Applejack was the first to be escorted from the metal airship. The fact that such a massive and heavy machine could fly still confused and scared her to a degree. Her bare hooves passed the end of the ramp as her eyes were assaulted by Celestias’ sun. Once she had adjusted to the daytime light she caught her first quick glance at her surroundings. She managed to note how utterly alien the structures were before Pinkie crashed into her from behind. Rainbow floated up beside the other two as they all took a good long look around.

“Whoa,” They all chorused.

The field that the handful of alien buildings had occupied just a couple of days ago had been completely transformed into a fortress that put even Canterlots’ defences in the shade. A tall, thick concrete wall formed a solid octagon around the cluster of structures. Within, the number of buildings had tripled, accompanied by glowing energy towers and satellite dishes. Towers topped with swivelling gun turrets were spaced around the outer wall while alien soldiers wandered its walkway. The buildings the girls had seen previously were now even more intricately decorated and heavily reinforced.

“Follow us. The Biologis centre is expecting us.” Arphestus announced before starting off to the pads’ elevator.

The girls clumsily followed, bumping into each other and exchanging agitated looks before trying to walk and admire simultaneously. They spotted a number of strange beings fly, float, crawl, slither, march and drudge from building to building. They ranged from winged alien infants riddled with mechanical deformations to hooded cybernetic priests with tank treads for legs. A number of buildings were decorated with the most beautiful stained glass windows Applejack had ever seen. Shadowing them were the imposing statues and gargoyles that mad made their homes in the sides of the large structures, carved in the images of mighty heroes and elegant winged aliens.

The elevator hummed and whined as it descended one of the landing pads legs, announcing its arrival to ground level with a loud thud. The gates (whose gridded doors had a double headed eagle carved into them) slid open, the group taking up a jog to their destination. They passed a handful of small patrols and squads in training while on their journey, receiving faceless stares from alien death masks. Applejack suddenly felt a deep regret in ever coming to this place, feeling like a sheep in a cage full of lions. She swore she could feel the predatory eyes of the giant warriors burn into her even when she couldn’t see them, as if they were all assessing her physiology. Rainbow Dash seemed to have been effected in a similar way, looking very tense and uncomfortable. When Applejack turned her attention to Pinkie Pie she gasped to find her absent from the group.

“Wait! Where’d Pinkie go? Pinkie!?” She called in panic.

“I’m over here guys!” The pink ponys’ high pitched reply came from around the other side of a building they had not long passed by.

They rushed round to find her being towered over by five of the enormous alien creatures. They approached the group to find Pinkie battering the giants with volleys of fast paced, high pitched words. Even though the aliens were masked by their grimacing helmets Applejack could feel their confusion and even amusement as she watched their body language. It was like a group of adults listening to a 5 year olds excitement after their first day of school.

“-and so me and my friends had to go back to this burnt up place that smelled of bad banana so your guys could find out who did-done-doed it. But while we were all searching for clues out jump, like, bazillion gribbly goblins! And they’re all ‘Grrr!’ and your guys are all ‘BLAM BLAM BLAM!’, so me and my friends figure we’d better sit this one out. But as we’re hiding, SURPRISE, a mean ugly goblin tries to get Rarity. Twilight goes all magic on his flank, then Dorny gets all ‘up in his faaaiiiice!’, and BLAMMO!-“

The giants chuckled and shook their heads as they took the verbal barrage with surprising patience.

“We were just being educated on your recent engagement brother. Quite the tale.” A grizzled sternguard sergeant called to the approaching Arphestus. The sergeant was honoured with a highly ornate powerfist and power armour, his bolter remained locked to the magnetic clamp at his back. His head was bald, while his face held three service studs adjacent to the portion of his face that had been burnt off down to the muscle, the expression on his right side ever molten into a hideous grin, while cybernetic tubes and wires were fed into his bared skull round the side of his head.

“Say, what’s wrong with your face?” Pinkie inquired loudly while leaning towards the armoured warrior, the whole squad bursting into thunderous laughter at the question.

“Indeed sergeant, what is wrong with your face?” A veteran added sarcastically, receiving a sharp jab in the waist from the sergeants elbow.

“Come now, we have an appointment to meet.” Teriun stated as he pulled Pinkie away by the shoulder.

“Okie dokie. I’ll tell you the rest later!” She called back to the sternguard, the veterans turning back to their duties after a couple quick nods goodbye.

“Pinkie, you can’t jus’ run off like that. This place is...well...strange.” Applejack said while keeping her hands firmly on Pinkies shoulders, moving her head to dodge an incoming floating skull.

“Yeh, I mean, look at this place. These guys have got more uses for their own skulls than AJ has for apples.” She stated, with AJ in agreement.

Soon they reached a building that appeared (as Dash described) ‘20% less freaky’. It’s tall doorway way decorated with golden winged aliens healing and reconstructing over normal ones with goblets of liquid and mechanical surgical devices. At the peak of the archway was a winged skull that was atop a double helix. Inside the building was much more disturbing. Operating theatres, long robotic arms hung tipped with saws, syringes and clamps hung inactive from the lifeless torsos of mechanically modified priests. Legless, pale and dead eyed, the surgical servants locked like creatures that had been drained of all life. Pinkie yelled ‘Hey!’ as AJ quickly shielded her sight from the horror than she and Dash had the misfortune of seeing in the next room.

One of the smaller, pony sized servants was laid out on one of the metal surgical tables. A pair of its cybernetic augmented brethren where at each of his sides, pouring oils onto him while chanting a variety of strange hymns. The surgical servant distended his white-robed torso from the ceiling, his six robotic limbs chattering and buzzing in anticipation. The grilled metal mask he wore blared his monotone voice.

“Commencing augmetics surgery. Patient: Serf Morlanis 99hys-8886-44. Procedure designation: Type 3 munitions preparation. May his blessed works find purpose in this servants frame.”

Without hesitation the surgeon plunged a whining buzz saw into the patients bicep and dismembered his arm. The patient didn’t even flinch, less could be said for AJ and Dash. One of the assistants quickly held a thick cloth to the wound, which soon was soaked in what seemed to be kitchen cleaner. Its blood was thick and yellow/green in colour, while the muscle and bone seemed to have an artificial quality to them. A sick sense of amazement nagged at AJ to continue observing the bizarre procedure, but the group was still on the move and soon the room was slammed from her sight as she passed through a large metal door. With fear eating at her mind AJ couldn’t help but tremble slightly as they came to a halt in front of a series of large rooms, white walled and well lit.

“I’m afraid this is where we leave you. Don’t worry, the decontamination and inspection routines are quite painless and completely necessary.” Arphestus said before him and his squad turned to head back out the door they had entered through.

“W-wait! What’s gonna happen t’ us?” Applejack cried in fear, her eyes wide and shaky.

“I hope you’re not the shy type.” Dornus said back with a chortle before the doors slid closed with a boom.

The girls could do nothing but stand there in fearful anticipation, shuffling and holding themselves in utter discomfort. Pinkie however continued to practise her art of utter disregard for danger and skipped around from room to room humming to herself.

“Hey girls, check out the size of this needle!” Pinkie yelled in amazement, causing Applejack to be struck by a cold sweat in under a second.

“W-w-what? Why are we here? What are they going to do?” Dash rambled as her panicked eyes darted about the room.

“To answer your first question, you are here to be inspected, examined and finally decontaminated.”

The three girls turned to see another soldier clad in thick armour, painted a perfect white. His armour seemed to hold a number of additional tools, of which AJ hadn’t seen on any of the others she had laid eyes on. The left eye of his helmet was a cluster of three scopes on cameras, one his backpack stood a large floodlight and another cluster of what appeared to be cameras; both turned and craned as his head did. His right wrist bore a collection of saws, drills and needles that were attached to vials of deep blue liquid. At his side was another one of those floating skulls riddled with mechanical tentacles and claws, and at his other were three robed servants also augmented with grotesque bionics.

“Please, if you would proceed to this room.” His calm, deep voice boomed through the speaker in his helmet as his armoured hand gestured to the room closest to him.

Slowly and reluctantly (aside from Pinkie, of course) the girls shuffled into the room. They entered in to find it absent of any surgical equipment, but full of large containers, computers and chemistry equipment.

“Now I must admit, your presence within our compound is unusual. Were it not for the graces of our wise captain Titus, you would have most certainly been denied access,” He said as he pulled a strange device, that looked somewhat like a large calculator, from his belt and began operating it, “So therefore I must warn you that even the simplest of our protocols may seem...obscure, to any given mortal.”

“Our first step is to examine you, and when they arrive, your friends completely. This will involve you relieving yourself of your attire completely so our scanning equipment is not hindered by artificial anomalies.”

“What? Nuh-uh, there is no way I’m letting you take my clothes! I am not just gonna wander around flank-naked.” Dash shot at the giant, crossing her arms in stern refusal.

“You are always welcome to leave the complex.” The alien stated bluntly.

“Why, exactly, do we have tah get all undressed for?” Applejack inquired suspiciously.

The alien paused for a moment before speaking.

“400 years ago the Imperium of man was host to a number of refugee exchange routes. The homeless, injured and young were shipped to worlds with enough room and resources to provide them aid. Security was much more relaxed back then. And such relaxed security was what allowed dozens of terrorist insurgents from multiple species access to our ships. Little did we realize that such extremists would be willing to surgically implant high powered explosives into their own hearts. We had a total of 11 ships lost to the suicide attacks, with 3,000 astartes and over 30,000 refugees killed as a result.” He said as he turned to the girls.

“From then on such attacks where never risked again, and strict security measures were put into place to ensure no one else dies due to such blasphemous schemes,” He gestured to himself, “Say for, of course, those who have to commit to such inspections.”

AJ could tell the ‘astarte’ was telling the truth, and she did want to learn more about these creatures. As she turned to see what the others thought she spotted a rather pinker Pinkie. Pinkie Pie had stripped down to just her underwear, just pulling off her baggy t-shirt as AJ saw her. A hunched servant shuffled over to Pinkie, holding its pale hands out to her whilst kneeling. Pinkie pulled off her polka-dot bra and panties and handed her pile of clothes to the servant, beaming a wide smile. Pinkie was the more shapely of all her friends, as a result of eating so much candy, having ample breasts, wide hips supporting a full buttocks, a slightly pudgy belly and a bit of thickness to her limbs.

“Thanks! C’mon girls, no need to be shy!” Pinkie proclaimed, hands on hips.

AJ looked to Rainbow Dash who sighed long and hard before begrudgingly lifting her vest over her head. AJ shrugged and unbuttoned her shirt and untied the knot she’d made at the bottom. After an awkward undress AJ also handed her clothes to a kneeling servant who took the pile to the side of the room as the others had. AJ had always been confident and proud of her figure, which was well muscled (more so than a lot of colts she knew). The only thing that annoyed her were her annoyingly large breasts that she now tried her best to conceal with one arm, a fight she was losing. She envied Dashs’ figure, thin, wiry, strong and most importantly relatively flat chested. While Dash and AJ did their best to hide their gender-specific features, Pinkie seemed as if her clothes had been a burden she was forced to wear as she skipped over to her friends throwing her arms over each of their shoulders.

“Aaaw, you girls are so silly! It’s not like this room is full of colts or anything. Just us and a few freaky alien guys.” She said grinning and giggling.

AJ sheepishly looked to Dash, who practically mirrored her expression.

“You look good.” Dash stated raising her eyebrows.

“Uh, well, thank yah kindly Dash. Yah lookin’ pretty good yerself.” AJ replied blushing and looking away.

“Now, time to get started. If you would each stand infront of one of the purgation tanks behind you.”

The girls shuffled, hovered and skipped over to the large glass containers. The giant cylinders were held atop a vast collection of snaking metal wires and tubes surrounded by consoles and display sets. The tops were metal lids attached to the ceiling by massive hydraulic limbs. The astarte pulled a black and yellow striped lever down on a console and a sharp hiss came from the tanks. The glass rose from their bases and rose up to the tall ceiling.

“Enter your machine.”

The girls turned to see the floor rise up in segments to create a set of stairs. With mixed attitudes they all ascended to the top of the metal base. The floor of the tank was icy cold on AJs’ hooves, making her dance from hoof to hoof in discomfort.

“Good, now you will notice there is a small device located one meter to your front on the floor of the container. This is your breathing unit. Now remove the facial attachment from its holster by pulling on the clips located either side of the device,” He waited for the girls to complete their assigned task, “Good. Now you may notice that the masks are not....adequate for your species facial structure, so I must ask for you all to purse your lips.”

AJ followed his instruction and pushed her lips forwards into a pout. Suddenly the mask made a whining sound before its edges sealed around her muzzle. She clenched her eyes and instinctually attempted to remove the device from her mouth. It wasn’t painful, but quite uncomfortable to have her face pulled forward constantly.

“Remain calm, remain calm. This won’t take long as long as you cooperate.”

Dash and AJ ceased their fight with their masks; however Dash couldn’t help but fidget with the devices edge. The hissing sound rang loud once again and the glass tube descended down around them. With a thud and a sucking sound the glass sealed to the bottom, clamps locking down around the tanks bottom. A soft gurgle resounded through the tank causing AJ to dart her head around the tank. She then noticed warmth at her feet, when she looked down her heart skipped a beat. Warm, slightly turquoise water began to rise up from the tanks floor, fed in through holes that lined the edge of the tube.

Applejack couldn’t help but panic as the prospect of drowning in an alien test tube was all her mind could focus on. It seemed the others had the same idea, even Pinkie looked scared as her hands pressed up against the inside of her tank. The liquid quickly filled the container, already passing up AJs breasts and approaching her neck. Soon she was lifter off her hooves and tried to stay afloat, until something started pulling her down. AJ struggle as best she could but something had her by one leg, then the other, and it was much stronger than her. Despite her struggles she was pulled into the water.

AJs mind was in utter terror, her breathing ragged and sharp, her heartbeat raced and punched hard in her chest. Her eyes remained shut tight, then eased up, then relaxed and finally opened. Her breathing steadied and heart gave her a break. Her vision was blurred and distorted slightly by the liquid but she could still make out the ghostly white of the astartes armour, and the colours and rough shapes of her friends in the other containers. She looked down to see her legs were being held down by mechanical clamps that stemmed from the tanks bottom wrapped around her calves, and robotic tentacles now snaked up from the floor and, with small suction cups, attached themselves to AJs neck, outer thigh, forearm, lower and higher back, stomach and temples.

A moment after a low humming came from above AJ, followed by a bright blue grid of light that fell over her the washed over her from the front. Another pair of robotic arms rose up from the floor, ending in a cluster of tubes and lenses. From them shot deep red laser lines that prodded at AJs abdomen and torso. AJ felt as if she’d been in the tank for decades before the tank echoed with a gurgling roar. Slowly, the liquid fell to her mane, past her eyes, neck and down to her stomach. Finally her mask released its enthusiastic grip on her face and fell off. Applejack coughed and wiped her face that had fallen under a slight numbness. The hissing returned again to announce AJs release.

“Very good, assemble before me.” The alien called.

AJ wiped her mane back out of her face and noticed the alien servant that once again kneeled before her, but this time with some kind of clothing. She took it with thanks and put it on, or at least attempted to. It appeared to be some kind of robe, only it was tailored to fit a seven foot tall hulking alien, so fit her like a tent. The robe dragged across the floor with huge excess and the sleeves wouldn’t even pull up enough to reveal her hands properly. Rainbow Dash also fiddled and struggled with her new attire, and Pinkie did what anyone would expect her to do, pulling the robe over her face while holding her arms out wide making a ‘WooOOoooOOOoo-‘noise.

“Very interesting results, I’ll have to review them later. Now, I’m just going to ask you to perform some simple physical actions. First, you must all stand on one leg for as long as possible. Please do not jump to correct any balancing issues.” The astarte ordered.

The trio did as they were told, Pinkie biting her bottom lip in sheer concentration. As they all stumbled back onto two feet the main door slid open again without warning. Through it came four more of the giant astartes; one was missing his leg at the knee. Pinkie jumped and covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide in horror. Rainbow Dash wasn’t far off in her own reaction followed by AJ as they both felt they strong need to vomit. All of them were shocked by the manner in which the soldier dealt with the injury, acting as a pony would if they received a sprained ankle. The white astarte ran up to the group and helped the injured alien onto an operating table in the next room. The girls followed as far as the edge of the wall separating the rooms to watch.

“What happened?” The white astarte asked sharply.

“Some hell-spawned creature in the swamps a couple of miles away. Four heads, tall as a dreadnought.” One of the others answered as he set his squad mate down on the slab.

“Guuh! Came out the bog –gah!- got me pinned. Didn’t look so tough with 20 bolt round inside it.” The injured alien stated through his discomfort.

All of them except the medical expert removed their helmets. It was incredibly difficult for AJ to tell any of these things apart, their skin was all the same colour, and most had the same mane colour. She could see that some were older than others and many had scars that were uniquely hideous in their own ways. One of the four had scars around his mouth so bad he barely had any lips, another had a dead eye with scars spreading out from the far corner of his eye going out to the side of his head. Another was notably more beautiful than the others, bearing no visible scars, thick golden locks of wavy hair and radiant blue eyes that were gentle as a bunny. The injured astarte had a scar that looked as if someone had held a blowtorch to centre of his head, ruined flesh spreading out in an assortment of thin and thick tendrils.

“Well, I guess I’d better cut that short and seal it up. Congratulations brother, you are to be the proud owner of a bionic leg.” The medic stated.

“Who are they?” The injured astarte asked as his eyes rested on the three brightly coloured equines peeking round the corner.

“Guests. Sanctioned by Titus. Interesting species.” The medic replied.

“Still doesn’t explain –Ack!-.”

The medic jabbed the astartes bloody and ragged stump with one of the needles on his wrist assembly, injecting some kind of anaesthetic/disinfectant. Then he, somehow, revved up the short chainsaw on the multi-tool and approached the edge of the wound. The girls threw their sight away and cringed at the sound of screaming metal followed by the pained grunts of the astarte. It finished and the girls braved to look again. The stump was now a near perfect cut, but still just as crimson and drippy. AJ jumped as a small group of shuffling, dead-eyed servants carried a large silver container that looked frighteningly like a metal coffin. With a well synched combinations of turned and pulls the servants released the locks and the face of the container hissed open, the top pulling apart with blunt metal teeth running its edge.

“I’m afraid it only comes in one colour,” Said the medic as he pulled something from the maw of the box. He turned to reveal he was holding a cybernetic leg, chrome coloured and moulded from a collection of metal bones, hydraulics and tubes.

“It’ll have to do then.”

The medic brought the base of the mechanical limb to the soldiers stump and fixed it on, clamps locking on to the plate of his leg armour while whirrs and clicks announced that somehow the device was making its home within the alien.

“So why do we have a small collection of fluorescent equine natives present in the surgery?” Another of the soldiers said while clamping his helmet to his belt.

“From what I’ve heard there have been somewhat, ‘disturbing’ events from beyond the compound. Techmarine Deridus told me of some potential demonic presence.” Replied the medic.

“The scourge of madness, here?”

“Never question the capabilities of the dark powers brother; they’ll surprise you in the worst way.” The eldest of the soldiers added in, his voice a harsh growl.

“Uhm, excuse me,” Applejack started, her voice a mess with nerves, “but what exactly is goin’ on here? Everythang was perfectly normal a few days ago, an’ now there’re aliens and monsters running around our town, our homes. Now ah don’t mean tah sound unwelcoming......but can’t ya’ll jus’.........leave us alone?”

“Unfortunately, no.” A deep voice said from near the entrance of the surgery.

There stood another of the giant aliens, fully encased in the dark blue armour aside from his comparatively small head. His armour however was drastically different to that of his brothers, being highly ornate with golden skulls and laurels. Atop his backpack sat what looked like a golden sun half raised from the horizon, shimmering slightly with a pale aura of light. On his belt was a ornate version of the aliens firearms, alongside the smaller variant applejack had seen the others carry. Near the back of his belt hung a sword, its blade composed of a collection of terrifying metal teeth much like a chainsaw, which was also heavily decorated with shining wings. His face was somewhat less threatening than his brethrens, having slightly softer features and his expression merely a concentrated stare rather than a threatening snarl or grimace. His hair was cut short and held a heavy parting on one side, which AJ soon noticed to actually be a massive scar running through his scalp as if someone had buried a fire axe into his skull. He strode over to the trio, his stance relaxed and controlled.

“I can’t say I have the answers to what those creatures where doing on this world, nor how they got here. But until such answers are found we can surely assume that your homes, friends and kingdom are all in danger. Our forces have been just as harshly affected as your people have, and only our technology holds the means to getting to the bottom of this.” His voice was deep, as were all the rest, but held smooth and kind qualities.
He came right up to AJ and knelt to meet her at eye level.

“I understand your fear, and how our presence must be distressing, but we must ask that our people cooperate as best as we can. As soon as we have secured your lands you have my word we will depart, and hopefully you will never have to see us again.” He said as he placed his massive hand on Applejacks shoulder for a second before standing again.

“Your companions have arrived and will need to be examined as you have. For now though you will be escorted to the chapel where you will await our arrival.”

The giant turned to his comrades and put his hand on the injured ones pauldron.

“How do you feel brother?”

“I’ll be standing within the hour my lord. And if permitted, back in that swamp to get my leg back.” The alien replied to his leader.

“Perhaps. Rest now, let Fridor patch you up right.” The leader said looking to the medic who approached with a vial of green liquid that he inserted into his wrist syringe.

The leader turned back to the girls.

“Dress yourselves and meet me outside.” He said before heading back out the door.

“Who was that?” Rainbow Dash blurted.

“Captain Titus, our commanding captain. He is a good man; you would do well to listen to him. He’s been fighting long before your grandparents were taking their first steps.”

“Yeh, and that’s great, but our grandparents ended up doing better things than fighting.” Rainbow exclaimed while crossing her arms in defiance.

It seemed the astartes had decided to rise above the insult and said nothing, or perhaps they noticed that she had a point. Either way, AJ decided to stay out of it and headed over to get dressed. Pinkie and Dash decided to soon follow, Pinkie however held a deep expression of concentration and self-thought, a very peculiar thing for the pony famous for voicing her every thought. They dressed as quickly as they could and headed out the medical centre. AJ would have to keep a closer eye on Dash from now on.