Author's Notes:

Its on time!
Lies! Lies and Slander!

I stood next to my ship staring at the massive engine on the ground in front of me. I kept trying to think of the best way to get it up and installed into the proper spot on the ship. Ordis had finally finished the thing while I was through the mirror. Now I just needed to figure out how to actually get it to the back of the ship and up to the hole.

I could just lift the thing… at the cost of my back. I could drag it and get dirt everywhere. I could always put it in a storage device. But that could lead to dire consequences. And I think Serenity would like to keep her shoulder attached to her body.

“Hello, comrade.”

I turned to the voice, “Hey, Drax.”

“Vhat are you doing?” he asked with his heavy Russian accent.

I looked back at the engine, “Figuring out how to move that thing.”

He looked at the engine. “Did you try storage device?”

“The though had crossed my mind.”

Silence filled the air as the two of us stared at the engine, trying to come up with an idea.

“Fuck it,” I said in defeat, “Twilight!”

The young alicorn bit her tongue as the magic in her body flowed through her horn. With Rainbow and Fluttershy holding ropes on each side of the floating engine, myself, Serenity, Drax, Pinkie and Applejack pulled the rope that was attached to the makeshift pulley system we made. As we slowly lifted the giant hunk of metal. Nearby Rarity sat on a mat with the CMC.

“Remind me vhy she isn’t helping?” Drax asked.

“Because those three can be a handful,” I answered, honestly.

I really don’t need to explain it.

Slowly the engine rose to the right height. Holding it in place I ordered Dash and Fluttershy to slowly guide it into place. After several minutes the two mares pushed the thing into place. Letting go of my rope I gave the engine a quick once over to make sure everything lined up.

“Alright!” I hollered from inside the ship, “Were good!” Everypony fell to the ground exhausted. Jumping down I stood before the group of panting mares. “You look tired.” I joked.

Twilight lifted her head, “You… have… no idea!” she said between breaths before dropping her head with an exhausted sigh.

I chuckled, “Thanks anyway you guys. Sure made my life easier.”

“Don’t… mention it!” Dash panted.

Several seconds past as the girls caught their breath.

“Hey!” Pinkie said between breaths, “Excalibur…do you think… that you could…tell us a story? As repayment?”

“Yeah, a story!” Scootaloo added enthusiastically from the side.

“Yeah!” Sweetiebelle chimed in, “Story!”

“I don’t have a problem with that,” Twilight finished.

“Will it be scary?” Fluttershy asked nervously.

“Depends on the story,” I replied, “I have thousands!”

The girls sat there and thought about it for a moment.

“I got one!” Twilight finally said, “How about one about your sister?”

I shrugged, “Why not.”

Walking over to the library I sat down and leaned up against it. Twilight sat next to me and placed her head In my lap while the rest of the girls took a seat in front of me. Drax sat in his meditating position while Serenity sat on her knees. Absent mindedly, I ran my hand through Twilight’s mane.

“Where to begin, where to begin?” I said to myself as I tried to remember a good story of my sister.

“Why not after you adopted her?” Twilight suggested. “Personally, I want to learn some more about her.”

I shrugged and glanced to the side, “Alright. A-hem… So my little Sister Ember was fourteen when I took over as her older brother. She…”

Was always a timid little thing. Just like any other young teen. She struggled with the hormones, the growing, and other problems that come with being a young adult. But with the virus running through her veins, things seemed to be much more tolerable. I just wish I could get her to get over her shyness. Everywhere I went she was right behind me.

If we were any closer, we would be attached at the hip. Most of the time she would hide behind me when I met with someone, held my arm or hand when we were in large groups, and when I would leave our room, yes our, she wanted to be as close to me as possible, she would have a mini panic attack.

It was rough, yes, but it made me happy. Gave me that twenty years of originally not having a sibling. In a sense, it made me happier knowing I could be there for her. Besides, I always wanted that little sister to hold when she cried and to reassure her everything would be okay. I loved her in ways she never received. Even though the situation was still very bleak, we had fun.

We’d laugh at jokes, I’d encourage her, and I held her close when she cried. Which was quite often. Nightmares came every night. She would wake up screaming and covered in a cold sweat. At first I thought she was hurt, then she would explain what she saw, and finish with a crying fit while I held her close. After several minutes or even hours at times, she would finally fall asleep in my arms.

The first few weeks were tough for her. She had to get used to the suit and her powers. All under my supervision of course. She also had regular checkups on her past burns. With more than half of her body covered in burned, she was covered in scars. She would look at me with that worried look in her eyes as she stood there in her underwear while a doctor looked her over. I said she never wanted to be alone.

Each checkup came with the same result.

“She’s completely healthy!” every doctor would tell me.

I knew that full well. The virus is what saved her life. But the doctors insisted that get checkup regularly to make sure the rapid healing didn’t create or destroy something. Walking out of her latest checkup, Lily held my arm as we walked out of the room and into the hallway. Once again, she was sobbing lightly.

“What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing, sweetie,” I replied honestly, trying to reassure her, “They just want to make sure nothing actually happened when I injected you with the virus.”

“But…”

I stopped and knelt down in front of her, grabbing her by the shoulders, “Lily. I know how much you hate seeing them and I know how nervous you get, I can see it in your eyes. But they just want to make sure your healthy. It’s all for you, not them.”

“But… the suit?”

“You may be the operator, but I won’t force you to fight. You’re my little sister and I could never force you to make such a tough decision. I love you too much,” I finished by wrapping my arms around her and pulling her into a loving hug.

She sniffled, “I love you to big brother!”

I couldn’t help but smile. This young girl was my family now. And I’ll be damned if she gets hurt. I made a promise to care for her, and I have been paying it in full.

“Come on,” I said while standing up and offering my hand, “Let’s go get something to eat?”

Smiling, the young girl took my hand and wiped the tears with her wrist. It was still hard for me to believe how well supplied we were. Many ships from the colonies would make supply drops. Most of what we got was food and ammo. It was nice to be able to eat like a king. We were just finishing our meals when the speaker came to life.

“Excalibur to the war room! Excalibur to the war room!”

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and looked at me. I just sighed and closed my eyes.

“Duty calls…”

Standing up, I started to leave the room, with my little sister hot on my heels. After a several minute walk down various halls and corridors, I entered the situation room. Several generals along with a large squad of soldiers stood inside. Jazier was even there.

“This better be good.”

Everyone turned to look at me.

“It is son,” one of the generals said, “We have a very serious situation.”

Silence filled the air, creating a somewhat dramatic pause.

“And?” I added with a roll of my hand.

“We have a ship called the Endurance. It’s a research ship that went sent out into the safety of the void.” I was amazed that they were able to send a ship into the Void. “She just returned near Eris, but… we cannot seem to hail the crew.”

“So I’m going in to find the crew?” I asked for clarification.

“Precisely,” Jazier confirmed, “You are not only looking for the crew, but you are to grab any important research. Papers, data files, and this,” he held up a picture of a vial with blue liquid in it. “It’s called the Tennocyte virus. It’s a sub-strain of the Tennogen. We need that research!” he said pleadingly.

“… Alright,” I replied before turning to the squad, “These my teammates?”

“Yes sir!” the general replied, “They will be accompanying you.” He looked at my little sister, who stepped behind my back in an attempt to hide herself. “I hope our newest weapon will be making an appearance?”

“She is not a weapon!” I spat at the man angrily, “She is my little sister!”

“You adopted this runt?" he said insultingly. "Pathetic!”

I stepped up and got in the man’s face, “How about you say that again?” By now Lily was sobbing silently, everyone in the room watched us as the tension rose. The man just glared at me while I stared him down. When he didn’t answer I spoke again. “We maybe the wearers of the suits, but were still human. You don’t dictate what we do and do not do.”

Stepping away I walked over to my little sister and gave her a loving hug before offering my arm, grabbing it we promptly left the room. Walking back to our room I sat on the bed while Lily climbed into my lap and started to sob louder.

“I… I’m not a weapon!” she sobbed into my shoulder.

“No you’re not sweetie,” I reassured while wrapping my arms around her, “You’re still a little girl… sort of.” I leaned back so she could look me in the eyes. “I promise that I will never pressure you into anything you don’t want to do. If you’d prefer to stay here, I won’t stop you.”

She sniffed and wiped her face with her wrist again, “Thanks big bro.”

“No problem sis.”

She smiled lightly which in turn caused me to give a smile of my own.

“Since when were you so lovey dovey?”

“Will somebody slap her!”

Applejack reached up and slapped Dash in the back of the head.

“Ow!”

“Thank you… where was I?”

I stood in the hanger of the bunker looking over my rifle as eight men stood nearby. Six were soldiers, two were scientist. Many of them were talking about what to expect. The Void is so unknown that anything could have happened. Theory’s kept running through the area. Most of them were what we had been dealing with regularly.

Sentients.

“Wait!”

All of us looked up. Running down the hanger was my little sister. She held her helmet under one arm and a Braton Prime rifle in the other. Passing by various personnel she continued to run up to us.

“Ember?” I said to myself while holstering my rifle. Running up she stopped in front of me, “Lily, what are you doing? I though you wanted to say out of this?”

She had told me earlier that she would have preferred to stay out of this mission. Even though it should go smoothly, she still didn’t feel confident or safe about joining us. Taking a few breaths, she finally spoke up.

“I thought about it and well… I want to come!”

I glanced over my shoulder at the nearby squad, “Are you sure?” I asked while turning to face her, “Knowing my luck this might end poorly.”

“I’m positive!” brave girl. “And…” she glanced at the floor and spun the tip of her boot on the floor, “I don’t know what I would do if you didn’t come back…”

I smiled before leaning down to her level. I placed a hand on her shoulder, “Alright. If this is what you want, I won’t stop you.”

She smiled at me, “Thanks big bro.” I stood up and we started to head back to our squad. Nearby the roar of a ship filled the hanger as it started to land. “Besides!” she yelled over the roar of the vehicle, catching my attention, “Someone needs to watch your back!”

Giving an amusing and proud half smirk I placed my hand on her head and tussled her hair as we walked onto the loading ramp. Once we were aboard the door closed as the pilots applied power to the engines. We all stood around silently before we started to accelerate to a faster pace.

“We’ll head for the Solar Rail before making a Void jump for the final leg,” the pilot said over the comms of the ship.

“I didn’t even know we could jump ships into the void!”

“We’ve had the technology for a while son!” one of the scientists replied, “We just recently figured out how to harness its unstable energy!”

“Oh!”

News to me.

Several minutes passed as we waited, pretty soon the ship lurched forward as it accelerated down the solar rail before slowing down to its previous pace. A few seconds after that I heard *bwoosh* as the inside of the ship started to glow bright white. Looking out a nearby window all I saw was white.

“Welcome to the Void.”

Looking around the bleakness I had a really stupid idea!

“I have to see if the rumors are true!” jumping up and spinning, my feet attached to the ceiling, “Ha! This is sweet!” The sound of a body hitting the floor came moments later along with the laughter of everyone watching me. “I don’t care! It was worth it!”

Picking myself up off the floor I dusted myself off. Walking to the front of the dropship I looked out the front window. Stepping forward for a better look I placed a hand on the pilot’s chair. The ship in the distance was massive. She looked like the pictures and more.

“Endurance, this is the dropship Requisition, do you copy, over?” the pilot asked over the radio. “Endurance, this is the dropship Requisition, is anyone there, over?”

I had a bad feeling roll over me.

“I don’t like this…”

I heard foot steps behind me. Turning, I faced my little sister. She clenched her helmet close to her chest. “I shouldn’t have come…”

Reaching over I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close, calming her and reminding her that she will be safe under my supervision. Looking back at the ship, she continued to get bigger as we approached the docking bay. Every few minutes the pilot would ask the same question over the radio.

Within minutes we came to a stop in the docking bay. The engines to the ship slowly fell quiet as the back door opened. Slipping my helmet over my head, the group walked out into the bay. It was like any hanger, filled with smaller ships and stacks of equipment.

Standing nearby I opened the map in my palm and gave it a review. The layout of the ship was from floor to floor. So only the current floor we were standing on would show. Opening a three-dimensional model, I soon found the way point to the laboratory I was ordered to find.

“Chris?”

“Yes, Lily?”

“I’m scared…”

Closing the feed, I looked at my little sister. She wore a nervous and apprehensive look. I knelted down to her level yet again and gently took the helmet from her hands. This was her first major mission, she had every right to be scared.

“Don’t worry sis. Just stick with me and you’ll be fine,” I reassured before taking her helmet and slipping it over her head. “I need you to be brave. We’ll be in and out before we know it. Okay?”

The flame on her helmet ignited, “… Okay.”

I smiled under my helmet, “That’s my girl!” standing up I walked over to the men who were checking their weapons or exo-suits, while the two scientists were working on tablets. “Okay people,” I said getting the attention of everyone. “You have your objective. Black squad; you head for the helm, Red; search the ship for any crew members, Gold; well, were after the lab. Report any findings, understood?”

“Yes sir!” all the military personal responded in unison.

Breaking apart, Lily and the two scientists followed me as everyone else went their separate ways. Walking down the massive halls of the ship, the only sound we had were the scientists talking. I’m too stupid to even understand what they were saying.

“But,” Twilight said while lifting her head from my lap, “You know more than most ponies ever would!”

“I meant at the time, Twilight,” I clarified, “Can I please continue?”

“Yeah, Twilight!” Rainbow added, “Be quiet!”

Applejack promptly slapped her across the back of the head.

It took several trips down halls and up elevators before we came to the laboratory. Opening the door, the room was pitch black. Finding a nearby console, I tapped it, turning the lights on. Finally gaining my sight, it wasn't hard to tell that the room was a mess. Papers laid everywhere, equipment was turned over, and there was broken glass all over the floor. What ever happened, happened violently.

Looking around I started to open drawers while the scientists went their own ways. Searching through the plethora of cabinets, all of which came up empty. Sighing, I moved to a nearby table. Overturned equipment covered the table. Pushing the debris aside I searched through the mess. Finding nothing I sighed yet again.

CRASH!

Drawing my pistol, I turned toward the noise as Ember and one of the scientists tensed up. Looking to the side at them I slowly approached the noise. More rustling could be heard under a table as I approached. Cautiously, I bent over and peered under the table.

I huffed out a relieving laugh, “It’s okay!” I stood up, “Just a Kubrow.”

“A Kubrow?” Lily asked, confused.

“Kubrows are genetically made guard dogs,” the scientist clarified while walking over to the table. Bending over he looked at the small dog as it chewed on a toy. “I was told they were researching them here. Didn’t realize they had living subjects.”

“Any Kavats?”

“Kavats?”

“The feline opposite of the Kubrow,” the scientist replied, “Designed to be more agile and sneaky.”

Below us the small black and blue puppy scratched its ears before turning them and scurrying off. A few seconds later the sound of glass breaking and the barking of the dog caught our attention. Running along a table was a little black and orange Kavat with the dog hot on its heels. Laughing at the mischief, the cat jumped from the table, to a chair back, tipping it over, and against Lily’s chest. Catching the cat, she held it close as it hissed at the small puppy at her feet. The dog jumped up and down barking playfully as the cat continued to hiss and swipe its razor sharp claws.

“Can we keep them!?” Lily asked excitedly with a small hop.

“Well doc?” I asked the man standing next to me.

“I’d rather not see them starve on this ship,” he replied while looking at the animals, “If you want them feel, free. Frankly… I hate animals.”

“Jerk!”

“Lily!” I scolded. Shutting her mouth, my younger sister looked to the floor and huffed.

“… It’s true…”

Sighing, I just accepted her emotions. Bending down I picked up the tiny puppy and scratched the back of her head, causing her to pant happily and lean into my hand. Walking along I continued my search. Finding nothing, I moved onto a different room in the laboratory. Setting the puppy down I continued to move stuff off of desks and tables. Walking around, the little blue and black puppy followed me happily.

Groaning, I walked past a table and grabbed a tablet and opened it. Walking around I observed its contents. Rummaging through the files, I soon found a massive file classified as ‘Virus’. “Hey doc!” the man in question looked up at me, “This what we’re after?” I asked while holding the tablet up with two hands and showing him. Pulling out a pair of glasses he put them on and looked at the screen.

“This is it!” he said victoriously, “Now we just need a living sample.”

Nodding, I started a download the files into my suit.

“Wait!” looking up the two of us looked at my sister, “Weren’t there four of us?”

Looking around the room I did notice how there were only three of us. There were even three dots on my minimap.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” the scientist replied, “There’s nothing here.”

“P-P-Please tell me that nop-pony screams because of a monster!?”

“No, Fluttershy. There was no gut curdling scream.” She let out a relieving sigh. “But it does get worse.”

The young pegasus tensed up as I continued.

Opening yet another door I walked into a cleaner part of the lab. Heavy equipment filled the room. Walking around I searched vials, petri dished and other equipment. Placing yet another empty dish on a table I sighed and looked to the side. Catching my eye, I saw a holder full of test tubes filled with a dark blue liquid. Walking over I picked up a vial and looked at it.

On the side it said 'Tennocyte Virus'.

“I got the sample!”

Walking out while holding the vial I meet up with my sister and the scientist. Holding up the vial the man examined it before giving me a single nod. Nodding back, I placed the vial in a safe container nearby before attaching the container to my hip. Walking out of the room and into a different one in search of other important research. I heard the thump of what sounded like a body hitting glass.

Drawing my pistol, I pointed it in the direction of the noise. Behind me my sister clutched the cat she had been holding harder while the scientist stood nervously behind me. Slowly approaching I slowly saw my reflection in the glass and was unable to see inside. As I got closer, another thud forced me back a step as a hand print became known before dragging itself down the glass and disappearing.

“There’s someone in there!” the scientist frantically said before heading for the door to that room.

“No, no, no wait! Something isn’t right!”

It was too late.

As soon as the door opened the person inside charged out the door and grabbed the scientist and dropped him to the floor. The shock caused me to step back out of fright.

“OH SHIT!”

As the man screamed under his attacker as the man top of his sunk its teeth into the scientist’s neck, tearing flesh and spaying blood. As it chewed the man below him gagged. I didn’t even hesitate. I lined up the sites on the attacker’s head and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

The round ripped through the man skull as he dropped to the floor, dead. Lowering my gun, I was breathing heavily. The shock was surreal. Looking at the corpse of the man I just killed I could tell something wasn’t right. The man lacked a face, from his eyes up it was just a mass of flesh, his teeth were razor sharp and jagged, and his skin was a sick grey. And instead of blood, he oozed this sick blue and orange liquid.

“What is that!” Ember screamed behind me, obviously scared.

“I… I don’t know!”

Before I could do anything further the formerly living scientist’s body contorted as his body arched up. He growled before letting out a terrifying screech. I raised my gun again and unloaded the last seven rounds into the body. Each shot received a painful screech from the man. As the last shot pierced his heart he let out one last moan before lying flat.

“We need to go!”

Grabbing my sisters hand we headed for the exit. She held the cat close as the puppy followed close behind us.

“Black squad, Red squad, do you read?” I asked over the radio.

Static.

“Black, Red, come in over?” I asked again as we left the laboratory.

Static filled the air again before the sound of heavy breathing took over. “This is Red- Shit! We’re… we’re under attack! Run, John! We’re headed for- *pain filled scream in the back ground* Oh shit! *gunfire* I’m headed for the hanger! We need to- no… nonono please- AGH!” once again static as the radio went silent.

I felt a chill crawl up my spine as the feed went quiet. Nervously I looked at my sister who just shared the same look up at me. I gulped.

“Black, come in over?” nothing. “Black, this is Gold, please respond!” static yet again. “Black!?”

Static filed through for a moment before I heard breathing. “This… this is Black… *heavy breaths* I… they got us… I- oh god… Excalibur please… there, there’s so much blood! I’m the only one left… please tell me you’re with the others?”

“Black, we’re headed your way right now!” I said as the two of us rounded a corner, “Red is not responding and we lost one of the scientists, the other is MIA. Just stay where you are, we’re on our way!”

“I… they found me… oh god! Gold, Black is KIA. Get to the hanger and get out of here! *gun clicking* come and get me!”

The radio went dead as I stopped walking. Nervously I looked at my sister yet again.

“W-What do we do!?”

I gulped, “We’re leaving!”

Turning around we headed back the direction we came. Walking past the laboratory and into a different hall both of us froze. In the hallway stood a lone person. Dragging their feet, their head was tilted to the side. But the long white coat caused me to do something really stupid.

“Doctor Cambell?”

The person froze before turning its head and looking at us. I was struck cold as the young woman looked at us, with those cold dead eyes. She had a gaping wound in her side and her eyes were glazed over. She was covered in lesions. She took a deep breath and screeched at us before charging at full speed.

My eyes went wide as I let go of my sister’s hand and drew my pistol. Gunfire erupted through the halls as round after round impacted the body, tearing a new hole. Each hit would cause her to move slightly, but she still kept her forward momentum. Running dry I looked at the open slide before pulling my left fist back and punching the monster right in the jaw.

Falling straight to the floor, the creature flailed around in an attempt to get up before I lifted my leg. I brought my foot down on her head ferociously. Each hit would send that goop flying as her head caved in. With one last hit I stopped and stepped to the side and placed my hand on the wall.

“I think I’m going to be sick…”

“Chris!” my little sister said in a panicked tone, “I want to go home!”

I looked at my sister nervously before dropping my head and looking at the corpse again.

“… Agreed.”

Grabbing her hand, we headed for the hanger.

“Requisition this is Gold; do you copy over?”

Static filled the air. Fearing the worst I was about to ask again before the radio came to life.

“Gold, we got you, what seems to be the problem?”

“Requisition, start the engines! We. Are. LEAVING!”

“What’s the problem?”

“The ship is a lost cause! We have-” opening a door the two of us froze. I was truly terrified. “Found the crew…” one of the humanoid figures in the massive hoard rolled it head and looked at us. It took a deep breath and leaned back lightly before screeching at us. The mass of walking corpses behind the one slowly turned to face us. “Ember… run… as fast as you can… go!”

Following my order, she ran as fast as she could while I drew my rifle and pulled the trigger. The gun roared as bodies fell by my hand. Brass casings impacted off the wall next to me before falling to the floor. But they just kept coming. They crawled over the dead like nothing. These things, these infected humans were after me. They had the full intention of tearing my flesh from my-

“Fluttershy?” I asked, “Do you want me to stop?”

The pegasus in question sat on the ground shivering uncontrollably while she covered her eyes with her hooves.

“N-N-N-No… i-if everyp-pony else w-wants to hear it… f-feel f-free!”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo said enthusiastically, “This is better than any Nightmare Night story ever!”

I glanced at the scared pegasus, “Would you prefer to go home?”

She uncovered her eyes, “I’d like that.”

Getting up, the little pony opened her wings and fluttered off.

“Anyway,” I continued, “They fully intended to shred me alive…”

When the clip ran dry I ran right behind my sister. Behind me the horde of flesh eating zombies were right on our heels. The screeched, roared and moaned. Their fangs drooled with their ooze like blood.

“Chris!?!”

“I’m right behind you!”

Rounding a corner, we headed in a random direction. Following my mini-map I saw how this hall was coming to a dead end. Panicking, we entered a room. Turning around I punched the closest infected before slapping the door lock. It closed just in time as one of the infected impacted on the othe rside of the door. Stepping back as the banging and scratching filled the room. At any second they could tear the door open and rip us to shreds.

“Chris!”

Turning around I faced my sister who sat on the only bed in the room, the Kavat still in her arms. Nearby the little Kubrow sat scratching her ear. As the scratching and moaning started to fade behind me I walked over and sat on the bed. Striping my helmet, I slowly reached out and took my sisters off. Setting it on the bed she looked up at me with bloodshot eyes. Her nose was running and her cheeks were soaked in tears.

Releasing the cat, she lunged forward and into my open arms. Holding her close I held one arm around her back while I placed my hand on the back of her head. She was scared, no, that’s the wrong word, terrified. This was something out of some sick terror movie. Slowly I rocked back and forth as I shushed her.

“They’re… they’re all dead!”

“Shhh, shhhh… just don’t think about it.”

She wailed into my shoulder for hours. The pain was all too real. This was no longer a search and rescue. This was survival. A different kind of survival. I couldn’t just run and hide this time. No… we were trapped. Animals, prey…

We were being hunted.

As I sat there with my sister close. I cried. I squeezed the young girl harder. God… I was so close to losing her! If I had fallen, she had fallen, anything. There were so many variables. Pushing my thoughts aside I just thought about how we were alive.

That’s all that mattered…

When it was I don’t know but Lily had finally fallen asleep. Laying in the bed a lone sheet covering us, my right arm draped over her lovingly, caringly. In my hand was my pistol. Next to me she breathed silently. It brought a smile to my face. My sister was finally at peace for the day. Running my hand through her hair I watched her for a second before looking toward the ceiling. Occasionally, I would hear a loud moan and a thud on the door, causing me to tense up. Each time I would let out a relieved breath as the door held firm.

It was a long night to say the least.

By the time morning rolled around I was just ready to go home. As she slept I made a plan of attack. It was just a basic plan. Stay quiet and fight only when needed. A light groan and the bed stir next to me caused me to look at my sister. Siting up slightly she rubbed her eyes.

“What happened? Where are we?”

“You fell asleep and were still on the Endurance.”

Her arm dropped as she stared at me before her lower lip started to quiver and her eyes shut.

“Hey, no, enough crying!” I said before leaning forward and holding her. “We’ve had enough of that.”

It didn’t work as she cried quietly sobbed into my chest. After several minutes she slowly regained control and calmed down. Picking up her helmet I gently placed it on her head before doing the same to myself. After telling her the plan I stood in front of the door. Holding my rifle, I leaned back to glance at my sister. Holding her rifle nervously she prepared herself by taking a deep breath and nodding at me. Returning the gesture, I rolled my shoulders and head. Tapping the door lock it opened.

I didn’t have time to react as I was tackled to the floor. I stared into the feral mouth of creature on top of me as my sister fell to the floor screaming in terror. Clawing and pushing, the beast clamped its jaws shut in an attempt to bite me. Struggling with the creature I held it back by the shoulders. Groaning I moved a hand and grabbed the thing by the head in an attempt to push it off of me.

“Ember!” I screamed while the creature continued to try and bite me. “Shoot it!”

Nearby she sat on the floor in a ball, “I can’t!”

“If you don’t do it I swear to god I will never forgive you!”

She always feared that I would say that. My love and respect was all she had, and she had always told me how she had never wanted to lose that. I had a feeling she would never be the same if I died and she lived knowing that I would be forever disappointed in her. Leaning forward she grabbed her rifle that sat nearby. Holding it up- shaky, albite I might add- she held the gun high. Groaning, I slowly lifted the head of the beast as it foamed at the mouth. Inch by inch I aligned the creatures head with the barrel.

BANG!

The body went limp as a gun clanged on the ground. Ember held her head as she stared at the floor. Pushing the body off me I slapped the door lock, closing the door before crawling over and wrapping my arms around my sister. She took a deep breath before letting out a blood curdling scream. That was her first kill.

It would haunt her for years to come.

She cried for the next five hours.

I never once held it against her.

After her fit we left. That look of terror never left her face as we walked. Pretty soon I found myself holding her hand lovingly. It worked, it wasn’t a big help, but it did help. Over the course of several hours we evaded these walking corpses. Multiple times we had run into massive hoards. In my attempt to hold the line, I soon found myself low on ammo.

“Were you scared?”

I looked at the small white unicorn sitting next to Rarity.

“… Terrified…”

Pretty soon Ember and I found ourselves running yet again. Right behind us was a small group of these creatures. They screamed and moaned as they ran. Turning around I started firing as my sister ran behind me. Rounding a corner, Ember followed her older brother’s advice to run. Stopping past way down the dark hall way she stopped and turned around. Fear over took her.

“C-Chris?”

She was in the one situation she didn’t want to be in.

She was alone.

Alone on this massive ship filled with the undead. Taking a step back the way she came, a low moan caused her to yelp quietly and head for a nearby door. Shutting the door like what her big brother did she dropped her gun and fell into a small ball on the floor. She was scared and feared the worst. She started to cry again. She was going to die here, alone, in the most painful way possible.

“Lily?”

“Chris!” she screamed, overjoyed, “Please… I’m scared!”

“I know sweetie,” I replied over the radio, “Look, I took a wrong turn and can’t go back.”

“W-What?”

I sighed, “Lily, as much as I don’t want to do this… you see your minimap?”

She looked to the upper corner of her helmet.

“Pull it up.”

Remembering what I had told her about the suit, she thought hard. Soon her map enlarged.

“Okay…”

“Okay… the little blue dot in that small room is you. You see the little lotus flower?”

She looked at the small map for a second before locating it in a long hallway. The small dot was moving slowly.

“Y-Yeah…”

“That’s me. You see that junction at the end of the hall?” She quickly located the junction in question. “I’m headed there now… I need you to meet me there.”

Fear struck her stiff.

“W-What? No… nonono, I can’t!”

“Yes. You. Can!” I said firmly yet confidently. “Lily, you’re a brave girl! I know you can do this! Remember what I tough you about firing a gun?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Okay… put the gun to your shoulder, where your bra line is.” Doing as she was told she reached forward for her rifle and put it where she was told. “Remember that dot with the curved line under it?” confirming, I continued. “Everywhere you point the barrel that dot will follow, so you just need to line up the dot and fire. But as you walk, where ever you look point the gun in that direction. Okay?”

She gulped, “Okay…”

“Alright. I’ll be with you in a few minutes. I love you.”

“I love you too… and please be quick?”

“I’ll do what I can.”

Cutting off the young girl mentally prepared herself. She just thought of happy things. How it was just a simple walk down a simple hallway… with a gun… and flesh eating zombies… shaking her head she stood up and headed for the door. Walking into the hallway she followed the map. Over a period of several tense minutes and the occasional shadow scaring her. She made it. Looking to her right she saw a shadow.

“Chris!” she said happily yet loudly. Slowly the shadow turned to face her. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks, “I’m so happy to-” she froze. That person walking toward her wasn’t her brother… it was an infected. “No,” she took a step back, only to fall flat on her rear, “Nonono! CHRIS!”

As she crawled away the shadow charged like an animal. Her once happy tears were now of terror. She just wanted her big brother, she wanted to go home, she wanted to be held. Closing her eyes, she accepted her fate.

“Rah!”

The attacking infected was tackled into the wall with enough force to dent the metal. Holding the beast by the wrist I spun the corpse before shoving my sword into its abdomen. The beast screeched in agony. With a grunt and pull, the sword split the beast in half, ending its suffering and splattering blood on the nearby wall and the ceiling.

“Lily!” I said as I wrapped her in a warm hug.

As I held close the little puppy ran up and licked her helmet while the kitten rubbed itself on her leg. Laughing, she petted the dog before moving to the cat.

“Come on,” I said, “We’re leaving.”

Standing up and holding my hand yet again we headed for the hanger. Another hour had passed before we made it. And by made it I mean dead sprint. Running up the back of the ramp, I waited for the two animals to get aboard before closing the door. Walking to the front I saw the helmet of one of the pilots.

“Get this thing started!” Upon hearing my voice the man screeched and flailed around in the seat as he turned his head in an attempt to bite me. Then it struck me why he was in the seat. “You bastard…” drawing my sword I dropped it on his head. Damn coward. Taking a seat next to him I started to press buttons.

“You know how to fly?” my sister asked nervously.

“No… but I watched them shut the thing down,” I flicked on some switches on the upper panel, “But if I do everything in reverse this should work!” pressing one final button the engines roared to life. Pulling on the stick, I slowly lifted off the hanger floor before turning to the door. Grabbing onto the throttle, I pushed it forward as we roared into opened space. That was no longer a ship. It was filled with the infected infected, it was…

Infested.

“Earth, this is the Requisition… the mission was a success… but we have massive casualties. The list of the dead are…”

“Overtime the Endurance would break apart and become what we now refer to as one of the Derelicts,” I explained, “I would later bring the findings back to the scientists. A couple years later the disease would escape, creating a new problem and a massive evacuation of the planet.” I sighed. “The Tennocyte was designed to help us fight… but turned into a massive failure that would backfire and spread.”

The rest of the girls just watched me.

“Wow… what a story!”

“Dash is right!” Scootaloo added, “I mean, flesh eating zombies! What could be cooler then that!?”

I rolled my eyes, “Kids…”

Pretty soon everyone stood up and headed their separate ways talking about this part or that part. As Serenity and Drax walked off toward town I sat with Twilight.

“That was some story,” she said before lifting her head, “So that’s how that thing in the ship was created?”

“That’s how the process started,” I clarified, “Over the years the disease learned and adapted… it evolved! Soon it became self-replicating, developed a single hive mind. It became so bad that it actually started to consume metal.”

“That sounds… creepy.”

“It’s scary, actually. There is one beast we call the Jordas Golem… it took over an old Orokin ship, attacked the AI and corrupted it. It’s nothing but a giant living biomass of flesh and metal.”

Twilight shuddered, “Please tell me you don’t have any of it here?”

“Just my weapons. I sterilize myself, my weapons, and the Liset after each infestation mission.”

Twilight let out a relieved sigh and lowered her head back into my lap, “Good.”

Silenced filled the air as I watched the Sunset in the distance. I didn’t realize I had talked for that long.

“Excalibur?” Twilight asked before lifting her head again, “Can… can you stay with me… for tonight?”

“Why… if I may ask?”

She bit her lip nervously and looked to the side, “I have a feeling I might have nightmares.”

I chuckled, “… sure, just, keep your hooves and wings above my belt though.”

“Ohhh, suck the fun out of life!” she said sarcastically before the two of us started to laugh lightly. Calming down I leaned over and wrapped an arm around her while she leaned into the embrace.

“I’m sorry, Twilight… for everything…”

“It’s okay,” she replied, “I still forgive you.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”