Long Haul

by D1scordant

Chapter 3

Month four, unknown location.

“This is Nebula Dusk of 2112 Celestia’s Mercy. If anypony can hear this, an electro-magnetic pulse near the Hydra nebula hit my ship, and my engines are without power. I am running low on supplies. I need immediate assistance.”

“Message will repeat in three seconds.”

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Nebs stared out of the living deck’s port side window. She was still in the nebula, but the stars were becoming brighter. The Mercy was nearing the edge of the nebula, and moving toward open space. She had started losing track of time. It felt like she had been drifting for an eternity. Everything felt wrong, she could of swore she had heard somepony calling her name several times. Was she losing it?

The ship’s primary power had been repaired, as well as most of the sensor displays. The engines were still out, however. And without parts, or food, Nebs was dead in the water. She had about two months worth of food left and three of clean water.

With a sigh, she went upstairs to the bridge. Slouching her chair, she glanced at the various displays. They all flickered with life except one: SARAN’s. A red blip appeared on the close range sensors. She straightened up, it was another ship! A small colony ship. She ecstatically scanned the ship for life signs. The sensors didn’t pick any up, it was deserted, a derelict. She dropped her head on the console and closed her eyes.

Several loud beeps came from the console. The Mercy was picking up several cargo RF signals coming from the derelict. Most types of cargo had a unique signal. The ship had a stock of food, water and coffee. And spare parts!

She had to figure out a way to dock with the other ship. A green light appeared on the engine panel. The vectoring thrusters had reset. She had started working on them a few hours ago, and the ancient backup vectoring computer had finally rebooted. Nebs let out a small squeaky sound and smiled. Having the thrusters back would at least allow her to dock with the other ship, she’d have to fly it in manually, however.

The Mercy jerked slightly as the thrusters kicked in. Carefully, Nebs guided the ship towards the other’s docking port. The other ship was basically a large rectangular box with small, round windows dotting the sides.
The docking port was likely on the starboard side.

The ship was a Skyway Vocational. It was an older model , it looked like a ninety-six or a ninety-seven. Those were the last two to feature the modular interiors. And two clusters of four x-zero Sublight engines, the same as the Mercy.

When the two ships were lined up, She killed the thrusters, and extended the port side docking tunnel. The mercy lurched as the end of the tunnel latched into the derelict’s docking port.

“THANK YOU, CELESTIA!” Nebs yelled in triumph.

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Nebs had jumped into one of her jumpsuits and grabbed some gear from the maintenance deck and headed to the port side airlock. The computer ran a quick scan of the other ship’s atmosphere and showed all green. Hastily, she opened the airlock and stepped into the other ship. The air smelled slightly burnt, but it was breathable.

Clicking on her flashlight, she saw she was in the ship’s atrium. The lights flickered on with a whirr and she could hear consoles chirping nearby. The ship’s walls were a dull copper color with occasional white or cyan markings Painted in stylized white letters on the far wall, was the name, Tantabus.

“Welcome” A pleasant female voice spoke over the intercom. “I am Umbra, this vessel’s designated AI Interface. Do you require assistance?”

Nebs almost jumped, the AI’s voice starting her.

“Y-yes.” She replied, “My ship was disabled, and I need parts to repair it.”

“Scanning.” Umbra spoke with a brief pause, “Skyway Starhauler. Designation 2112, Celestia’s Mercy. Primary engines disabled. Primary computer disabled. Confirm?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“This vessel does not have the necessary parts for that repair.”

“Can I salvage the parts I need from this ship?”

Umbra paused, processing her request.

“Unfortunately, This vessel’s engines have been destroyed.”

“Crap. What about the cargo. What’s this ship’s manifest?”

“This vessel’s cargo includes; Two tons of standard rations, one-thousand gallons of water, one thousand pounds of ground coffee beans, and REDACTED. Do you require supplies?

“Wait... Redacted?”

“I’m afraid that information is classified. Do you require any other supplies?”

“May I take some of the food and water?”

“Of course, the crew currently has no need for it anymore.”

Nebs paused. What exactly had happened to the crew. The Tantabus looked like it had been empty for several years.

“Umbra, where is the crew?”

“Everypony aboard this vessel left five years ago.”

“So this ship’s been derelict ever since? Seems like a waste.”

The AI paused.

“Would you like me to direct you to the cargo bay?”

“That would be wonderful. Thanks”

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Nebs Started loading what food and water she could from the cargo bay onto an old hovercart, and began pushing it back towards the airlock. It would be enough for a while, but she’d still run out at some point. She wished she could get all of the supplies,then an idea popped into her head. The Tantabus had power, and no doubt a better transponder than the Mercy’s; She would stay here. And she would have company too, Umbra.

She grinned at the thought.

“Umbra?” she started.

“Yes?” The AI replied.

“Can you activate this ship’s emergency beacon?”

“I’m sorry, but my access to the bridge controls have been disabled.” Umbra replied, her voice seemed...off.

“Well, in that case, Can you point me to the bridge so I can turn it on ?”

The AI replied, almost fearfully, “That won’t be necessary,”

“What!?” Nebs demanded.”I’m stranded here and that transponder is my ticket home. I need to turn it on.”

“You can’t do that.”

Ignoring the AI’s objections, Nebs began making her way back to the main corridor. She stepped into the hall and headed towards the front of the ship. Spotting a sign and a door to her right, she stopped. The sign read 'bridge’ and had a small image of stairs below it. She opened the door and climbed up the stairs. At the top was a small room with two benches on either side facing out toward the large windows bathing the room with sickly yellow light.

In the wall opposite her was a dull grey blast door marked with the usual warning signs, to it’s right, there was a control panel. Nebs activated it and the door split horizontally with a sharp hiss. She froze. The bridge was littered with pony skeletons. Dried splatters of blood adorned the walls near some of them, hinting at their fate. One unicorn skeleton was piled in the captain’s chair, a peaked cap sitting on his skull. A pistol lay on the floor next to the chair.
Nebs felt sick.

“You shouldn’t have come here.” Umbra spoke, her voice shifting to an almost sinister tone. “You weren’t supposed to know.”

“U-Umbra, what happened here?” Nebs asked, shaking.

There was a loud click and deep male voice spoke, the captain’s last log entry.

“Captain’s log,

I don’t know what happened, but most of the crew have become uncontrollably unstable and violent, some kind of outbreak. On top of that, Umbra locked down the ship and is not responding. Those of us who were still sane were trapped with me on the bridge, but...”

He paused.

“I...I had to...I had to kill them...They where infected...It’s that damn artifact! It’s what’s causing all of this!

The others are trying to get in, Its only a matter of time before they do... But I won’t let them get me. No, I won’t become one of them.”

He sighed heavily.

“Mayflower... I’m sorry...”

There was a loud gunshot, and the recording ended.

“It told me to lock the doors. It told me many things.” Umbra almost sang, ”It even told me you would come.”

“What are you talking about?!” Nebs exclaimed in shock.

“The artifact. It speaks to me.”

“Y-you’re broken, Delusional.” Nebs replied, ”You n-need to deactivate.”

“I-I am FINE.” The AI snapped viciously, “ You don’t know anything.”

The ship lights flickered and the air went cold. Umbra had shut off the ship’s heating system, she was trying to freeze Nebs to death! Nebs started for the door, but before she could reach it, the AI shut it, trapping her on the bridge.

The AI’s voice turned empty and hollow.

“I’m sorry, Dusk, I can’t let you do that.”

Comments

[D1scordant]

7169315

Thanks

[Barony]

Shit!

The Equestrian Navy will save you! Maybe...

Yeah, your fucked, Nebs.

[Alchemik]

Painted in stylized white letters on the far wall, was the name, Tantabus.

Oh crap.

“Welcome” A pleasant female voice spoke over the intercom. “I am Umbra, this vessel’s designated AI Interface. Do you require assistance?”

Yeah, that isn't a suspicious name at all.

“This vessel’s cargo includes; Two tons of standard rations, one-thousand gallons of water, one thousand pounds of ground coffee beans, and REDACTED. Do you require supplies?

“Wait... Redacted?”

“I’m afraid that information is classified. Do you require any other supplies?”

And neither is that, obviously.

The bridge was littered with pony skeletons.

Ha! I knew it...

“I’m sorry, Dusk, I can’t let you do that.”

You're screwed.
Great fic so far. Space, a renegade AI, a REDACTED artifact. All the ingredients for greatness... and death. Probably.