Bonesetter heard the screaming before he saw any reason for it, but he was already on his way to the door control, because he knew the reason for it. He'd been expecting it.
It was the reason he'd known would come, no matter what. The containment isn't sufficient to continue with the project, he'd told the Overmare again and again. And every time, she'd dismissed his concerns. So when he hit the button and locked the door, he knew what to expect. He wasn't surprised at the large hulking creature covered in mottled black and gray flesh that came down the hallway, a white leg hanging from its mouth, its claws and stubby muzzle slick with blood. He'd seen dozens of them before, in cages, being put down with bolt stunners, being recycled into food for the rest of them.
He wasn't surprised when the thing tilted its head back, tossing the leg up, and caught it in its mouth, then chewed and swallowed; he'd seen them eat on any number of occasions. Sure, this one had a flair for the dramatic, but they all took big bites.
He wasn't even surprised when the thing's yellow eyes looked straight at him through the glass -- but he flinched all the same. I wonder how long that door's going to hold. Window'll probably break first, and then it won't --
"D-Doctor?"
He turned back. For Luna's sake, I fucking forgot about them. He'd had two patients when those things got loose, and now they were staring at him. A gray mare and a yellow filly. Silver and Gold, the Shine mares. Gold, the foal, was barely seven; Bonesetter had helped deliver her. Silver was half Bonesetter's age, but he was getting up there, wasn't he?
"Move into the office, both of you." He sat at his terminal and sent a message to all the top-tier staff.
CAN ANY OF YOU SEE THIS? RESPOND IF YOU CAN. CONTAINMENT WAS BREACHED. OVERMARE LIKELY DEAD.
The mare and her filly were starting the panicky kind of babble that civilians usually did. Bonesetter counted himself lucky, even if it was only because he was functional while he was panicking.
"Mom? What was that thing?"
Silver's voice faltered. "Sweetheart, it...it's okay. Security will take care of it. It's probably from outside the Stable."
Sure. Everything bad comes from outside the Stable, Bonesetter thought. That was the Overmare's party line -- a food shortage? Water from outside ruined one of the recycling tanks. A weird smell in the B block quarters? Gases from outside. A weird clanging on the Stable door? Must be mutants. Couldn't be the poor bucks we left out there to die.
Somehow the Overmare's concept of keeping a unified front meant being paranoid about anything outside the Stable. He couldn't talk her out of these notions, either; she had a problem with stallions, and Bonesetter might be old, but he still qualified as male. Bonesetter wasn't sure how she'd ended up Overmare for the Stable, but she was, and the appointment was for life -- as was the appointment of her entire top-tier staff, every one of whom were stallions.
She did not listen to the advice a single one of them gave. If he hadn't known better, he'd have guessed it was a cruel joke by an angry Goddess.
A response came, and damn if his breath didn't catch in his throat for a moment when he saw it.
MAINTENANCE HERE. WHAT ARE THOSE NOISES?
So Bolt Cutter’s okay. Thin relief spread through him at the thought.
SECURITY HERE. BONESETTER, HALF MY MARES ARE GONE! HOW DID YOU LOSE CONTAINMENT?
If I knew, you dumb fuck, I'd have said. Cartwheel was chief of security and just smart enough to swing a nightstick and load a pistol -- and that was about all. Bonesetter wasn't prejudiced -- he'd served with dozens of earth ponies during the war -- but he'd always felt like an earth pony could get away with a lot more stupid than any pegasus or unicorn and still be able to buck a tree or use a wrench.
BOLT CUTTER, SECURE YOUR AREA. MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S LOCKED UP TIGHT. SAVE AS MANY AS YOU CAN.
CARTWHEEL, SAME DEAL. DON'T BE A HERO; WE NEED TO MAKE A PLAN ABOUT DEALING WITH THIS. JUST TIGHTEN DOWN THE HATCHES AND LET THOSE THINGS EAT EACH OTHER AFTER THEY EAT MOST OF US.
It was a grim assessment, but it was the only one he saw possibly working, so he'd use it.
He was glad Bolt Cutter was alive, even if he didn't think there were good odds for it staying that way long. Bolt had fast become his friend, and eventually they'd found themselves doing more than what friends do. Bonesetter had a few friends like that during the war, and he'd seen most of them die.
Bolt had become more than just a friend during the past two years, but somehow Bonesetter had never gotten around to telling Bolt that.
He was just hitting send when the mother came over to him, with the tone of controlled insecurity. "Doctor, can you -- "
"Silver." He turned and put on the Serious Doctor Look. Hell, it might be the last time I get to use it. "This is important, okay? You and Gold need to keep calm. If she can't stay calm herself, then you need to keep her calm, okay?"
Silver blinked, then nodded. Bonesetter knew the trick to placate the overcontrolling -- give them a responsibility, even if it was meaningless. Silver was a bit of a smother-mother, a little overcautious at any juncture. I suppose it paid off this time. She can die slowly of starvation in here, rather than quick and painful out there. An afterthought came to him. Or not...I have enough for a Nurse Candy Cocktail. Maybe two. Maybe.
He knew, more than those lucky mares, more than anypony else in Stable 23 who was still alive by now -- they were all completely bucked.
Cartwheel sent a message back. BONESETTER -- I HAVE AN IDEA. I'LL SEE IF I'VE GOT THE RESOURCES AND GET BACK TO YOU BEFORE I PULL THE TRIGGER.
The medical pony had worked two shifts in a row; Gold Shine's black eye was supposed to be the last thing he dealt with tonight, and it was a black eye -- he wasn't exactly going to splint it. He was going to reassure her mother, tell the frightened little filly everything would be all right in a week or so, and go get some well-deserved sleep.
This all came at exactly the wrong time. Although I suppose there really isn't a right time for angry, flesh-eating things to get loose, is there?
Bonesetter rubbed his face a little, and tapped out a new response to both.
CARTWHEEL, TALK TO ME. WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. TALK TO ME ABOUT RESOURCES. WHAT CAN WE DO?
The response came quickly.
BONESETTER -- BOLT CUTTER HERE. PRETTY SURE CARTWHEEL JUST TRIED TO GET TO MAINTENANCE. LOTS OF SCREAMING AND SHOOTING, AND THEN JUST THE SOUNDS OF BREATHING AND EATING AGAIN.
Dammit. Cartwheel was gung-ho beyond intelligent thought, but if he’d just waited a little bit...and now, dead, he was useless.
SHIT. ANY OTHER MAINTENANCE PONIES DOWN THERE?
The reply that came back made him want to eat a gun. JUST ME. SORRY. And then, a moment later: I LOVE YOU.
He sighed and shook his head.
The Overmare had suspected that the Chief Medical Pony and Head Maintenance Pony were intimate, but she had no proof. And, to her credit, she had treated them just as bad before she seemed to suspect it as she did after. She had equal-opportunity hate for stallions, it seemed -- coltcuddler or not, she did not care. She just thought anything with five legs was automatically an idiot.
Well, fuck. Might as well tell the truth, even if you couldn't before. What's he going to do, tell someone? He swallowed down the nausea again and tapped a reply.
I LOVE YOU TOO. I'M SORRY.
He hit send, then looked over at Silver and Gold, trying to think through it. The next part was the slow part -- the waiting. The gradual descent into panic and insanity. The scrounging of food. The cannibalism.
He didn't want to go out like this.
He closed his eyes. A few more hours won't mean starving, just hungry. Let them have a few more hours. Just tell the right lie, and they'll at least not panic.
"Silver, Gold...I need to talk to you." He put on the Serious Doctor Look. "Now, Security is working on the problem. So we're going to need to sit tight, okay?"
They nodded. Good. It's still working.
"I haven't slept in thirty-six hours, and I'm pretty sure the front windows and door will keep us safe until Security comes to get us. So I need to take a little nap, all right? Just so I can be ready to treat all the ponies that are going to need help after all this."
They both nodded again, but he was sure he detected something on Silver's face. Hope was fading.
He put forth his forehoof, and set it on her haunch. "Here. I'll even set the timer -- two hours, okay? And you two can stay back here; I'll sleep out there, near the door. That way if they try to get in, I can stop them."
It was nonsensical -- only a panicked mind could possibly imagine that boneshaky Bonesetter could take on one of those things and even live past the first five seconds -- but the mare smiled a little more and nodded more emphatically. "See, sweetheart? Doctor Bonesetter's just going to take a little nap. And then, once this is all over, we'll see daddy Brass again."
Yes you will. I suppose we all will.
He trotted out and laid on a gurney, facing the window.
It couldn't be worse than the war, even if those things came back to try to get in.
* * *
He dreamed.
It was that quiet night when he was still young, when his body still had no creaks or aches -- when he'd never even killed yet -- that he'd seen his father work.
His father was a veterinarian, and as far as Bonesetter knew, could save any animal that needed saving.
That was the night he found out the truth.
Their dog, Cockeyed, had been playing and tipped over a kerosene lamp; it had broken, and the leak had gotten kerosene on the dog. And, because luck was never going to hold up all the time, the dog had caught fire.
Bonesetter had put him out as soon as he could, smothering him with magic and rolling him on the floor. He'd lifted the dog with TK into the clinic attached to the house, crying for his father the whole time.
Surgical Tubing had woken up almost before Bonesetter was crying, and followed his son in. Bonesetter believed, right up until he saw his father's face, that Cockeyed was going to be okay again, going to play with him and lick his face again.
"Make him better," he said, his voice breaking. I'm asking, and it's Cockeyed! He'll do it! He has to!
"Son..."
Bonesetter shook his head. "No! Make him better!"
Surgical turned and brought out a blanket, wrapping it carefully around the whining, crying animal; next, he brought a syringe out, and a few moments later put it into the dog's neck.
"H...How long before h-he's better?!" Bonesetter felt warm tears running down his face. Dad makes all of them better! He has to! It's Cockeyed!
The dog had stopped crying, stopped whining; for a moment Bonesetter felt the hope resolve into something solid inside his gut.
The dog had stopped breathing, and that hope became knots deep in his gut.
Surgical wrapped forelegs around his son and kissed his head.
"He...he's d-dead! Fix him!" Bonesetter shook his head and pushed at his father, who only held onto him more securely. More tears ran down Bonesetter's face.
"He was going to die anyway, Bone. It was all I could do. Nopony could have saved him."
The syringe suddenly made sense, terrible sense. "You...you killed him!"
"Not every animal can be saved, Bone. Bad luck killed him," Surgical said. "I just gave him a warm place to die."
* * *
Bonesetter's alarm went off.
He opened his eyes; one of the things was at the window, just...staring. Staring right at him.
How many of you did I kill? He'd lost track. They were trying to make intelligent, clonable monsters. He knew not why -- it wasn't his place to ask questions. It was only his place to follow orders or be replaced.
Damn you, Stable-Tec. Outside, he'd probably have died; he had no illusion about that. But he'd have lived first. He’d have saved lives out there, in whatever the world was, as long as he could have -- or just settled down with some colt like Bolt. Down here, he'd pissed away his whole life worrying about pissing off the Overmare, about what people would think if he had a coltfriend, about...everything.
It's not really their fault, is it? I worried. I spent all that time worrying, and I bet most of them gave no shits. I could have helped the others who didn't like her. Maybe we could have made things better, instead of letting that bitch rule us into ruin.
None of it mattered now, though. Time's up. Well, nearly.
"Doctor?" A voice came from the back office.
He moved off the gurney to see Silver and Gold, huddled together, blinking at him.
"Doctor, Security hasn't...come...yet..." Bonesetter realized Gold was asleep. He could only imagine how hard it had been for Silver to keep quiet when that thing showed up in front of the window, watching them.
"I know. I'm sorry." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Silver. I really am."
"They're...they're not coming, are they?" She was fighting to keep her voice level; tears were starting to flow. "Please tell me I'm wrong. Please."
"You're not wrong. I wish you were. I really, really do. I -- " He broke off, then laughed at himself. "Well, hell. I'll just say it. I wish Bolt wasn't alone." He found himself looking away, at anything but her. "I wish he was here."
"The terminal popped a few times," she said. "I...didn't look, Gold was already asleep by then."
One more reason I'm a shitty coltfriend, Bonesetter thought acidly, as he trotted to the terminal.
Just three messages.
BONESETTER?
BONESETTER? ARE YOU CHARMING SOME STALLION WITH THOSE BABY BLUES OR SOMETHING?
TELL ME YOU'RE OKAY, PLEASE?
That last one was from twelve minutes ago. He tapped back quick.
I WASN'T THINKING. I TOOK A NAP. I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I'M SORRY. DON'T BE MAD, OKAY? JUST HAVEN'T SLEPT IN TWO DAYS.
Bolt's reply was fast; he must have been waiting at the terminal.
TOTALLY MAD. Almost right after that: NOW I'M NOT. THERE. WE HAD OUR FIRST FIGHT.
Despite everything, Bonesetter found a chuckle at that. I BET THE MAKEUP SEX WILL BE GREAT.
He wanted to believe Bolt could laugh at that, but he knew it wasn't a great joke. YOU KNOW IT.
Bolt always laughed at my bad jokes. Suddenly he wanted Bolt there more than anything. I DON'T WANT YOU TO SUFFER. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE THINGS EATING PONIES OUT THERE, THOUGH.
Bolt's reply came fast. THINK ABOUT IT. ALL YOU HAVE ARE DRUGS; ALL I HAVE ARE TOOLBOXES.
Bonesetter tapped back. YOU'RE INSIDE MAINTENANCE. THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
LET ME THINK ABOUT IT A WHILE. I DON'T WANT YOU TO SUFFER EITHER, LOVE.
Bonesetter pushed away from the terminal, and looked at Silver. She had an inquisitive look; he gave a little nod, and she smiled back.
"Silver...we need to talk while Gold is sleeping," he whispered.
"I know." She nodded. She was far from the best mother in Equestria; she wasn't the best mother in Stable 23.
But she was a good mother.
"I've got enough drugs to make a Nurse Candy Cocktail, possibly two. They'd be...painless." He hesitated. "I can check to see if I've got enough for two, but I really think we should at least make...one." His eyes dropped to the child in her arms. "You don't have to decide right away, Silver. But..." He glanced at the window, where the beast still stared at him. Warm breath came from its nostrils, producing small steam trails in the air; their body temperature was a good fifteen degrees higher than a pony's, due to the metabolic alterations. It was like they knew he was the reason they'd hurt, the reason so many of their kind had died in front of their eyes; as if somehow, this one right here was here for him, specifically.
He pulled his gaze back to the mother with the sleeping child. Priorities. Guilt second, patients first.
"Are you sure it's enough for two?" she asked. "If it isn't enough, she'll...feel things, won't she?"
He nodded. "I'll be sure it's enough for her. Trust me." He gave the tiniest shrug; he knew he was saying it for the last time, now. "I'm a doctor."
She swallowed, then kissed Gold's head and mouthed yes at Bonesetter, and he set about collecting their treatment.
* * *
Bonesetter had more than enough for two, but not enough for three. The syringes were prepared within minutes.
Silver woke Gold; the little filly's bright blue eyes opened, and Silver smiled at her. Bonesetter hoped the filly couldn't detect the clench in her mother's jaw.
"Mommy?" She looked at the doctor, then at her mother. Is it all right? that look asked.
Oh, I wish it was, sweetheart. I'm so sorry, Bonesetter thought.
"Hi, sweetie. I know you're tired, okay?" Silver's voice caught in her throat at that last word; she pushed her smile a little wider and made herself keep going. "We're both a little sick. So Doctor Bonesetter is going to give us something to help us, and we'll both take a nap, because it makes you feel extra-sleepy. Okay?"
Gold blinked a few times, but nodded.
"Now, it'll pinch a little at first...but it'll be all right, and then we'll go see your father."
Gold smiled. "I miss Daddy Brass."
"I know you do, honey. We'll see him again soon, okay? You'll go to sleep, and when you wake up, Daddy'll be there. Okay?"
Celestia, let it be so. Bonesetter forced calm through himself. Please. She's not perfect, and I know Brass isn't either, but please, don't let Gold be alone after this. Please.
"Okay, Mommy."
Bonesetter took a deep breath. He had a smile on his face that seemed unshakeable, but Silver could see the tension in his jaw. "All right, little girl...just close your eyes, and there'll be a pinch..."
He pushed the tip of the needle into her neck, and pushed the plunger.
There had been twelve doses of Med-X on hand, and ten doses of mercralinone; the interaction between the two was fatal, but soft and warm and sleepy. He'd just mixed them, like when he'd put down soldiers who couldn't possibly come back from their injuries. Half for Silver, half for Gold; neither could survive it.
She smiled at the doctor after he pulled the needle out, and put the little wad of cotton over the hole, the little piece of surgical tape over that.She'd wonder if I didn't. "Thank you, Doctor."
He ruffled her mane with his hoof. "You're welcome, sweetheart." Gold hugged tight to her mother, her eyes already starting to get tired.
Silver looked at him and smiled. "My turn."
He nodded, lifting up the second needle with his TK. "Yes. Yes, it is."
* * *
He could almost tell himself the mother and child in the corner were sleeping, if he didn't look at them too long. Too long, and the illusion was destroyed; he couldn't help but notice they weren't breathing. You did the right thing. Better than them screaming and awake.
Maybe if I'm lucky I can be asleep too, he thought, and tapped out a message. BOLT? I'M DONE WITH MY PATIENTS.
He let himself glance at the two again. The image was sweet, if you didn't look too close. Nice thoughts were few and precious at this point; he'd take anything he could get. The vent system blasted cool, freshly recycled air on his face.
BONESETTER, I HAVE AN IDEA.
GOOD. I USED UP MY SUICIDE MEDS ON MY PATIENTS. WANTED TO BE SURE.
Bolt was quiet a moment, and then: WHO WAS IT?
Bonesetter sighed and glanced at them again for a moment, then tapped a reply. DOES IT REALLY MATTER? WHAT'S THE IDEA?
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO SAW YOU LAST.
YOU DID, LOVE. RIGHT HERE. NOW TELL ME THE IDEA.
Bolt's reply took a few seconds. I CAN RESET THE ATMO RECYCLING SYSTEM, SWITCH THE VENTING SYSTEM, AND SWITCH IN XENON FOR NITROGEN.THEN I SET THE PERCENTAGE HIGH, AND THE STABLE WILL DO THE REST.
TOO MUCH XENON?
TOO MUCH XENON, YEAH.
Too much xenon would do the trick, and not unpleasantly. Bonesetter had told Bolt a few times that if you had to pick a way to die, xenon narcosis was just about the best way to go. HIGH? HOW HIGH? WHAT PRESSURE?
86%, 1.1 ATMO.
"That'll do the job," Bonesetter muttered to himself. He promptly chastised himself for speaking out loud when a little filly was sleeping, then made himself look back at the terminal before he thought about Silver and Gold too much.
DO IT. THE GAS ALONE SHOULD KILL US AND THOSE THINGS.
OKAY.
He blinked. That felt too easy. He didn't feel fear, just...calm. Like nothing could possibly go wrong, even with the sounds that monster was making in the hallway now. It just didn't matter. Which was...not right. A thought occurred to him. BOLT -- HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET TO THAT LEVEL?
HALF AN HOUR.
Bolt did have a habit of anticipating his responses... DID YOU ALREADY START IT?
There was a slight delay. YES.
He closed his eyes and thought of Cockeyed for a few moments, and tears came again, leaking down his cheeks. No wonder I'm not afraid! Xenon narcosis has rapid onset. Best present ever. THANK YOU. HOW LONG AGO?
FIVE MINUTES.
I LOVE YOU, BOLT.
I LOVE YOU TOO, BONESETTER. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T SAY IT SOONER. YOU WERE RIGHT -- THE XENON FEELS REALLY GOOD.
ME TOO. AND YEAH, IT REALLY DOES. It was setting in fast. Bonesetter knew the symptoms better than Bolt; euphoria, exhilaration, tranquility. They'd feel it together, sleep with it together.
I'LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE, I HOPE.
IF THERE'S ANY JUSTICE, Bolt tapped back.
I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU TOO.
His TK seemed to slide off the keys; he couldn't see the whole keyboard any more, and he couldn’t focus magic. Bonesetter's vision had narrowed to a tunnel; he turned, and the only thing he could see before he closed his eyes was the perfect picture of a mother and daughter sleeping together, smiles on their faces, as perfect a sight as it could be.
Warmth and darkness overtook him.