Have you ever been in a cave when the lights go out? The darkness of the underground is suffocating and complete, so utterly without sensation that I couldn't see my hoof in front of my face. I stumbled about, groping for...

Oh yeah, I had my ProteC holobracelet, duh.

I quickly tapped the bracelet with my hoof to activate flashlight mode. It fired a brilliant beam of light from the holoemitter, illuminating my dark office quite effectively. Using the light, I swiftly put on my ARHUD glasses. The bracelet switched off as my infrared lights came on, showing the office clearly, albeit in black and white. I picked up my shotgun and rapidly secured it to my body, then hurried to the door and poked my nose out.

Dim emergency lights were on in the hallway, and it was in a bit of a commotion. Everywhere I saw humans in exo suits and ponies carrying rifles and shotguns.

"What's going on?" I asked a nearby stallion.

"Main power conduit is down," he replied. "We are going to have to go into the Level Two tunnels to investigate."

He hurried on as I saw a message finally scrolling in my ARHUD:

///ALL UNASSIGNED SECURITY PERSONNEL
EQUIP PRIMARY WEAPONS, EXOSKELETONS, AND ANY SPECIALTY GEAR.
ASSEMBLE IN LEVEL TWO CONTAINMENT AREA ENTRANCE HALL FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.///

"Unassigned security personnel, hmm?" I said to myself, glancing away from the repeating message. "All right then, I'm on it." I reflexively tapped my shotgun with a hoof, verifying its presence even though I had just strapped it on, and slipped out into the hallway, closing my office door behind me. I quickly entered the flow of armed guards, staccato hoof beats mixing with the slight whir of human exo suits. One of the benefits to being an Equestrian, we are stronger and faster than humans, so we don't wear exo suits. In fact they would just slow us down. You may wonder why we carry human primary weapons, even though unicorns such as myself have magical powers, but the truth is, even with our magic, we have limited resources at any given time and can exhaust them easily, rendering us temporarily defenseless. In the middle of a life-or-death battle, that can end very badly. ProteC encourages us to use modified firearms for offence, and save as much of our internal magic as possible for defense. It's a valid and simple strategy that I fully endorse.

Following the general rush down through the Level One labs, I looked around for Mia, but I couldn't spot her in the chaos. I continued with the swarm until we reached the Level Two entry way on the bottom floor, where Director Stephens awaited us, standing before the sealed door. The room got quite full, there had to be at least forty or fifty people in it, including Equestrians. I spotted a few research personnel as well, also carrying large guns although they lacked exo suits.

"What are you guys planning to do?" I asked one of them.

"We aren't really equipped for the tunnel mission," he told me. "But we can augment the guards here at Containment in case things get out of hand." He hefted his rifle.

"Good plan," I said. I looked behind him. "Cookie? Is that you?"

"Hey Miss Eris," Cookie grinned, holding a rifle.

"You're here too?"

"Ain't too much getting cooked upstairs with no power, ya know," he replied. "I reckon my services are worth more down here holding the line, if it comes to that, although I'm sure it won't."

I smiled. "You're a good cookie, Cookie."

He chuckled. "And you're down here too, so I'd say we are both cut from the same cookie cutter."

"I... uh, I've run out of cookie jokes," I admitted lamely.

"Happens to the best of us. Looks like we're about to begin. Good luck, Miss Eris."

"Thanks. You too."

Director Stephens looked across the group and motioned for quiet. The noise died down immediately, and he began talking.

"Okay, now that most everyone is here, allow me to appraise you of the situation. As you have no doubt already noticed, our main power conduit has been severed. Now while this has shut down all non-essential circuits, including lighting, the Level Two containment block is still running under auxiliary power, so there's no need to panic."

A security guard pushed his way up to Stephens, and whispered in his ear urgently.

"I take that back," Stephens called out. "The auxiliary power is showing unusual fluctuations as well. So now is probably an excellent time to panic, although none of you will, because you aren't that kind of people, anyway. We need teams to get at least two miles into that tunnel to the auxiliary connection, and keep it from going down, or every damn monster in this place is gonna be running free! Eris, James, are you guys in here?"

I gulped and pushed my way to the front. "Here, sir!"

James pushed up immediately after and nodded at me and Stephens. "Here." I noticed he had his exo on. Also it looked like he was staring at my outfit, but Stephenson quickly addressed us both, interrupting my analysis of James's facial expression.

"Anything you'd like to add?" he asked us. "Chief Lewis is still out on leave. You're the ranking security personnel right now."

I nodded and looked at James. "You wanna go first?"

"Sure, Eris." He turned to the crowded hall. "Grab the person next to you, they are your battle buddy! Do not get separated! You do not want to be alone out there with nobody watching your back!" He then gave me a gentle nudge.

"I will try to solve problems as we go," I said loudly. "I will need to be near the front to provide intel and guidance on developing situations."

James caught my eye questioningly, and I nodded at him. "Let's do this."

"Aye, ma'am," he said, then addressed the waiting people. "Allright! Grab vehicles and form up by the main door! Let's go beat some monster ass!"

The door to the Level Two zone hissed open, and personnel began rushing into it. James grabbed me by the shoulder as I turned. "I'm with you, Eris."

"Okay then."

"Guys, wait for me!" Mia called, running up to us, her exo humming. "Let's go together."

"I thought you were in Level One?" I said.

"I gave that to someone else who thought I was crazy to trade. I knew you guys would be down here."

"The more the merrier, then. We're off to see the Wizard!" James said, heading towards the tunnel entrance.

As we strode through the door and out into the huge dark room beyond, I could see weapon lights playing from the catwalks where guards were making sure the "guests" didn't vacate their accommodations. Some research and other non-exo suited personnel rushed upstairs to join them, while others ran for the door we were about to open to provide perimeter security. Out across the containment area, I could also see sparks showering from one of the high-voltage enclosures, followed by the bellowing of whatever was within. The creatures definitely knew something was up, and they were testing the defenses. As we headed for the tunnel entrance, I saw additional sparks from other enclosures, and smoldering eyes watching me as things unseen in the darkness paced back and forth behind bars and glass.

The natives were very restless indeed down here. Fortunately the turrets still had green lights.

"What is it with ProteC and all the management personnel leading the charge?" Mia asked as we began jogging around the perimeter and towards the vehicle alcove.

"It's the Star Trek principle," James said, scanning the room without turning his head to us. "A leader, uh, leads the way. You never saw Captain Kirk bringing up the rear!"

"True enough," Mia replied. "Kirk was always very aggressive. I find that sexy in a man." She grinned lecherously behind James's back.

"Jeez, Mia," I said.

"What, you jealous I'm not all yours?"

"No, but now? Seriously? Okay, maybe I am jealous, a little."

Mia shrugged. "Don't be too jealous, you're out in front too, mah baybay, and that's definitely sexy. Besides, we could all be dead in fifteen minutes. I'd hate to go out wishing I'd had more fun while I had the chance."

"Touché."

"What are you guys on about?" James asked.

"Nothing," Mia and I replied in unison.

"Let's mount up, then." James grabbed the handlebars of a huge ATV and switched on the gas engine. The thing was almost the size of a small car.

I watched for a moment, then Mia shoved me so hard towards him I stumbled. "Hey!"

"Get on with him, you dork," she hissed at me. "Or I will."

I quickly climbed up behind James. "Is this okay?" I asked in his ear, as I put my forehooves around his waist.

"Officially the best part of my day," he replied. "I'd like to try it again sometime, under better circumstances perhaps?"

"I think I'd like that."

James looked at me out of the corner of his eye, grinning widely. "I'm going to remember you said that, Eris." He faced back to the front and began flipping switches.

"Yeah, bu-MMMMPH!" I was abruptly cut off as Mia seized my face, pulling me to the side and planting her soft lips on my muzzle. I felt my eyes bulging like dinner plates as her tongue slipped briefly into my mouth, then suddenly it was over. "In case we all fucking die," she whispered as she let my head go and jumped back onto her own ATV. She then leaned off the machine towards me again.

"You thought your first human kiss would be James, but it was I, Mia!"

"You're nuts," I hissed back, and stuck my tongue out.

"You ready back there, Eris?" James asked, obliviously. "What's going on?"

"Y-yeah, I'm good." I absently touched my muzzle with my hoof.

"Allright, hang on!" He touched the accelerator handle, and the four-wheeler scooted forward with a growl.

I squeaked and threw my hooves back around him.

He quickly swerved around the other ATVs and took a position in front, Mia pulling up beside us. Before us was the enormous concrete and steel tunnel separation door. Behind us was a raiding party of ProteC security, armed to the teeth and revving their engines. Although I knew I should be terrified, I somehow felt exhilarated as well. I looked back, and I saw weapon lights piercing the darkness, ARHUDS softly glowing on ponies and humans with determined looks. I saw something I was proud to be a part of. We were the pack leaders, and it was going to be one hell of a ride.

"Ready!" James bellowed. "Open 'er up!"

The door let out a reverberating boom, then opened slowly, the giant panels swinging outwards against the tunnel's dark walls, revealing darkness with distant flickering lights at long distances beyond.

I quickly reached behind my back and whipped my shotgun out, leaning out past James and firing one-hoofed twice. Shells clicked on the ground as I pumped the gun with my telekinesis.

Two giant multi-legged insects splattered in midair, chunks of chitin and gore splattering on the concrete floor.

"Nice shooting," James said.

"Thanks." I used my magic to reload the weapon without using my hooves. "Uh, there's more out there, or something."

Out in the darkness, the shadows were moving, seemingly trying to avoid the headlight pools.

"We don't have time to deal with this shit," James growled. "Any second we could lose power completely! We're going to have to make a run for it."

"You guys go, we'll take care of any monsters trying to get in the door," one of the men on foot behind us yelled. "Good luck!"

"Allright. Here we go!" James jerked the throttle hard, and we roared forward into the darkness.