The wind was like an angry cat, raking Pip’s coat with claws of grit and dust. He squinted through the haze, his goggles only just keeping the relentless sand out of his eyes. The sun’s weak rays barely penetrated the swirling cloud, lending everything a depressing dull hue.
Not for the first time Pip thanked Twilight for his new desert gear. A refined version of protections already available, Pip found his muzzle wrapped in a close fitting mask with two prominent filtration valves. A bit uncomfortable true, but better than getting a nose full of sand.
No sooner had he and the rest of his scout party left the Bloomberg then communications had been severed, replaced by a wailing screech that set Pip’s teeth on edge before they shut off the links. The party had been reduced to hoof gestures, ones that Pip didn’t know and the soldiers didn’t seem to be in any mood to bother teaching him their meaning.
The whole desert seemed to sap the good will out of the very air. Pip was coming to believe it was more than just the harsh conditions, something was feeding his sense of unease in a way that felt invasive. It was like someone else was pouring their own sorrows and woes so that he felt just as empty as the dunes all around him.
His fellow Equestrians were all kitted out in kind, but whereas Pip wore just his basic survival gear the others wore far more heavy duty protection. The muscled earth mare just ahead of Pip for example sported a full suit of body armour. Decked out in solid metal plates woven into the dark green cloth while her whole head was enclosed within a protective helmet.
There were seven others besides Pip in the party; two unicorns, three pegasi, the earth pony and even one griffon. Each of them wore close fitting armour similar to the mare’s. Tweaked for their own racial needs with gaps for horns, wings, claws and so forth. Pip had the uncomfortable impression of being surrounded by green beetles or ants.
Despite his misgivings Pip was still in awe of the craftsponyship of the gear. As with most things T.C.A.P was producing these days the armour was subtly more than it appeared. Tiny crystals were affixed to the solid plates at regular intervals, to an outsider it could be mistaken for just a little flourish in the design but Pip knew better.
Each one would normally hold a magical charge and were designed to work together to form a brief barrier spell for the wearer. It was at the forefront of equestrian tech, a reactionary protection should its wearer suffer a dangerous impact. Early days yet, the defense could block one maybe two blows before their charge faded. I am married to a genius, Pip mused and a brief flicker of assurance fluttered in his heart before his face fell again.
As impressive as the field was, Pip knew it was just a set of shiny decorations in this murk. If what Applebloom had told him was true then any spell or machine enchantment used within the Maelstrom was likely to malfunction with disastrous consequences. So the small party found themselves pressing on through the haze, pushing against the howling wind and its gritty allies.
Pip focused on the lead guard as he strained to make out why they’d stopped. Their lead, a dusky coloured pegasus, seemed to be in a heated argument with another trooper. Their words were completely lost in the ferocious wind. From what Pip could see of them their leader was pointing to a small cave just visible in the distance.
Pip felt his heart quicken, finally something of note in all this sand blasted emptiness. After hours of trudging through cold sand and raging wind he’d about given up hope of finding anything.
Clearly something was amiss though, the pegasus was shaking his head vigorously now and Pip recognised out the soldier he was arguing with. Under all the plate and bearing a sergeant’s strips the plum coloured unicorn was even now waving his hooves in agitation. Whatever they were debating seemed to have something to do with the small cave.
Pip tried to catch any detail of the only landmark they’d found all day while fighting the urge to scratch his nose. It was just on the crown of his muzzle, under the mask in that nasty little spot that no amount of rubbing would settle. Only the thought that removing his mask would make things far worse kept his hoof at bay.
Refocusing his mind Pip instead studied the rocky opening, its jagged rim reminding him unpleasantly of a set of jaws bursting out of the sand below. Each ‘tooth’ was a gnarled point of brown rock that ringed the dark opening
He glanced back at the still struggling soldiers and, not for the first time, Pip forcibly reminded himself just why he was out here. The tech was all useless right now but every recon team still warranted a specialist, Applebloom’s orders. She had explained to Pip that she didn’t want the soldiers trampling anything that might be important until a member of her crew had given it the once over.
More guards were being drawn into the escalating conflict ahead until Pip was in threat of being left alone. Pip had no desire to be involved in the jostling soldiers, but neither did he want to left all alone either. Resigned to his fate Pipsqueak pushed his way past the struggling bodies.
Making slow headway, Pip only just caught the muffled shouts, the finer details being swallowed by the raging elements before they could reach him. What he did see was the pegasus waving what looked like a comms unit vigorously in the face of his companion and his stomach lurched.
It seemed that Twilight’s detailed briefing had fallen on deaf ears. Deaf being the key word here. The’d all been told not to trust their mage-tech gear. Pip’s own communicator having been switched off hours before, total communications blackout.
The unit grasped in their leader’s hoof however was active, its screeching call cutting through the commotion like an angry siren. Pushing and shoving, Pip finally managed to catch what the fuss was all about:
“I told you Sarge, I was calling in that we’d found something and it screamed at me! There was something on the comms!” The irate pegasus yelled, his voice still distorted by the heavy mask.
“And I told you to turn that twitchy unit off Private. You heard the briefing; all tech is to be powered down!” The stocky unicorn yelled back, his voice surprisingly calm despite its needed volume.
Evidently this failed to assure the Private who continued to dance fearfully from one hoof to another, his wings twitching in agitation, “But Sarge it spoke to me and it was dead creepy!”
“And I’m talking to you now Private! Turn that comm’s unit off right now do you hear!” The Sergeant yelled back before they all heard it.
A sound like screeching nails on glass rent the air that overcame even the pervasive wind. It sent chills down Pip’s spine and set his teeth tingling. But the horrid noise wasn’t finished, it was just getting warmed up.
Under the screech were whispers, half heard sounds that just might have been voices. They slipped into PIpsqueak’s ears and ran icy claws over his mind. The words weren’t clear but the feeling certainly was. Pip trembled as anguish filled his soul, a suffocating flood of pain and sadness that froze his core.
The soldiers all around cringed back, many of them covering their ears in pain. The unfortunate pegasus still gripping the communicator was wincing, holding the device away from himself but inexplicably still holding on as if it was riveted to his hoof.
His vision greying, Pip sank to his knees as the cries continued to tear at his ears. It felt like his mind was beginning to liquefy, the pain was so intense. Just when he thought he could bear it no longer there was a sharp ‘crack’ and the terrible noise was suddenly cut off like a heavy door being slammed shut.
Swaying and fighting to keep his breakfast down Pipsqueak managed to glance at the others. All of them were on their hooves except the unfortunate Private who even now was convulsing on the ground.
The Sergeant’s hoof was frantically waving for the others to come assist and as Pip peered closer he saw the communicator a little way off, what was left of it anyways. It seemed somepony had the presence of mind to take a hoof to the situation and its delicate mechanisms and fractured casing were even now being swallowed by the swirling sands.
Pip could only watch as the still thrashing stallion was surrounded, his fellows desperately trying to pull his mask off. It took four others to hold him down while the Sergeant struggled with the straps to the breather.
Pip felt the world drop out of his stomach. The guard had made an honest mistake, simply following what he was taught to do. But the consequences were terrible and it had been one of T.C.A.P’s inventions that had done it to him…..
The soldiers continued to fuss around their fellow and Pip could only stand as panic gripped his heart. The mask had finally been freed to reveal the foam leaking between the pegasus’ gnashing teeth. One soldier, another unicorn wearing a sign of the medical corps was struggling to force some liquid down the poor pony’s throat via a tube.
Look at us. Without our magic and science were so powerless. The scene continued to play out before him, a tragedy unfolding that Pip had the dreadful feeling he was in someway responsible for. The voice of reason tried to sooth his heart: Pipsqueak hadn’t designed the comms unit, he hadn’t made this terrible place. They’d all been briefed not to use any tech here, but none of those facts eased the guilt welling up in his soul. Pip wanted to look away, but felt his gaze riveted to the pony thrashing in the sand before him.
Slowy, painfully the pegasus’ flailing lessened before finally then stopping. Pip finally managed to tear his gaze away, but the image still haunted him: The flecks of spittle leaking between his teeth, the telling trail of blood leading from the nose. A lot had changed for Pipsqueak in that short moment and he glanced at the little devices he had stored about his person with a sudden fear. Were they really as safe and useful as he’d always assumed them to be?
For a long time Pip stared at his measuring tools, his scanners and arcane detectors. They had been his friends only moments before but now, without even changing in any way, each one seemed to have morphed into something sinister and dangerous.
A tap on his shoulder snapped Pip out of his shock and he looked up to see the Sergeant staring at him. It shouldn’t be possible for goggles to look accusatory, but this pony’s pair seemed to manage it just fine, “Move it ‘desk-job’, we’re off!”
Pip finally mustered the effort to look back to the stricken pegasus. He was very still and through the haze it was hard to tell if he was breathing. What was terribly clear was the hostility coming Pip’s way. Without even stopping the other soldiers carried the stricken pony towards the cave mouth, pointedly not giving Pip a single glance. Only the Sergeant bothered to inform Pip that they were heading out and even his manner was hostile. Is this my fault? Should I have checked the gear again before we left?
Still dazed, Pip allowed himself to be lead towards the threatening cave mouth and as he stumbled forward Pipsqueak couldn’t shake the idea that if he stepped into that opening he would never come out again.
He hung back and watched the others go in ahead, each one vanishing utterly as they entered into the darkness within. All too soon it was his turn and Pip hesitated at the entrance but the Sergeant would not be denied. With a heavy shove Pip was pushed into the blackness and swallowed whole.
The oppressive gloom crowded in the moment Pip crossed the threshold, blinding him completely and sucking any vestiges of calm he’d been clinging to. He stumbled, his footing unsure in the sudden blackness. His mind rebelled at the illogical situation. There should be some light, he’d only taken a few steps into the cave and there was no way he was deep enough to be in blackness now surely?
Looking back Pip felt his stomach twist again. There was no hole, no light from the cave mouth. It was as if somepony had drawn a curtain across the world and left him stranded in a void. What also struck Pip as odd was that the air here was completely still and by the feeling of it heavy with humidity. Not so much as a hint of movement disturbed the close atmosphere.
His courage failed and without thinking Pip reached for his magical lamp, only stopping when a wail echoed from further out in the blackness. The sound reminded him of the fate of the last pony who unwisely tried to use magic. The image of the thrashing pegasus flashed across his mind again and Pip forced his trembling hoof slowly down.
“Sergeant?” Pip called as loud as he dared, his voice sounding as timid as a foal’s.
“I’m here Coggie, just hold a moment while we sort some light,” The gruff tones of the unicorn sounded behind Pip.
“But how? We can’t use our lamps we…..” Pipsqueak began before a tiny sun filled his vision, quickly followed by a chuckle.
“You tech types, so obsessed with your gadgets you forget the basics,” The Sergeant’s grinning face regarded Pip over a the light of a simple candle. With a smirk he stowed it in a storm lantern and its pleasant glow banished the heavy darkness.
Pip coughed before looking to the other soldiers who had also lit their own lanterns. Of course they would have thought ahead. Pip even had his own lantern stored away but in the panic had forgotten about it.
“‘Stave,’ how’s ‘Tempest’?” The Sergeant called, unbuckling his own filter mask and shaking out an ebony mane. The unicorn had a pleasant voice with a slightly musical quality to it, as if he were humming a tune in the background.
“Stable sir!” Echoed the reply and Pip was reminded of just how quiet the world had become. It was as if they had stepped into a realm of utter darkness.
Taking in the chance to properly study his surroundings Pipsqueak saw that the cave was miraculously smooth inside and in fact a tunnel. It was utterly at odds with the weather beaten rocks found at the entrance and had a definite ‘crafted’ look about it. Turning to look at their ingress Pip gasped in surprise. The blackness was still there, like a solid wall erected across the tunnel.
“‘Dead’ is stable Stave, just tell me Tempest is alive,” The Sergeant replied levely.
“Well physically he should be fine sir, but without my full diagnostic spells I can’t be…” The medic began before being waved into silence.
“Just do what you can for him,” The Sergeant gave Pip a raised eyebrow, “‘Sergeant Repose’. Your name Tech?”
Pip still shook all over, the sight of the fitting pegasus threatening to surface again. It took a few moments to steady his shaking tongue enough to speak, “Pipsqueak sir,” he finally managed timidly.
“Never seen a combat casualty Pip?” Repose asked in a not unkindly fashion. Pipsqueak shook his head, the urge to fidget almost unbearable. Every nerve in his body urged him to do something, to run or hide or possibly both, but Pip closed his eyes with an effort and fought against it.
“You never get used to them Pip. You wouldn’t be a pony if a sight like that didn’t rattle you,” Repose added before one of the other soldiers snorted in anger.
“Being taken down by an enemy is part of the job sir, but Tempest? That was one of those tech’s toys what got him!” It was the earth pony mare from before, her face now bare, revealing a pale green muzzle underneath. She took a couple of menacing steps forward and a few of the others glared at Pip with angry eyes.
Repose simply held up a hoof. “Enough ‘Thorn’. It was an accident, all of you got the briefing about the dangers of using our equipment at the wrong time. Tempest was just careless that’s all. No need to blame the tech.”
Pip wished he believed that, the guilt still eating at his insides despite Repose’ words. Thorn wasn’t finished, “And who gave us it huh? Them cogs and their techno-voodoo, it isn’t natural you hear me!”
“Enough Thorn, I know you’re upset about Tempest, we all are. But blaming Pipsqueak isn’t going to solve it,” Repose cautioned, “Take ‘Tip’ and check further in.” It looked for a moment that Thorn was going to argue, but with a final snort she stomped off.
“‘Spear Tip’ keep an eye on her,” Repose added to the steely grey griffon who saluted smartly before following Thorn down the tunnel.
Pip’s heart was just approaching something like a normal beat when Repose gave him a sharp look, “Now Mr Pip, care to tell me what just happened? We all heard the noises coming from that device.”
The air seemed to grow chilly as Pip recalled the disturbing voices he’d heard. The truth was he didn’t have the faintest rational idea about the sinister event. All the logic he’d been taught told him that it was just crazed static, nothing more. But his heart said otherwise, “I...I don’t know Sergeant, I’ve never heard the likes of it.”
Repose continued to stare and Pip felt something more was required of him, “It...er could simply be wild static caused by the Maelstrom?”
Pip glanced at the others and their looks told him that they believed the explanation as much as he did. Everything on this trip was turning out to be dangerously strange, from the stone pony in the cargo hold to the dead desert they’d left outside. So many shocks and surprises..
“Static didn’t do that to one of my colts Pip. I suggest you start using that brain of yours and figure what did pronto,” Repose replied in a definite tone. Pip followed Repose’ gaze back to Tempest who seemed to be sleeping now, the medic tending to him with every sign of bewilderment.
Pip clenched his jaw, resolve forming on his face, “I’ll get on it Sergeant, I don’t like this anymore than you do.”
“He’s gonna die down there I just know it!” Applebloom wailed as she clung to Twilight. “I should have never let him go, we need ter call him back n….”
“Applebloom pull yourself together this moment!” Twilight scolded. It was that or admit that the sight of the normally unflappable engineer on the verge of breakdown worried Twilight far more than any trouble Pip may have been in.
The bridge crew all stared resolutely at their screens despite the drama unfolding. It took some effort to ignore Applebloom nearing full meltdown, but with a stern glare from Twilight they were making an admirable go of it.
“Ma little’un is gonna be without a father and it’s all ma fault!” Applebloom howled.
“Chief Engineer Applebloom, if you don’t stop this nonsense right now I will be forced to have you removed from the bridge!” Twilight replied stoically in the face of Applebloom’s rising hysteria.
There was a shocked moment where you could have heard a pin drop. No one had ever dared suggest such a thing to Applebloom on her own ship before. Despite Twilight’s unspoken threats several of the crew glanced at their head engineer, fearing some kind of apocalypse was about to happen.
Applebloom had frozen, her eyes wide and a slight tremble afflicting her lower lip. She opened her mouth, shut it before opening it again. It would have seemed comical to Twilight had the situation been different, Applebloom’s vacant expression reminding her heavily of fish gulping.
The crew eyed each other, none daring to break the sudden tension that filled the chamber. With grinding slowness reality reasserted itself and Applebloom’s eyes narrowed dangerously, “Yer wouldn’t dare Twi, not on ma Bloomberg.”
The word’s hissed out like a dagger, all sharp and menacing. Twilight however wasn’t cowed, “What the Bloomberg needs it his Chief Engineer doing her job and not some moping mare who’s gone to pieces.” Several of the crew sank down in their seats and a few even covered their heads.
The moment stretched outwards as the two mares glared at each other, neither one blinked. Then the impossible happened, Applebloom bowed her head with a little smile, “Thank’s Big.D I was kinda losin it there.”
“You’re welcome A.B. Gossip please relay the last message we received again if you please,” Twilight gave an internal sigh, that was a dangerous gamble. She needed Applebloom, if she’d not backed down then…
“Here it is your highness,” Gossip replied in a hesitant manner.
“This is team……..ca…..what the?.......” The voice was heavy with interference before finally ending in a disturbing scream that rattled Twilight’s bones.
“That’s all Princess,” Gossip whispered solemnly.
The first time the message had come across the comms had been dreadful, second time was little better. Twilight racked her mind for an explanation, it must have been desperate for one of the scouts to attempt to use his communicator.
Applebloom had pailed, her trembling redoubled and Twilight hesitated to ask, “What was that at the end Applebloom? I’ve never heard anything like it.”
Twilight feared that Applebloom may relapse, but to her immense relief she swallowed before taking a deep breath, “All I do know fer certain is the signal was from team Three. Pip’s squad. The ident signal confirmed it. As fer the noise at the end..I..I just..”
Another shiver ran through Applebloom, “That weren’t nothin ter do with tech Twi, that was the receiver pickin up summit else. Summit unnatural.”
Twilight’s mind ran wild, this place was just one shock after another. She was desperately trying not to voice the thought of ghosts. They’d all heard stories of phantom speakers on the edge of hearing, of operators who heard weird noises during a late shift. Twilight had never given such stories any merit until now.
“The sooner we can get out of this place the better if you ask me,” Boldstorm snorted and a few of the crew mumbled in accent.
“Not until the job’s done Captain. Once that’s clear I’ll be the first to call it,” Twilight replied.
Twilight cursed internally, every time she felt she finally had a grip on the situation another threat would emerge. She shared a worried look with Applebloom, “Can you be certain that it wasn’t just distortion caused by the Maelstrom?” Twilight suspected the answer, but hopped by asking the question again the answer would somehow be different this time.
“Ain’t no way around it Twi, summit freaky is going on here n we’ve sent our colts right in ter the thick of it,” Applebloom’s voice was threatening to break again, the sobbs only just being held back.
“Okay so the question is, do we send somepony to find out if they’re alright or do we sit and wait?” Boldstorm voiced the question no one wanted to ask.
Would Applebloom ever forgive Twilight if they didn’t send more crew to find Pip and the others? Could Twilight forgive herself if she lead even more Equestrians into harm’s way?
“I knew we couldn’t trust Discord,” Applebloom muttered darkly her accusing eyes piercing Twilight to the core.
“I... “ Twilight began only for Gossip to interrupt with a cry of surprise. Everyone on the bridge turned to focus on the unicorn who held his ear with one hoof, the other waving excitedly.
“Mam I don’t know how they did it but I’m getting a clear signal from team Three!” Gossip was grinning like an idiot.
“Well don’t just sit there gorpin, punch it up will yer!” Applebloom moved so fast that Twilight could have believed she’d just teleported, one moment Applebloom was next to her and the next she was almost crushing Gossip in her efforts to reach the microphone, “Pip! Pip yer stupid ‘can brain’ yer speak up this minute yer hear!”
The tense hush that followed this outburst was almost deafening as all the crew strained to hear the message, “Hi honey, we’re okay. Well most of us are. Tempest is in a bad way. Something nasty happened with his communicator but Stave has got him stable for the moment.
Relief swept over Applebloom’s face, mirroring Twilight’s own. This quickly followed by expression of confusion, “How yer talkin with us Pip?”
There was a brief sound of mumbled conversation from the speakers before Pip’s almost cheerful voice replied, “Well we found a cave which for some reason isn’t clouded by the Maelstrom. I can’t fully explain it yet. I’m still trying to figure out my readings but if they’re right then we’re not even in Sal Palamino any more!”
“What?” Twilight called in astonishment, “Your scryer must be wrong Pip you can’t be…”
“He’s right your Highness, I’ve got a lock on the signal's origins. It’s coming from inside the mountain below us!” The confusion in Sky’s voice only added to Twilight’s bewilderment.
“That’s what I thought, but every time I retried the scan I got the same thing and that’s not all. There seems to be some kind of maze down here with loads of odd carvings on it,” Pip explained, relief heavy in his tone.
“Mam a runner just arrived from team Six, she’s basically reporting the same thing. An odd cave like structure out in the desert. The team leader is asking for permission to investigate further?” Gossip called out eagerly. “What do I tell her?”
Twilight paused before replying, “Okay let’s all just keep calm. This is what we’re going to do…”