White skull shines from inside of helmet in the darkness; sun goes down on east and touches cold corpses with its biam.
poem of Edward Grigorievich Shlyapnikov
* * *
It was five minutes to eight, when they met at the side of glade. Apple Bloom was gloomier than usual.
"What's with you?" Scootaloo asked her in a whisper.
"I've visited my brother. It turns out, he and Ms. Cheerilee are in infection ward. I think we poisoned them!"
"Poisoned?! Again?" exclaimed Sweetie Belle. "What?"
"I suspect rainbow," said Apple Bloom. "They've got ill on the next day after Hearts and Hooves. When I walked back, I have seen gray robed pegasi near of the bottom of the new rainbow."
"We must tell about it to medics!"
"Wait," Scootaloo stopped her. "Before it we should find out what the real reason they've got ill. It will be much more useful."
"Let's go," said Sweetie Belle. "From the eastern side. Sun will blind them."
On the edge of a meadow stood Fluttershy in the evening beams that gave her skin sinister hue. She looked how rolling turf coating of the container uncovered it. Crusaders crept to the opposite side of the container and prepared belts. Whir of screws increased and above the trees shown aerostat. Four pegasi with ropes in their mouths rushed down and hitched edges of the container. Huge iron box smoothly slid up in the guides. When the edge of the container closed Cutie Mark Crusaders from Fluttershy, they jumped forward and clung of the ledges on the side. Then they rapidly fasten safety belts. Wind roared in the ears.
Shouting over it Scootaloo said: "It seems we have seen from the second balloon!"
Friends did not answer, only wider opened frightened eyes. But the wind made them blink again.
"Oh, please, please, if only we had not caught!" whispered Sweetie Belle.
Just after eighteen minutes aerostat lowering went ashore to the air terminal of Iridescent plant. It froze swaying slightly on the two rails. Fillies unhooked and jumped off while the container moved to the receiving gate. Most of all they now feared that pegasi will disengage the cables, but apparently it wasn't needed: an empty container still had to take. Surprisingly nopony was nearby. Crusaders quickly darted beyond the distal edge of the box. Terminal was located on the west side of the plant, so fillies hid in the deepening twilight. At the gates freight pegasi quarreling of, technicians drove the ladder to the gondola.
"They aren't all pegasi?" surprised Scootaloo, peeking from the corner.
But from the cabin flew two pilots. In hooves they kept some devices that are attached to the ladder. From the gondola began to slide and fall in a heap at the bottom round boxes, empty judging by the sound. It was clear that this will take a lot of time.
"Let's go from the other hand," said Apple Bloom.
Three friends quickly ran sixty-five feet to the edge of the container, which already pushes the gate. Buzzed some mechanisms, chains rang, cargo pegasi cuss out monotonously. Right door was ajar.
"Wait until they turn away," said Apple Bloom.
"Yeah," Sweetie Belle nodded. "What are they doing here?.."
They peered from the corner. Just at that moment something happened with the chain drum at the opposite edge of the steel box, and three cargo pegasi sluggish swearing turn the motor off and began to unravel the chain. Trinity quickly rushed to the door to the receiving sector. Suddenly one of the movers looked.
"What the… Discord's pants!.." On his whoop looked the other two pegasi, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders have already disappeared behind the door.
Approaching the intercom cargo told to a post:
"Notify the Director Rainbow that three offenders entered the sector through the acceptance of a cargo terminal is the first westerner."
"What the offenders?"
"Like children."
"Do not follow them. Continue with your job."
"Okay, boss."
Behind the door was a small tambour. Crusaders ran it and frozen next to the door.
Sweetie Belle pushed Scootaloo: "Good they have steel floors here, or you would save all you one."
"It's because they have huge loads. Next could be worse."
Friends looked out the door. Steel cover of clouds continued. Across the hall stretched rubber sheet conveyor, and the edges were located granaries cones. Close to the surface of the conveyor hung steel cargo separators.
"Let's see," Sweetie Belle said quietly.
"Just hide out somewhere," said Apple Bloom. "It seems we have been spotted."
Cutie Mark Crusaders ran along the conveyor looking for shelter. Right were located some zinced cabinets that hummed softly. Over there were drawn lightning and horse skull and crossbones. Finally after the farthest closet revealed inconspicuous door. Scootaloo took it and sighed with relief: the door was open. Behind it was an unlit corridor. Quickly ran to the end, Scootaloo saw symmetrical flight of stairs. Above it hung a pointer that through the window in the door was not visible. The door was open. Returning to friends Scootaloo reported that she had seen.
"There should be a research center," shared her thoughts Sweetie Belle.
"Surely there they make sinister experiments!" said Apple Bloom.
Crusaders lurked behind a closet. Sweetie Belle leaned against to the wall at the first time, but felt her trembling decided to stay away – who knows. There was a buzzing. In the opposite wall was the balcony, the doors flew open, and a few pegasi in gray came out. One of the pegasus clearly had multi-hued hair and commanded others.
"Yes this is Rainbow!" whispered Scootaloo.
"Exactly," agreed Apple Bloom.
"I wonder what's she doing here?.." said Sweetie Belle.
Rainbow Dash walked along the balcony.
"Well then, no interruptions! Watch for the slightest accumulation infringements. Now hoarders contain material for two hours, so that we have time to fix errors. Do not waste it!"
Dash flew up; flown room, glancing at the receivers drives, and retired to one of the doors on the balcony.
"Damn!" said Scootaloo wiping the sweat. "I thought she'd see us!"
From the opposite end came a creak, and the huge gates rose up, showing the container wall. On the sides of the conveyor were made borders, apparently to protect the goods from scattering at the beginning. One of the pegasi flew to the container and checked something.
"Fixing of the pusher is in order! Open!" he shouted and rushed to the switch.
Conveyor shuddered and moved. Container sidewall moved upward, and out of it really rained butterflies. From where the girls sat butterflies seemed like multicolored confetti of Pinkie Pie. Stream poured onto a conveyor unabated for a moment. Pegasus began to fly over the receivers, watching closely at the lights. Everywhere green light was on. Separators cut the stream and sent it to the granary cones.
"Eighteenth stall!" controller shouted from the balcony.
Orange light next to the number 18 blinked anxiously. One of the pegasi in the hall flew to the receiver and clicked something. Turbine howled and after a moment later green lightened.