Surrounded in a purple aura, a vent cover was lowered to the ground with hardly a click. Soon following it was one Missy gliding on her silent wings, and Andromeda descending a spiral staircase of DMCs. The good captain was getting quite artistic in her spare time. The cramped hammocks told them exactly where they were.

"Crew quarters, huh?" Andromeda mused, looking about in search of anypony still sleeping. The hammocks were all empty. A slight pity, a little information would have useful. "This isn't a huge ship. This could very well be the sleeping quarters for the entire ship. Minus the captain and officers. And that... Dr. Atmosphere. Tell, me, can a Pegasus fly with only wing?"

Missy looked over at her friend in time to see the wisps of purple smoke vanish from around her eyes. "Are you... feeling okay?"

Andromeda's eyes flared up again, when she looked at her friend. "Never better. Just feeling a little... upset... at the moment. Why do you ask?"

Missy had never seen such a magical reaction. And the invisible corona that the strange mare was giving off was making her horn itch something awful. "I may only have known you for a few days, but... you're acting a little stranger than normal."

The red in Andromeda's eyes glowed brightly for a moment, and then became extinguished. "Well, I guess things are just getting to me. I mean, I had to leave behind a couple of good friends and my new daughter. I mean, it probably would have been worse if you hadn't decided to stay behind with me to hold off the NCR. Er, that is, if you hadn't been geassed into..."

Missy held up a hoof and shook her head. "I'll admit, this geass is going to take time to get used to. But, really, I'm not that angry about it anymore. I actually think it's bring out the best in me."

Andromeda smiled and breathed a sigh a of relief. "That's good to hear. All the, same, I should try and have it nullified when I get back to Command."

"Where exactly is this Command you speak of?" missy asked as she silently maneuvered through the hammocks and over to the door. But something caught her eye and she stopped. It was laying in one of the hammocks. Glancing of at the door to make sure no pony was about to enter, she moved to investigate.

"The south-eastern most part of Equestria," Andromeda said as she followed missy's lead. "That's all they would tell me. The many, many letters they let me send my family, though highly-censored for security reasons, were delivered by the secret service, no addresses allowed. I figure, as long as I reach Pranceylvania, or some other major metropolis they'll... what is that?"

Both mares stared into the hammock to see a comic book. It was masterfully done with traditional sketch work, vividly colored inks, fine, if not rather aged, paper, but there was really only one thing that stood out. The figure on the cover.

"What are you doing on the cover of a comic book?" Missy asked, looking over at her shocked friend.

Andromeda, mouth hanging open, started at the comic in disbelief. She grabed it in her magic and began to read it allowed. "Space Captain Andromeda... Issue One... art by Sandy Prance*... produced by the Ministry of Morale in honor of unknown heroes... stories by... by... T-Tundra W-W-Whites."

Missy recognized the name. "Tundra? Back when we first met, didn't you say you had a daughter named..."

"That is my daughter," Missy managed to wheeze out, sitting down with a thump and looking at the Ministry of Morale symbol in the bottom right corner. It showed the pink silhouette of the ministry mare herself, but also the white silhouette of a filly. She put out her hoof, tears forming in her eyes as she tenderly stroked the tiny image.

Missy grunted and shook her head firmly. "impossible. That thing is old. What's the date? She tugged it from Andromeda's grasp, causing the mare to let out a soft cry. She looked over it until she found what she was looking for. "Ah-ha. This was printed over two hundred years ago, before the bombs fell. Whoever made your suit was probably inspired by the design or..."

"What bombs?" Andromeda suddenly asked, concern in her voice.

Missy gave her a strange look. "This is no time for jokes, Mercy."

The red light and purple smoke flared up in Andromeda's eyes again. A scowl formed upon her brow, and she growled like an animal at the changeling. "I asked you a question. What bombs? Did somepony hurt my babies?"

"What the, how did you get in here?"

Both mares turned to see a young Pegasus mare in a crew uniform standing in the doorway, staring at them. She looked about ready to call for the alarm, but a magical purple lasso suddenly wrapped about her neck and she was dragged over to Andromeda's side, choking upon the ethereal tether. Her eyes rolled up into her head as she kicked and struggled against the cords.

Andromeda's eyes glowed a brighter red as she turned back to Missy, who had dropped the comic book and stepped away. She spoke in a low voice, emphasizing each word with a jerk on the lasso until pegasus mare's neck snapped and the cords sliced open her throat. "What... happened... to... my... family?"

Missy was breathing hard and beginning to sweat as she looked between the comic book, the dead pegasus, and her friend. "Y-you really don't know?" She cringed when the lasso tightened again, severing the head from the body. Her eyes then widened with a realization that almost made her mind snap. "That comic book... it was made in your honor. Wasn't it?"

Andromeda snatched up the comic book before the pooling blood could touch it. Her eyes now almost pure red orbs of light. For some odd reason, she noticed, Peppy had been unusually quite lately, no longer telling her to maintain sanity or telling her she was dead. Maybe he had given up. She laid the comic back in the hammock to keep it safe until later and looked back at Missy. "I am Space Captain Andromeda of Her Majesties' Space Ship, Hope. First non-alicorn in space. Equestria's last hope against the zebra menace. I answer only to the Ministry Mares and Princess Luna. I order you, by the crown, tell me what happened?"

The great steel door torn from its hinges, letting in the howling winds, rustling through the bound wood and stone barricades, the guards of the dead Stable watched the slope that dropped down to the hidden entrance in the twisted rocks beneath the dead trees. Masked with pitch and dust the ponies stood ever vigilant watch over their haven's only entrance.

Old guns poked out between the sharpened stakes and murder holes, making sure none but their own might pass the killing field. Ears sharpened from years of violence, they listened, and heard the pounding of rushing hooftsteps and the beating of a griffon's wings from even a mile away. Their observant eyes immediately recognized their comrades as they appeared at the entrance of the killing field.

"Hold fire," called out one of the camouflaged guards, though it was not a necessary command. A stone, as big as an alicorn and twice as wide, was shoved aside to allow entrance to their friends and three guests.

Blueberry Strudel was the first one through, followed by her husband and then the griffon, then came Cold Wind with crying filly gripped in her magic and Pintsize Slasher, then the rest of them. The stone was quickly pushed back into place and several of the ponies along with Blueberry strudel moved to take positions at the barricade.

The guard who had called out the command dropped down and walked over to the stallion in the suit, the dry pitch and dust cracking as he spoke. "What happened, sir? Were you followed? Who are these three?"

The stallion held up his hoof and shook his head. "Easy, comrade, I do not think... we were followed. We buried the spy's corpse about a mile from the edge of the forest, but we ran into some ponies who needed help from a super-securatrot."

The guard looked at the three newcomers, noticing how the mare clutched the little filly to her chest, trying to comfort her. Then he noticed that she and the stallion with her had faded tattoos that were all to familiar. "Marauders?"

The suited stallion nodded and smiled. "As agile and deadly as they come, too. Were with a couple strange mares, a pegasus and unicorn wearing the strangest costumes. One wore a traffic cone and the other... a fishbowl, was it?"

"Well, where are they?" the guard asked, looking to the barricade.

The stallion sighed and put a hoof to his forehead. "After we took out the super-securatrot, an NCR airship appeared on the horizon. The mare with the fishbowl helmet told us to run, and used a strange magic to create a dust cloud for us to escape in. Shouldn't be too careful though."

"Did they know who you were?" the guard asked with a dark chuckle. Then his expression turned serious. "Well, Mayor Sweep?"

The stallion laughed as he smoothed out his suit and then let out a weary sigh when he looked back at Blueberry Strudel. "It's really only been a month or so, hasn't it?"

"It has, sir," the guard nodded. "Well? What are we going to do with them?"

Mayor Sweep turned to the three newcomers. He shrugged. "What we always do."

Missy lay hidden in one of the hammocks in the crew quarters, clutching the comic she had been ordered to protect tightly to her chest. All the while flashing red lights and alarms blared out loudly as the airship descended into a mass of panicked screams as voices cried out over the loudspeakers. She shivered as she listened to every word that

"Escaped Prisoner on Deck Seven, she's carving holes in the bulkheads. There's blood everywhere."

"Help us, she's tearing the hatch off it's hinges. Those eyes, those horrible eyes."

"Bullets are ineffective, requesting magical energy munitions to Deck Seven. Never mind, Deck Six, we're not sticking around."

"Deck Seven lost. All remaining personnel fall back to Deck Four to set up barricades."

"Magical energy munitions are useless. It's a ghoul, captain. A Canterlot ghoul with an unprecedented healing factor. Extreme dark magic leakage appears to be fortifying her resistance to... waauuug"

The last message of the ill-fated science officer that was trying to get some form of information on the escaped prisoner was cut short by a metal shard torn from the hull and flung through his skull. But his radio channel was still open as the form of destruction incarnate stood over his corpse, dark crystals forming around the base of her hooves with each step as the metal below them warped and twisted with the sheer power of the dark magic radiating off her body. The pipbuck about her leg had long gone silent as well, no longer telling it's host to maintain any form of sanity or give out reassurances.

Gripped within her magical grasp, and with the grasp of her DMCs as well, were each bearing a jagged shard of crystallizing metal ripped from the hull. In this dark moment she had figured out that if the digital magic was unable to harm ponies, than they could be used to grip things that would. The glowing red eyes mere vengeful slits that brought great fear to the hearts of all they fell upon.

Nothing had managed to pierce the space suit that she wore, but the great and powerful magic that poured from her had managed to burst out the back of her helmet, billowing like an alicorn's mane, mixed with a scant traces of pink cloud. The energy was so thick that it almost obscured all that lay behind her, and adrift in its darkness were hundreds of tiny lights. But, for all the power emanating from her, it did nothing to hard organic flesh and tissue, merely rolling over it. Not even the pink cloud seemed interested in dissolving or melting the corpses that lay strewn about the decks. Even her mane of luxurious pink hair seemed to be taking on a life of it's own.

Lastly, and perhaps the most ominous and terrifying tidbits, were that she was crying hot tears that turned to steam as soon as they were shed, and she was singing a lullaby as she struck at metal and flesh with her crude blades. Her angelic voice filling the metal halls.

Rest now and long,

Children, mine,

As I sing a song,

One no mother should.

Beyond heaven's gates,

Dance for me wait for me,

My daughter as pure as snow,

MY son strong as an oaken tree.

I'm so sorry,

That I could not be there,

To see grow and prosper,

To hold your hooves.

Forgive me I pray,

I was to save you,

But now I have failed,

There is no apology to say.

I chased a dream,

And robbed myself of joy,

I thought to keep you safe,

But all I did was become fate's cruel toy.

What joke is this?

That I can no longer hear,

My filly's laughter,

Her sweet hopes.

What poison have I been passed?

That my dear colt lays down,

Too weak to rise,

Before sight fades from my eyes.

This is sickness,

Perversion obscene,

That I yet live,

But they have lost life's loveliness.

All who heard her voice were both entranced and terrified, shivering in earnest horror. Every verse sung with such passion and conviction that they could almost feel her pain. It grew in intensity, and was on the verge of becoming physically painful. She continued her long dirge.

Promises of peace,

Twisted silver lies,

Have taken you away,

I could not hear your cries.

Their words of roses,

Bribes of wealth and comfort,

Did turn this fool's heart,

Robbing me of all ecstasy.

How could I head their vices,

Those corrupted by self-righteousness,

Fools all and yet...,

I am the greatest of them.

She quickly began her ascent of a stairwell, bullets and energy beams pouring down from above. They merely glanced off her helmet and mainframe or lost all force against the soft padding of her suit. Without ever breaking stride, she thrust her blades forward, spinning them like a whirlwind, quickly cutting down those who were to slow to flee. She even threw out multiple lasso to grab a couple more and pull them back into the deadly vortex.

Honors riches they did offer,

Another lie that they did weave,

That twisted web intent to snare,

When they set out to deceive.

Now I must stand here,

My love no longer by my side,

I should have been there,

To comfort you my dear.

The years now between us,

Tortured and alone,

Dearest protector, forgive me,

There's no way I can atone.

Dr. Atmosphere stood the other end of the hall in all his weirdness, watching the magical juggernaut slowly march along in the wake of the fleeing NCR soldiers. Stepping over abandoned weapons and fresh corpses. He smiled broadly before turning and following the retreat with a confident and even step. The song came to a end behind him.

Andromeda paused a moment, lowering her blades and taking a deep, ragged breath. "There is no way I can atone... is there?" She then took that moment to look about at what she was doing. And she felt nothing. No guilt. No shame. Not even anger. It was like she was crushing insects beneath her hooves.

That was exactly what they were. A good description she thought. Just insects beneath her. She was just cleaning out the pests that dared try to claim Equestria from its rightful heirs.

To destroy them for their arrogance. That they dared think they could claim the sovereign nation of Equestria under their banner. Like those zebras trian, what seemed so long ago now. She growled a deep throaty rumble as she spoke, "This land is no republic's home, nor a place for the anarchist marauders I have met, nor the fascist isolationists, or any other ideology but that of the Equestrian monarchy."

She lifted her head and sniffed, the tears beginning to cease their flowing. "I may never be able to atone for my failure, but... I can stop it from being filled with your filth." She roared out the last part, letting it reverberate throughout the decks. "You may think a bunch of bombs falling and killing everypony gives you the right to walk in and install your own regime, but... but I won't allow it. My mission was to defend Equestria. This means that you have to go. But, I suppose there's no point in killing all you."

Then she began to laugh, a demented, angry, sorrowful laugh. She was broken, full of mixed and twisting emotions. But, to make it worse. She felt as though she already knew, as though she had cried a million tears ever since she woke up. That, perhaps, some part of her, already knew, but she had forced it down so long, that the conformation of her darkest fears and deepest dreads made her snap. And it was in the midst of this that a familiar message appeared.

---WARNING--- SANITY SLIPPING--- SUGGESTION: MAINTAIN SANITY---

The laughter fell to an almost childish giggle. "Oh, Peppy. Your back. It's been so long."

---ILLOGICAL--- THIS UNIT IS FUSED TO THE OPERATOR'S RIGHT FORELEG--- IT CANNOT GO ANYWHERE---

With a chuckle, Andromeda patted the screen of the pipbuck fondly. "Oh, but you're wrong, Peppy. We're going to go everywhere."

---THIS UNIT IS NOT A PERSON--- THERE IS NO WE--- SUGGESTION: MAINTAIN SANITY---

Dr. Atmosphere was still smiling to himself as he passed crewmembers barricade the entrance to the bridge with furniture and explosives. He passed the officers who were squabbling over who got to use the lifeboats in case the barricades wouldn't hold the monster back. The doctor didn't care for any of these petty things. He was a stallion who only looked for the bigger picture. And what bigger picture was there than the view from the bridge's view port.

He climbed flapped his wings and peered out the window, looking down. There was a plateau ahead, partially shrouded in dark clouds emanating from a very rusted construction of twisted metal and old Cloudsdale architecture. the mere sight of it gave the vile stallion reason to snicker in anticipation, rubbing his hooves together playfully.

"Well, Mrs. Andromeda, you may think you're on a righteous mission, but... we'll see just how resilient you are when we show you what your really made of at the Rainbow Facility."