The group, now composed of Victoria Frost, Sketch, and Broker Wordsmith, got ready to leave.

“So, I hope you’re a good shot?” Sketch asked awkwardly looking between Frost and Broker.

“I can shoot a pecker off a man from 100 yards,” Frost says cocking her gun. “And still keep the balls unruffled.”

“Um, why did you shoot a guy’s unit off?” Sketch says, backing up slightly.

Frost only huffed with a grin before barking an order. “Let’s go, he’s waiting for us.”

“I concur to her orders.” Broker said while looking his weapons over again. “If only I knew how to use these things effectively.”

The mixed trio began walking, Victoria sweeping left and right down the corridor, Sketch and Broker having no choice but to follow.

“If you hear anything, tell me. We shouldn't take chances with the situation at hand.”

She pressed her back to a corner and peeked over, checking to see if it was clear or not. It was empty and Frost waved her hand, beckoning for the group to hurry up and follow her.

Sketch, staying in the middle of the group, asks, “So... you’re sure this way is clear, right?”

“I’ll go first then.”

“Fuuuck that! I’m not going to be in the back! Back and front always gets picked off first, I’m staying in the middle!”

“Will you all just shut up!”

Frost growled and held her gun close, moving slowly as she chose her steps carefully, tiptoeing down the hall.

Sketch sheepishly ducked his head. “Right, sorry.”

All three stopped as a large jug of cleaning solution rolled across the hallway from a side passage.

“Freaky rolling barrel of cleaning solution that comes from a passage. Who goes first?” Broker asked with a nervous crack in his voice.

“Not me.” Sketch was resolutely between Frost and Broker,

Frost rolled her eyes.

“I’ll go... bunch of pansies.”

She readied herself and slid her way to the edge, peering over slightly to see the hall. A crate, covered in cleaning supplies, sits in the alcove, a pair of tarps laying on the floor.

A horseshoe-shaped print of blood was imprinted on the floor, highlighted by the secondary UV light in the Riot Suit’s helmet lamp. The bloody hoofsteps looked like they ducked under the tarp and then led away.

She turned back to the group, putting a finger to where her lips would be.

“I think there’s one underneath the tarp, but I’m not entirely sure. Does anyone have something to throw?”

Broker used his magic to push his talons towards Frost.

“Here. I can take the tarp off from here also.”

“Okay, but if anything seems suspicious pull the tarp down and keep it pinned, got it?”

Broker nodded at the order, looking towards the tarp.

“Ready when you are.”

Frost nodded and returned to her position at the edge of the hall, readying herself. She looked back at the unicorn, gave a nod and aimed, keeping her eyes peeled for anything. Broker’s magic aura began to lift the tarp, revealing...

Nothing. Just the bloody hoofprints on the floor, leading away.

Frost lowered her gun.

“False alarm. Let’s move.”

Broker silently nodded again towards the group’s leader, lowering his weapon as well. The whole group moved out once more, advancing through the dark corridors with caution. The blood-splattered metal of the ship corridor passes slowly in the gloom, constant sweeps of side passages revealing no more of the monsters.

“Johan shouldn’t be too far from here.”

Almost on cue, Victoria’s RIGlink crackled, a heavily static-filled voice of Johan filled the air.

-~fizzle~-“Hey, Frosty, you he-~fizzle~-mone showed up. Do-~fizzle~-cked, it’s alright, I’m-~fizzle~-e you soon.”-~fizzle~-

The RIGlink ended with a pop.

“Johan! Johan! Damn it.” Frost touched the medi-gel on her person before beginning to sprint in Johan’s direction, Sketch and Broker following confusedly behind. As Frost races towards the tram station, Sketch keeping up, but Broker was beginning to lag behind.

“I-I can’t keep up!”

Broker said with his breathing becoming exaggerated, his legs burned, and he was beginning to sweat.

The trio finally skid to a stop at the entrance to the tramway, Victoria raised her handgun defensively. She almost wanted to curse, as she sees that Johan is fine, sitting in the tram.

“Hey, how ya doing, Frosty? New guy, meet Frost, my partn-” Johan stopped, eyes widening as he saw the two ponies following Frost. “Sketch? Broker?! You guys are alive!”

“I found them on my way to get the medi-gel, here.”

Victoria quickly removed the double pack from her person and handed it to him.

“Actually, Frosty, Copy.Data here had a few spares on him. I’m alright now, but thanks. It’s been pretty quiet around here, after that first wave of things showed up, shortly after you left.”

CD spoke up “Yeah, lucky I found some supplies when I went through medical. Anyway, hi, I’m sort of nuts, but still functional, how are you all?”

Broker replied, “Scared beyond belief, but still living.”

“Annoyed I’m stuck with him at the apocalypse.” Sketch said.

“Splendid.” Frost said sarcastically, taking back the double pack.

“So now that we’re all acquainted with each other, what’s our plan of action?”

Johan sat back, thinking as he kept an eye outside the tram.

“Originally, my plan was ‘get the hell out’ but then I realized we’re in space. Sorry for being unaware of where I was for about five or more months.” CD replies.

“Still viable, but we’d need a ship or something.” Sketch said, trying to push them to leave.

“Johan, do you know the status on the escape pods?” Frost asked, taking a seat next to the man, realizing she hasn’t had any time to rest since this morning.

“Got an emergency ping a bit before those things showed up, said the escape pods on the Manehattan were all gone, and that the government sector is the current fall-back point for all security and military personnel.”Johan lounged back on the seat, a mildly frustrated look gracing his features as he spoke. “Something came on about not mentioning that to non-command civilians, but I wasn’t paying attention. May have forgotten all about that little order, in fact.”

“So we’re stuck here... Damn it!” Frost said, slamming a fist down.

“Wait, why are you getting angry? What good does that do? How about we work on getting home? Or finding out what to do next?” CD said, rolling his eyes.

Frost shot the pony a glare, wish to put a bullet between his eyes for his ignorance. she certainly wasn’t in the mood to be criticized.

“Well, we need to find some suits, or I’m going to die if get to a depressurized zone.” Sketch spoke with a nervous look on his face, “And I suppose tubby here would, too.”

Broker scowled at his friend. “You are still insulting me when the station goes to hell? If you think you are so smart, why not come up with a plan to get off of here?” Sketch stood up, beginning to shout back at Broker.

CD ignored the banter “I don’t know if either of you are my size, but I have a spare suit in storage.”

Johan replies to Copy evenly, “Do you know where an AutoStore is? We could get it transferred and refitted for one of them. What kind is it?”

“Well, if I had to kill another mutated Unicorn by removing her head, and watching another innocent mare be brutally murdered, I’m not going back there for anything. Just saying. But if it’s really important, it’s a Hazard Engineer suit.”

“Then stay here and become one of them.” Frost said coldly. “At this point it’s kill or be killed.”

Broker looked towards Copy. “Then we go with Johan’s plan. Anyone have a map or a guidance system in their RIG?”

“Not that I know of, but I can check. If I ‘remember’ how to that is. I’m a little disoriented. Last I knew I was in an insane asylum in my hometown. Now I’m here, escaped from an eye-poke machine and murdering mutant ponies with a plasma cutter. Anyone care to explain?” CD asks.

Broker slightly backed away from Copy. “I think insanity, or short term memory loss, or being traumatized.”

“I know I have that I know, I mean, explain why I’m here. I thought I told you I’m a bit nuts, why are you shocked?” CD said.

“I’m not shocked that you are nuts. I am simply shocked that you don’t remember the filler between all that.” Broker said, sitting down onto the ground with his forelimbs between his rear ones.

“Well, I’m confused too, but I just want to know why I woke up in a space station, restrained, and having a bunch of merciless scientists shove a needle into my brain through my eye for who knows what reason. Then I got rescued before my rescuer got bitten and mutated.” Copy stopped for a moment to take a breath, before continuing.

Frost clenched her jaw, not wanting to hear any more bickering between the two, her finger starting to glide towards the trigger of her gun in frustration.

“I ran, found some supplies, saw a mare get murdered while trying to save her, killed a few mutant ponies, and found him. I have no clue what happened between being at home and now, other than that.” CD said calmly, as if this was completely normal. “Life sure is weird, huh guys?”

“I think the definition of ‘life’ is completely changed here now since we are running from monsters that came out of nowhere. You certainly had a lot of fun while Sketch here has been a little coward the whole time. I have to give him a little credit for staying alive though.” Broker replied, now glaring at Sketch.

“Wait, so you’re saying running from monsters that came out of nowhere and want to kill you is cowardly and not normal? What kind of weird place do you come from?” CD questioned.

“I came from a household filled with a ton of siblings, so I read books to block it all out. So to answer that question, I came from many worlds. I have my reasons to call Sketch a coward since he hid in the corner of the tram, while a monster was blocking the door and right behind me. Isn’t that right Sketch?”

Johan stood up, before Sketch could respond, and waved his hands for silence. “Don’t you two have better things to do than play the extended edition of Twenty Questions? Seriously? Mutant monsters and you two are already picking fights with each other, after only knowing each other for less than ten minutes?”

“Thank you!” Frost said loudly. “If they kept going on then monsters were going to be the least of their problems.”

Sketch was just holding his head in his hooves, sitting in the corner.

“I’m not arguing, I just want to know what form of logic he’s using in his statements. Also I want to know what happened to me before I forgot.” CD said calmly.

The sound of an audible face-hoof echoes from Sketch’s corner of the tram.

“While I agree I have acted on impulse and heroic thinking more, I must agree that we need to get going. So, my question to everyone here. Where do we go in this place?” Broker said, standing back up.

“Well, I don’t know. I found a few terminals and inspected them as much as possible, but found no maps or anything. Sorry, but it seems unless one of us has a map or at least schematics, we’re totally fucking lost.” CD said, getting a little disappointed.

“Then I say we let Sketch be our guide. He has grown up here and should be familiar with part of the ship. All we need to do is find a destination. Medical ward has been checked and cleaned, so I say we look at residential. If there are more survivors, they will need our assistance.”

“I already told you, I only went around the housing area! I don’t know the rest of the damned ship!” Sketch yelled, getting increasingly frustrated.

“Clean!? I went there and saw blood and guts and vital organs splattered everywhere! You call that clean!?” CD yelled, remembering his trek through the medical area.

Broker facehoofed, growing aggravated. “I meant of supplies you dipshit! Why would you imply I was thinking of sanitation!?”

“I don’t know anyone here, for all I know, someone in this group is the janitor.” CD said calmly “Also, I found a not-alive-as-of-now mare strapped to a table back there. As well as some ammo and money. What supplies did you get from there?”

“Mainly money, a few plasma cutter shots, along with a few medi-gel packs. If you say there is more, then we should head back there to gather the supplies.” Broker said feeling more relaxed.

“Not really, I got all that was left, and you really didn’t see a mare strapped to a table? Are you blind? Not insulting, just want to know of anyone’s possible issues. Knowing your friends is good for strategy.” CD said.

“No I am not blind. I did not see some mare strapped onto a table. Where was this supposed mare anyway?”

“Alright that’s it!” Frost shouted, taking out her other gun, pointing both weapons at the bickering pair and taking a single shot at their feet. “If you both don’t shut the fuck up then I’ll make you. And my next shot won’t be aimed at your feet.” She raised her guns and pointed to the colts’ genitalia. “Understood?”

CD and Broker looked over at Frost in terror, both gulping and shrinking back as Sketch yells, “Thank you!”

Broker nodded towards Frost not daring to say a word with a gun pointed towards his ‘areas’. Johan sighed, and held his face in his hands for a moment. looking around the group, he turns to CD.

“You mentioned you might be able to get the tram working, right, Data?”

“Yeah, maybe. If we can get to it without and encounters of the messed up kind.” CD replied, a smirk on his face. “Awesome, humor is working again, I missed you humor. Anyway, let’s go.”

Johan face-palms again. “We’re on the tram, Data.”

“Totally disoriented, don’t know where I’ve been for the last five months. I’m sorry, but I just escaped from having my brain be a weekly pincushion. If you have any complaints, don’t ask me, I have no clue what anything around me is, I just know how to read signs. That, and I seem to have become a class 2 engineer on this ship despite not remembering. I may not know what stuff is, but I might be able to figure out how it works.” CD said, not really caring for a response. “Now where should I start?”

CD began to dive at one of the panels without waiting for a response, pulling one of them open and fishing around inside with a hoof. Tongue sticking out in concentration, the rest of the group watching in fascination as he worked, some sort of innate earth pony magic or bizarre level of skill allowing him to find the connections in the tram’s wiring, nudging contact points and shoving energy crystal nodes back into place. Changing panels, he fished around again, saying nothing but grunts and hmphs as he worked. Moments later, the entire tram lit up, powered once more.

“It worked. I don’t know entirely how I did it, but it worked. Cool! I am an engineer! Who knew?” CD grinned widely, enjoying his useful knowledge.

“Perfect! Okay, so now we need to figure out where to go now. Any ideas?” Broker said not really knowing where to look.

CD still grinned like an idiot. “I have no idea. Anyone else?”

“Ponyville’s out, it was getting bad around there when we left. I don’t want to go back there. I really hate to say it, but maybe the mall?” Sketch said the idea as more of a question than a statement or vote.

“No. That place will be crawling with monsters,” Frost said putting a hand to her chin. “we could try our military base, there’s a safe house underground and has plenty of supplies, enough to last us until this whole thing blows over... I hope.”

“Sounds great, I think that’s the best idea I’ve heard. Let’s do it.” CD said, still high on accomplishment.

“Won’t work, Frosty,” Johan spoke up, face dour, “while you were trying to save your... yeah, uh, while you were gone, the Region Commander declared it in lockdown. No one in, no one out. I think Clausewitz is panicking.”

“You gotta be fucking kidding me!” Frost punched a dent into the tram. “This is fucking ridiculous!”

“Well there goes that plan, someone’s gotta have some idea what to do. Sketch? Broker?” CD asks, hoping the ponies had a good plan.

“Mall’s got food, and everyone else probably booked it, or is dead, so those things have hopefully gone. I just say that we leave a couple of people with the tram, to guard it and leave a place to come back to.” Sketch says, looking kind of nervous.

“Sounds good. But again, I’m not driving, don’t know how. Anyway, food is definitely good. I haven’t eaten anything but jello-mush from a straw for who knows how long. I need something with cheese dammit!” CD said whining about the tasteless goop he was force-fed for months.

“It would go well with that whine of yours.” Johan quips.

“You’re right, it would. You’re funny. Anyway, who is driving? Someone’s gotta know how to make this thing go.”

“The tram is an autopilot, tell it where you want to go and it takes you there.”

“Really? Well, ain’t the future somethin’?” CD says almost forgetting how long he was gone. “Anyway, so I guess we say ‘To the mall?’ or do we need a password?” CD asks.

Frost just sighs and taps the command holo, on the key marked for the mall. The tram doors close, and the group begins moving in the small tram, along a strand of metal to towards the largest chunk of the moon that Nightmare Station was founded from, named Primus Habitat.

“So, does anyone know any good road trip songs, or does this thing come with a radio?” CD said, making a joke “Hey, maybe it’s got a toaster oven too.”

“I know Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”

“I said roadtrip songs, not nursery rhymes, there’s a big difference.” CD said, rolling his eyes “I unfortunately I can’t sing worth crap.”

“I can’t think of anything, not like a radio is in these suits. If it was, I think it would be silence.” Broker said sighing. “I was learning the piano.”

“Sure, we totally have a piano around.” CD deadpanned. “Fine, no music, what else can we do while we wait?”

“Shut up so I can think.” Frost said with a growl, a million things going through her mind.

“Y-yes ma’am.” CD said, remembering her threat from earlier.

Broker moved back towards the wall and hid against it, keeping a constant eye on Frost with fear.

“Heh, who’s a coward now?” CD said looking at Broker. “And you give Sketch shit for it when-”

“For fuck’s sake, just shut up already! I poke fun at him, because he’s a big, flabby target and he’s my friend, and he pokes fun at me back because I am a scaredy-cat! Jeez...” Sketch threw his hooves up in frustration before curling up on the plastic seat.

“Fine, whatever. Are we there yet?”

“No. Now, shut. Up.” she cocked her gun and held it up for the others to see. “Please.”

“Right. Sorry.” CD said. Not saying anything else.

Broker only whimpered against the wall. The group rode on in silence as the tram sped through the stillness of night and space, the old habitat drawing closer.

Frost put her face in her hands and thought, letting out a sigh.

“Johan, I need to talk to you.”

“Yeah? What’s up?” He sat up from where he’d been laying on the tram’s bench.

“Privately.”

Johan shrugs, his helmet closing over his head, and his RIG establishes a link with Victoria’s.

“This whole situation is fucked up.” Frost began. “I don’t even know where to start I mean- I... I’m scared.”

“Victoria Frost, scared? Man, I never thought I’d see the day...” Johan joked, laughing weakly, “But yeah, I get how you feel. For a while there, I thought I was going to bleed out, and you would have to find my corpse, or worse, have to kill me again.”

“Psh. please Johan, you’re too stubborn to die...” A small smile then curled on her lips. “ … At least not without getting at least one kiss from me before you totally eat it”

“That the only reason you’re holding out on me? How sweet. So, when did you replace Frosty?” He finished with a laugh. Neither of them could see each other’s faces through the metal and enamel strips of the helmet, but their voices were at least a little less stressed.

“Oh shut up before I put a bullet between your eyes.”

“Oh, wait, you’re back. So, anything else up? I- I know how you were right after, you know, your home, how you holding up on that front?”

A knot tied in Frost’s throat at the thought of her father.

“I-I’d rather not think about that...”

“Alright. Hey, I may be always trying to get in every lady’s pants, but if you need a hug or something, I am here for you.”

Frost opened her mouth to speak her thanks and sorrow of her father but was quickly cut off by CD.

“Hey, I don’t know if I’m interrupting, but really, how far do we have to go?” CD asked.

The female officer just raised her gun at pointed it at the pony.

“That answer your question?” She said coldly, switching on her external speakers again.

“No, not really, it’s just a motion, but really, this is getting awkward. All I’m seeing is you two staring at each other like statues. It’s creepy.”

Victoria lowered her gun and pointed it at his genitals, shooting right underneath it, the colt able to feel the wind and heat of the shell.

Broker yelped back against the wall and covered his own groin.

“okay.” CD said, covering his mouth with his right hoof, and hiding ‘Mr. Happy’ with his left.

“Good boy.” Victoria said before turning her attention back to Johan, who was looking like he was laughing inside his helmet, like a mime. When she switched to her internal speakers all she could hear was Johan’s guffaws, the male sounding like he was about to burst a lung.

“Your friends aren’t very smart, are they?”

“Hey, the new guy isn’t a friend, I just found him and he gave me some medi-gel, how was I supposed to know he’s got brain damage of that calibre.”

Victoria only huffed a laugh.

“You’re friends did tell me something however; they said you mentioned me to them before, wonder if you were truthful.”

Over the intercom, a feminine voice rang out.

“Now arriving at Primus Station, Starlight Mall Tram Station.”

Author's Notes:

Thank you for reading Chapter Five! I hope you're all enjoying this, and, again, if you see any mistakes, please tell me so I can correct them!

Thanks to the following for contributing to the story so far:
Itsmyfuneral, starring as Sketch
Hunterz263, starring as Broker Wordsmith
Rosethorn, starring as Victoria Frost
SomeGuy, co-starring as Johan Allegro
The Pieman, as Copy.Data