves cut to pieces, but they were quickly trampled by the herd of murderous creatures that immediately followed. It was like trying to stop a tidal wave with a hose. Still, I fired anyway.

“We ain't leavin' ya!”

Pzzaat! Pzzat! Pzzat!

“I'm not asking you to!” I yelled back and fought down a curse as my weapon needed to reload. With no time, I unholstered Conviction in the interim, and opened fire with SATS. “Just get through!” Pzat! Pzat! Pzat Pzat Pzat! “I will follow!” I yelled in kind over the monster growls, shrieks, and the whine of my own weapons, mixed in with the blaring sirens.

I glanced back long enough to see them climbing over the half-open door, which appeared to now be stuck. Great. That's just great. I fought back a groan as it was looking like we were about to embark on another freaking chase.

“Celestia give me strength!” I paused to reload Conviction while my cutter took up the slack. It did no good however, as the wave of death advanced without a care for the onslaught I sent their way.

“Silver!!” Whiteout called and I glanced again. Oh Tartarus! Not stuck! The door slowly began to ascend, threatening to cut me off and seal my fate for certain. The weight of which sent a chill down my spine.

Except the things were just now entering the room and would be on me in seconds. The only thing saving me was the constant alteration of fire between my cutter and Conviction and the various furnishings in the room acting as barricades.

Gyah!! Have to hurry!!

I fired a few more shots, then turned tail and fled. I galloped hard, assisted greatly by the armored suit I wore. Though my heart sank as the gap looked too narrow for me to pass.

Only a matter of time...

I grit my muzzle and pushed harder, then lept high as I could for the shrinking gap and stretched myself as flat as possible. I couldn't look... only way or another... I would either make it, or strike face first into the wall. If it were the latter, I would have to pray the impact would snap my neck and kill me instantly rather than be torn apart by the angry horde of awful behind me.

I certianly felt the tugs as my underbelly scraped the rising door, and stopped suddenly with a pain in my midsection. I blinked as I draped over something.

“Oh fuck!!”

“Shit! Grab her before that door cuts her in half!”

Cuts me in half!? No, no, no! Ahhh!!!

My three companions grabbed my forelegs and pulled while I kicked away with my hindlegs. I could feel the things behind me, scratching and tearing at my armored backside.

“Pull me through! PLEASE!!” I don't want to get cut in half! The door was nearly closed. Other mosters not poking my rear wer trying to swipe at the others through the closing gap.

“We're tryin', we're tryin'! Keep kickin' darlin'!” Blaster leg go of my forelegs and moved close and within range of the ones behind the door. Strong forelegs grabbed my waist and yanked hard.

It was enough as I suddenly lurched forward, collapsing on top of all three of them with an oof. In panic, I rolled off and frantically patted at my waist and shaking hindlegs. Goddesses above, I was still in one piece! Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!

Scarlett got to her hooves first and fired her rivet mini-gun for the first time at the ones trying to claw their way through the gap. Her first burst send her sprawling onto her back. “Ah! Motherfucking!!”

“Ah told ya.”

“Shut the fuck up!” She got back up with an angry blush and fired at the door again as the door eventually closed and sliced off any unfortunate beast that was still trying to claw their way through. The sirens and lights ceased, which cast us in darkness and relative silence.

“Oh that was close...” I panted softly and stood on shaking hooves. “Thank you...”

“Don't mention it, Darlin'. Ya done saved our flanks earlier, 'course we're gonna do the same for you.”

“Yeah, yeah, group hug... anyone got a damned light?” Scarlett said in the darkness. I could only barely make out their outlines, but I suspected that was just some spell enhancement in the suit. “All I can see is Princess's purple-ass face.”

“Oh, well, let's see if I can turn the lights on--” And suddenly light flooded from somewhere on my face into the shocked gaze of Scarlett.

“Ahhh!” She scrambled back, blinded and rubbing at her face. “Motherfucker!”

“Sorry.” I wasn't really as I grinned behind the helmet. Well, maybe a little. Definitely had to stifle my laughter at her expense.

Though I could understand. The lamps attached to my new helmet cut through the oppressive darkness quite effectively. It seemed we were in some kind of staging area with large machines of different sizes, wheeled and huge as some of the tires were bigger than the four of us combined.

“Heavy mining equipment,” Blaster helpfully clarified. “We had one o' these things, but it almost never worked right.” He said between stifled coughs. “Plus fuel is a bitch to get.”

I nodded as I walked around. It was eerily quiet and our voices echoed in a manner that made me uncomfortable. And it was no wonder as I cleared the large machines and came into the cavern so large that it dwarfed all of us, ancient machinery included.

“Whoa...” I let out a soft whisper of awe. It definitely beat the tiny-by-comparison cave that was outside Stable 46's door. And in that moment I felt so tiny, so insignificant, and less than a blip in history. The crushing reality sank in that if we died down here we would truly be lost forever and forgotten, for if anyone did try to retrieve us then they too would fall into this hellish trap and die.

The very idea terrified me and I wanted nothing more than to high tail it back home.

So enthralled in my inner-mental terror, I didn't hear Whiteout trot up next to me.

“Gyah!!” I screamed out and nearly fell over. “Ah, please don't do that!”

The sneaky white unicorn grinned bashfully. “Sorry. You just didn't look too good over here.”

I blinked and tilted my head. “How do you mean?”

“Well, you weren't moving and started shaking.” Whiteout shrugged, then glanced upwards into the cave. “You're still getting used to new surroundings, huh?”

“I... I suppose so.” I sighed gently and needed a change of subject. I brought up the map and studied it. “I think I can guide us around the myriad tunnels down here. The Stable is broken up into two main parts connected by the tramway and these excavation lanes.”

Whiteout frowned when I looked back at her. “It might be a better idea to rest.”

I blinked, then shook my head. “No, we need to keep going. We have to get out of here as quickly as possible, and I still need to figure out how to get back for Ghost.”

Whiteout had been about to say something when Scarlett joined us, and did not look happy. “What? You want to fucking keep going? Now!?” Her voice rose as she stared me down. “I want to get out of here too, Princess, but we aren't fucking termaponies, okay? Blaster needs to rest! Got that!?”

Heat crept into my face. “Yes, and every moment we stay down here is a moment longer that we all will die. It's a moment longer that Ghost may not ha--”

Scarlett cut me off, “He's dead by now, stupid!” She advanced so close I had to lead back, then pointed back to the door we just narrowly got through. “If we barely got through that bullshit what the fuck makes you think he has a chance?”

I really didn't know. “I have to believe he will...” I said, and even though I wanted it to be true, it sounded so lame. Especially as guilt once again pulled tight around my chest and reminded me that it was my fault Ghost was in such a condition. I got him killed. Just like Deathrain.

“Ah'm sorry, girlie... Ah really am, but Scarlett's right.” Blaster walked up slowly and sat down with a pained grunt. His shoulder was getting worse and he looked pale. “Reapers are tough sons-a-bitches, but... well, this Stable ain't no walk in the park. Doubt we'd find anythin' like this anywhere else in the world, much less in Stalliongrad.”

Whiteout nodded. “And I agree too, we need to rest. I mean, if we can maybe go back and at least try, we can, but not if we're all too exhausted. I... I don't want to get caught by those things and get torn apart...” Her ears folded at the prospect, one that I also feared and came extremely close to becoming reality not ten minutes ago.

The three of them watched me and I glanced between them all, clearly outnumbered. I wanted to argue, I wanted to say no, that they were wrong, we still had time and could save him. I did not want this weight on my heart!

But I could not deny the reality of our situation. We found new weapons and ways to fight these things, true, but it had been many hours since we entered this nightmare of a Stable. In that time we were almost sliced to ribbons multiple times and nearly suffocated, and fell down not one but two elevator shafts, it was a miracle we were alive at all. Could we afford to tempt fate any more? Regardless, as I looked over my companions, I could not refuse the toll our 'adventure' was taking on us.

What would Eternal Dawn do in this situation...? I found myself wondering. Was it right to risk everyone's lives to try and save another that might have already passed on? But I can't abandon him, either!

I bit my lip and then reluctantly nodded. “Okay... let's rest here.”

*** *** ***

I sat a little aways from the group, again studying the map, at the light’s edge of the fire. I had to be absolutely sure of our path. More mistakes meant more delays, and as was covered before every second we stayed down here was a better chance to die.

We camped around the corner of the massive door, which seemed sturdy enough to hold the creatures at bay. They continued to claw away at it even now, but whatever carved that hole in the Stable entrance proper was obviously nowhere nearby. Still, with us around the corner and close to the gate, we would hear them long before they could find us. We also had some cover to use, and I made use of Ghost’s wisdom and constructed little walls around our fire to hide the light.

But the noise didn’t seem to bother the others as they slept. Maybe it was just the sheer exhaustion of running for our lives for the last several hours. I certainly felt it as my eyes burned for sleep.

How can I, though? I grimaced into the cool air. After a little fiddling I managed to get the suit’s helmet to fold down and retract. I can’t possibly sleep now. I have to get us out of here. I have to somehow convince them to go back for Ghost. To do that, I need a way for us to get back to him… and to pray that he still lives.

“Okay…” I said softly and with a tired sigh. “If we go this way…” Planning a route wasn’t all that hard. The hard part was coming up with contingencies. If one path was blocked, which it likely would be, I needed to have another one in mind and ready. It also didn’t help that I frequently got lost in my own Stable…

“You should sleep, you know.”

“Gyah!!” I half-shrieked as Whiteout snuck up on my left. “Will you–!” I yelled, then lowered my voice to an angry whisper. “Will you stop sneaking up on me!?”

“Sorry.” Whiteout smiled sheepishly and joined me. “But you really should rest.”

I shook my head and went back to my route planning. “I am fine.”

“But you won’t be,” Whiteout said gently.

“I said I’m fine…” I replied a bit more sternly. This was more important by far, couldn’t she see that?

I heard her sigh, but the message seemed to have gotten across. “Will you… tell me about your Stable?”

I blinked, the question dragged me up from the map interface. “What?”

“I mean… would you? I can’t imagine your home is like this place.” She smiled gently.

I shook my head. “No, it definitely isn’t. My home is… it’s… well, it was peaceful.” Clover came to mind. Her last moments. “We went to the Cathedral every day. Prayed for each other.”

“What is a Cathedral?”

I felt a smile on my muzzle. It was a strange thing to ask, or at least it was to me. “Imagine a room, huge, like this cave, but… ornate, gleaming with the Goddesses’ light. We have two huge marble statues of Them. Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna. There’s hundreds of my fellow mares, and it can hold all of us at once.” I smiled at the memory of home and missed the grandness of it all. Nothing I had seen out here even came close to a comparison.

“It sounds nice.” Whiteout nodded next to me. “I can’t say mine is as good.”

“So where are you from?” I asked.

“A small town called Mec-bright. It’s an old factory. Nowhere near as glamorous as a cathedral, but it was home.” Whiteout smiled, but it was clearly painful.

“I’m sure it wasn’t all bad, was it?” I smiled in kind and found myself trying to cheer her up. “After all… you seem like a decent pony.”

Whiteout smiled a little at that. “Thanks. And I guess you’re right.”

“So, Mec-bright, was it? What made you leave?”

That smile lessened a little. “I didn’t want to be another metal grinder.” She let out a heavy sigh and I tilted my head. “My home town is this old, huge factory. I think it used to make appliances or something before the bombs fell. The majority of what the town offers is electrical stuff. I just… didn’t want to do that my whole life.”

“So, you wanted to bounty hunt instead?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. Why would anyone want to trade a life of safety for one of danger? Well, actually… yes, the irony was not lost on me, but it was different!

Whiteout shook her head, leaving me more confused until she elaborated, “No, I wanted to go to Reprieve. There’s lots of work there, but, well… It's very hard to make a living. Lots of corruption there, crime too. It’s almost safer in the wasteland than it is in Reprieve.”

The idea boggled my mind as I struggled to understand. How in Celestia’s name could a civilized town be MORE dangerous than the wasteland itself? Literally how? It seemed impossible as I remembered the giant radscorpion attack and how that thing very nearly killed me. And if Ghost and I had not shown up, those orphans would have been slaughtered. Then there were the randomly roving bands of raiders waiting to brutalize and kill you, not to mention slavers that wanted to deal you a fate that was arguably worse than death. And hell, that was just what I knew of and experienced! The Goddesses only knew what else was out there…

Which, now that I thought about it, Stable 68 was probably one of the most unknown dangers here. I doubt anypony that came down here, no matter the reason, ever managed to escape. It was a unique experience I would have preferred to miss out on.

Then again I automatically thought a Stable would be safe… so… shows what I know, right?

“So it’s harder to make a living in Reprieve than Mec-bright?” I asked and Whiteout nodded. “Why is that? I admit I don’t know much about the world, but if I had to hazard a guess, electronics and things related would be worth a lot, wouldn’t they?”

“Yes, they were, and we made good money, my mommy and daddy, but…” Whiteout’s ears folded back as her gaze lowered to the flames. “They both spent every cap they earned on firesprite.”

I blinked. That was the drink I liked. The one Ghost let me try and it warmed me up against the cold and the same one I had in that town we got the contract in. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. Is that bad?” Maybe a little fiscally irresponsible as I remember the price of said drink, but why was it such a terrible thing?

A snirk of laughter caught our attention. Scarlett was up. So was Blaster as they dragged themselves off of the ground. “So Princess has never been drunk before huh? That’s so precious.” The ex-raider chuckled again. “Have you ever had firesprite before?”

I rolled my eyes as she yet again made fun of me. “Yes, I have. It’s… kind of tasty,” I admitted. It was certainly different to everything else we had in Stable 46. Which was mainly just pure water, but we had coffee and made fruit juices on special occasions.

Whiteout frowned and seemed interested in the fire. “Alcohol changes ponies when they have a lot of it.” She looked at me and I could almost see the pain behind her eyes and… suspicion?. “Be careful, because it will change you too.”

I leaned back a bit, surprised by the look. It seemed absurd to me. How could a drink, of all things, change someone? Though I had to remind myself that there was a lot about their world I still didn’t know.

Blaster, once again, with the subject changing rescue. “And what about you, sweetheart? Got any folks?”

“Um, how do you mean?” I blinked.

“Parents. Mom and dad. Brothers, sisters? Ya know, family.” He gestured a hoof abroad. “Ah got a little brother and my pa. Scarlett’s got a brother.”

The mare in question rolled her eyes. “Yeah but he’s a fucking dumbass, still does the raider bullshit. Leads some group now, don’t really know where.”

“I mean… My mares are my family. Everyone in my home, but…” I hummed in thought, trying to conflate my ideas and theirs into something understandable. Which wasn’t easy, our worlds were so very different. Alien, even. “Well, Eternal Dawn raised me. She’s my Guardian, and was the Stable’s High Priestess before I took the mantle, though…” I paused. “I don’t really think anyone else sees me that way.” No, they looked more to Dawn than me for leadership.

“Well, ‘scuse me for sayin’ so, Darlin’...” Blaster paused and the look he gave me seemed to be one of pity. “But it sounds ta me like yer Stable is one a’ them experiments too. Jus’ not the gruesome type like this one here or the others.”

“What?” Heat gathered in my face. What an absurd suggestion! “No! My home is NOT like this place!”

“Whoa, easy.” Blaster held up his hooves defensively. “Didn’t mean nothin’ by it.”

“Well I take great offense by it!” I glared back at him. “My home is sacred, as is my position, and everypony in my home is important to me! We’re not some damned experiment!”

“He’s not saying that, Silver,” Whiteout spoke up softly.

I snorted, but decided it wasn’t worth continuing. “Yes, okay…” I huffed indignantly and this time stared at the fire. We weren’t the same as this place. We were of the Goddesses, in their image. We’re made of their grace and magnanimity.

But…

This place was a Stable, too. Though its design was different, there were unfortunate similarities. Maybe the biggest and most damning evidence to the contrary was the M.A.R.S. barrels, which were on the surface in that office building, and down here. Then there was Stable-tec on other boxes and barrels as well.

I felt like I was on the precipice of something forbidden. Something dark and sinister. Something… well beyond my understanding. A feeling so unsettling, I didn’t want to know. Right?

“Blaster?” I asked, my ears folded down.

“Yes, Darlin’?”

“I…” A strong tinge of fear stopped me. Did I really want to ask these questions? The evidence was everywhere, all around me. That trap would close around my neck sooner or later, and if it was later then it might be during a dangerous moment. One that might be the difference between life or death.

Only a matter of time.

I sighed long, low, and felt like there was a knife to my neck. I had to force myself to say it. “What are the Stables?”

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: Armored Gallop: Taking this perk negates the normal agility loss when wearing light or medium Power Armor, but doubles the agility loss if the armor is in an unpowered state.

Author's Note

Hello all! Or rather, those that are still here (Thank you!)

Story isn't dead, I'm just incredibly slow. Part of that reason is because I've been outlining major and minor plots in the story. I also had trouble trying to decide where was a good place to end this chapter, and decided that the bomb-shell cliffhanger for Silver was a decent idea.

That and I wanted to get a chapter out.

Enjoy!