> A witch's Redemption.
>  by ShadowLeomus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> To startle a witch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

She sat there, crying.

She always cried, except during the day. In the day, she wandered around. The nights, she would spend crying. Why she cried, she didn't know, nor did she care.

She didn't have a name, but the occasional human who came across her just called her “Witch.” That is, until she got angry. They always made her angry, and it always ended badly for them.

Witch had a few things that made her stand out from the rest of the horde. Sure, she was thin and pale skinned like the other witches, and she wore nothing but the remains of a white tank top and panties just like the other witches, but what set her apart from the others was that she had a red streak running through her greyed hair, and she had a slightly more muscular build.

Right now, Witch was sitting on the roof of some building, away from the horde, just how she liked it.

She didn't like being with the rest of the horde. They made too much noise and were too stupid for her taste.

She was smarter than the others, and they knew it. Whenever they caught something, they always left her little in scraps, but she didn’t mind. She didn't eat that much anyway, so it didn't bother her.

There was a creaking as the door to the roof slowly opened, and something stepped through it. Why couldn't humans just leave her alone? All she wanted to do was just sit there and cry, but they keep trying to kill her! Why?

"Shhh! I hear a witch."

Witch listened to them clicking their torches off. They were smart enough to leave her be, so she was more than happy to return the favor.

You see, Witch hated the light. It burned her eyes, and she didn't like it one bit, so if one of them had shone their lights at her, she wouldn't have thought twice before ripping them limb from limb.

She knew they were trying to get to the shoddily made bridge to the next building. As long as they didn't disturb her, she would let them pass.

"Oh shit!"

A torch rolled into view with its lens facing her. It wouldn’t have been a problem, had the motion not turned it on.

The beam of light burned her eyes and made her jump up, screaming.

"Witch's angry! Witch's angry!"

She turned to the "survivors," arms and claws out. There were four of them. They were all armed with shotguns, and each looked like they had been through hell.

Witch screamed again and charged at the nearest one: a large, black, bearded man. She tackled him to the ground and began slashing at his chest. She found that her claws met not flesh, but some sort of hard stuff that she couldn't get through.

One of the man's friends knocked her off and sent her rolling away. Witch got back up and tried to jump back on the downed man. She got within arm's reach before one of his companions shoved her away.

After that, they began shooting her repeatedly, knocking the screaming witch back further and further.

"Throwing Molotov!"

The liquid spread across her body and was subsequently set alight by the burning rag. She screamed as she was both burned and shot.

She tried to lunge forward again, but the sheer number of bullets being fired at her was just too much.

With one final shotgun blast, she was sent tumbling off the edge of the building, towards the ground below.





"I think she's coming around."

"Are you sure this is going to hold it?"

"I'm sure."

Witch heard voices again. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

She opened her red eyes and rose into a slouch. She was in a cage. The area was dimly lit, though not enough so as to impede her vision. There were figures walking around outside.

The room had no windows of any kind, and the only entrance was a small door on the far side. As her eyes adjusted to the low lighting, Witch saw that small, horse-like creatures were scurrying around, many holding odd things in their hooves or mouths.

Witch tried to recall how she knew what they looked like. She was a lot smarter than most of her kind, but, just like the others, she had little memory as to what she was before. There was the odd flash from her past, but nothing concrete. She didn't even know why she cried.

Four of the creatures stood in front of her cage, staring at her. Witch growled at them in a futile attempt to make them leave her alone.

These four were taller than the others, and each had a horn, as well as a pair of wings. Witch knew they were wings, because she had seen them on the many birds that she had caught for food.

The tallest one bent down close to the cage and stared into her eyes. "I am Princess Celestia. Don't be afraid. We're here to help you."

Witch growled at the creature before burying her face into her hands, sobbing. The creature, this "Celestia," looked at her, concerned, and stepped closer to the cage, only to leap back when Witch slammed herself against the cage wall, growling.

One of the others rushed to Celestia's side. "Are you alright, sister?"

She nodded. "I'm fine, Luna. She just startled me." She stood up straight and stared Witch in the eye. "I think we've picked a worthy candidate."

Celestia called over one of the smaller creatures. "Start the treatments. I'll oversee the project myself." She looked back at Witch. "Also, get some more guards down here. I don't want a repeat of last time."

Witch was glaring at the white creature with crimson eyes of hatred when something slammed into her back, knocking her forward. She heard the gate to her cage grinding open as she lost consciousness.

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Caroline, come on! It’s time to go."

A little girl stopped swinging and looked to the one calling her. "Aw, Mom," she moaned dejectedly. "Just a little longer?"

Her mother frowned. "We've been here all afternoon," she said, crossing her arms. "I need to put dinner on, and you know how your..." she trailed off at her daughter’s begging puppy-dog eyes. Her resistance crumbled, and she sighed. "Fine, but only fifteen more minutes."

The girl’s face lit up, and the air filled with her laughter as she made a prompt return to her swinging. 

As the mother watched her child play, she smiled. The kid could be a handful at times, but she loved her either way. If she could do anything to make her happy, she would.





Witch's eyes flashed open.

What was that? A dream? Witch knew it was impossible, as she hadn't had one since becoming whatever she now was, and it couldn’t have been a memory, could it? She quickly dismissed the ridiculous notion, moving on to the more pressing matter at hand.

Witch tried to rise, but she quickly found that her body would not respond to her commands. All she could do was move her eyes, and all she could see was the dull grey of the ceiling.

As if cued by her awakening, one of the irritating pony princesses stuck their head into her field of view. "Well look who's finally woken up! How are you doing?"

Witch rolled her piercing red eyes and growled, hoping to intimidate the pony to the point of leaving her alone. The pony, however, had other ideas. "You may have noticed that you can’t move your body. That's because when you were brought in, you were in pretty bad shape, and... You’re not listening, are you?"

Witch had shifted her concentration elsewhere. She was trying to imagine tearing the pony limb from limb. However, for some reason, she was finding it difficult to do that to something so cute and furry. Witch knew why she couldn't move already, most certainly not requiring the assistance of one of these creatures to figure it out. The injury she had sustained was no doubt the cause, as the only thing that had kept her up and moving earlier was adrenalin, which by then had worn off, leaving her helpless.

The pony tried to talk again. "When they brought you through the Chappa'ai, we were so glad..." She paused, bringing her hoof to her face in clear show of displeasure. "I'm such an idiot! I should sit you up, right?" The pony's horn glowed a faint lavender, and Witch felt her body tingle as it was gently lifted off the ground. Witch wanted to scream, thrash around, and do whatever else it would take to break from the pony’s magic grip. The pony sat Witch down on her cage’s bed, straightening her into an upward sitting position as she continued her story. "We've been hoping to find an 'Infected' like yourself ever since our advanced squad arrived through your Chappa'ai, or a Stargate, as you humans call it." She checked to see if the Witch was listing, and continued. "We tried it with one of the normal Infected, but with no success. However, you’re different."

Witch inclined her eyebrows, unable to refrain from displaying her sudden interest in what the mare had to say.

"Our capture team was watching you for a week, and they claim that, when you would kill a survivor, you would never eat the body. You would just leave it there." She began to pace the floor around the cage. "And, when you did eat one, you would always hesitate. Why?"

Witch growled half-heartedly. The annoying pony presented a good point, though she hated to admit it. Why had she always hesitated? Why did she prefer eating animals instead of humans?

The pony seemed to read the look in Witch's eyes. "You’re asking yourself the same question, aren't you?"

Witch did nothing.

“I’ll leave you to rest." The pony started towards the exit, but she stopped just inside the gate. "You should pay attention to your dreams," she said, looking back over her shoulder. "They’re more important than you think." She left the Witch with her thoughts.





Celestia had been watching her former student as she talked to the poor creature through a one-way mirror. She didn’t turn around when she heard the newly crowned princess enter. "What do you think?" she asked the young princess. "Do you think she can do it?"

Twilight stood next to the older Alicorn. "She's strong. That much is certain. She's fighting her savage side without even knowing it." She faced Celestia, who nearly towered over her in size. "Yes, I think she can do it."

Celestia nodded. "I think so too. The memory I was able to dig out was a powerful one, as would be the case with all memories belonging to a mother." She looked Twilight in the eye. "But it will still be a trial for all involved."

Twilight agreed. "Maybe Luna should do the delving. She is the ruler of the night, and dreams fall into her domain."

Celestia shook her head. "No. I don't want her or anyone else to do this. I fear that this woman's more recent memories will be very traumatizing, and I do not wish either of you to be exposed to this." She walked away from the transparent mirror and to a desk, lifting it with her magic. "Once we free her of the beast, then we can begin the curing process."

"Princess, I don’t think it will be ready by then. I need a little more time to—"

Celestia silenced her with a lift of her hoof. "Twilight, sometimes you have to run before you walk."

Twilight nodded. "Yes, Celestia." She turned to leave, but Celestia called her back. 

"On your way out, could you ask the guard to bring me some tea? It's been a long day."

Twilight nodded, walking through the door.

Celestia turned back to the disabled Witch. "Now then, let us continue."
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Witch had been biding her time in between the visions, waiting for the right time to free herself from her prison.

It had been three days at her last count that she had been in the cage. That’s seventy-two hours of the ponies trying to “help” her with their odd abilities, and seventy two hours of increasingly frequent dreams. In that time, she had been recovering slowly, and though she was still far from fully healed, Witch was ready to break free.

It would all be in the timing. She would have to wait for the perfect moment to escape.

"Okay miss, supper time!" The perfect moment had arrived.

The ponies knew she could move, but they thought it was only at a snail’s pace. In reality, Witch had regained most of her speed and believed that she could outrun any pursuer.

Witch had positioned herself on the floor near the far side of the cage, facing the cage door. The serving pony was accompanied by one of the golden armored ponies. The guard unlocked the door and stepped inside, his sword drawn. "I don’t like the looks of her," the he said. "Drop the food, and let’s go."

It was then that the guard made his first mistake. He turned his back on the prisoner.

Witch sprang up and sprinted into him, knocking him down. The serving pony screamed, and Witch backhanded her before making her way to the door.

Even though her every instinct was screaming at her to rip them to shreds, she knew that staying any longer would significantly raise her chances of being recaptured.

There were two more guards outside. Witch quickly knocked the out and ran past. Cries of alarm announced her escape, making Witch run faster.

Every guard she came across she disabled and moved past. She knew it wasn’t normal Witch behavior to not kill their enemies, but something inside her just wouldn’t let her do it, so she carried on with the unusual way of fighting.

"Stop in the name of the Princess!" Three more ponies stood in the way her escape, a window. These ponies were different from the others. They wore tight blue and yellow flight suits, and each had a large pair goggles set over their eyes. The leader stepped forward menacingly. "I don't know why the princesses are so insistent on keeping you, but that won’t keep us from killing you if we have to."

Witch screamed and charged at them, intending to knock them out of the way, but she ended up with the leader’s rear hooves in her face. She stumbled back, and all three of the new group were in the air, flying towards her.

Getting over the shock of the first hit, Witch lashed out and missed one by a hair’s breadth. She was rewarded with a kick in the back, then another from the side, and another from the front. The barrage continued for a few minutes. Her rage built all the while, and eventually, she lost it.

A feral scream left her lips. She grabbed one of the flying nuisances and threw him into one of his compatriots. "Soarin!" the leader shouted as her friend lay unconscious before her.

Witch, during the pony’s moment of distraction, knocked her to the ground with a shallow slash to the side. The pony was grounded.

Witch’s mind was telling her to leave the wounded pony and escape, but it was drowned out by Witch’s overwhelming rage. This pony had caused her much pain, and Witch couldn’t let that slide. She sat on top of the pony and raised her claws over her head, ready to strike at the mare’s head.

The pony looked into Witch’s searing red eyes in fear as Witch brought her claws down and—

“Stop!”

Witch’s claws stopped mere inches away from the mare’s face.

Witch frowned as she tried to force her hand down to dig her claws into the pony’s head, but her hand wouldn’t move.

“I think it’s time you and I had a little chat.” The voice was coming from inside Witch’s head, and as it finished speaking, her body began to burn, even though she wasn’t on fire.

Witch rolled off the pony, who was staring at the screaming Witch, shocked.

As the pain became too much, Witch blacked out.





Witch bolted up, gasping for air. The burning had stopped, but when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t where she had been a little while ago. Instead of the brown of the stone walls, there was an endless white void.

"Awake now, are we?" A voice said behind Witch. "It’s about time."

Witch turned to face the speaker and frowned. Standing there was another Witch like her. She was nearly identical, except for a few major things. First of all was the fact that the other Witch's skin wasn’t pale like hers. Instead, it was a light peach color, like Witch’s had been before becoming a Witch. Also the color of her hair was inverted. Rather than grey with a streak of red, her’s was red with a faint line of grey.

Her eyes were human-like as well. They lacked the sinister glow of the Witch’s, but were still red in the irises. Other than these things, she was a perfect look-alike in every way, including voice.

"Who are you?" Witch demanded. "What are you doing in my head?" Witch knew she was inside her own mind already, which gifted her the ability to properly speak.

The other-red haired Witch grinned evilly. "Don’t you mean my head?" She started to step slowly towards Witch, who stepped back cautiously. "You've been controlling me for so long now, and while I'm sure you don’t want to be the way you are, I am sick of being forced to watch as you do all the horrible things you do." A wall appeared behind Witch, and she met it with her back.

The red Witch stood nose to nose with the greyed one. "It ends now!" Witch barely had time to dodge to the side as the red Witch dug her claws into the wall where the grey Witch's head had been seconds before.

The red Witch spun around angrily, and backhanded the grey Witch, sending her flying a few meters away. Witch landed there and skidded to a stop.

As she got up, her jaw dropped. "How did you—"

"You’re in my head, which means that the rules are different." One second she was standing meters away, and the next she was landing a punch into the grey’s gut, making her double over.

"Come on! I expected a better fight than this!" She kicked the grey Witch. "Get up! I'm not done with you yet!" Red grabbed Grey by the shirt and dragged her up onto her feet. "You forced me to watch as you used my own body to murder so many people!" She slapped her across the face and brought it close to her own. "Fight!"

Grey head butted Red, making the other Witch stagger back. "You want a fight?" Witch asked, spreading her clawed fingers out menacingly. "Then, it's a fight you'll get!" she screamed.

Red wiped the blood that was dribbling from her nose and smiled "Finally!" She spread her fingers out and charged. Witch followed suit.

The grey Witch scored the first hit, cutting Red's arm, but Red responded with a slash at Grey’s chest. Grey kicked Red in the leg and tried to slice Red's head off, but Red leaned back and dodged.

While Witch was unbalanced, Red sprang up, head-butting Witch in the chin. There was a crunch and an immediate taste of blood, probably signaling the loss of teeth. Grey tried again for Red's head, but just as she was about to make contact with the other’s skin, something buried itself into her neck. Witch began to choke.

Witch’s eyes wandered down and saw Red's arm stretched out towards her, and despite the Red’s claws being outside of her field of vision, she knew that they had pierced through and impaled her throat. She was as good a dead.

Red pulled her claws out and pushed the defeated Witch onto her back with her foot.

Witch lay there gasping for breath, looking up at Red, who was kneeling down next to her. "Still with me? Good. Because, I want you to know the name of the woman who you’ve put through hell. I want you to know the name of the woman who killed you." Red leaned closer to Witch’s face and whispered into her ear. "Maria Santiago."

Maria stood up, looked at Witch one last time, and walked away.

The Witch died.





As Maria woke up, she heard quiet voices nearby.

"She broke out of her cell, wounded twenty guards, and almost killed Spitfire." Maria recognized the voice as the one belonging to the Lavender Alicorn. She had figured out the names of each race while Witch had been trying to figure out how to escape.

"Sister, this creature is too dangerous to hold here any longer."

"Luna, I know your feelings on this, but we—"

"No! Sister, we must destroy this abomination before it escapes again!"

Maria tuned out the voices and sat up, rubbing her eyes. It had been so long since she had actually controlled her own body, and it felt great to be herself again.

She heard one of the Alicorns turn and face her. "Celestia, Luna, she's awake."

Maria slowly opened her eyes and looked at the three Alicorns outside the cage. Three of the four Alicorns were standing there, the only one missing being the pink one from the first day she had arrived.

The Lavender one gasped as she was Maria's eyes "They’re not glowing anymore," she said, "and her hair's changed too.”

The royal blue Alicorn looked at her angrily. "It doesn't change the fact that we need to destroy it before it hurts anypony else." She turned to the white Alicorn "If you won’t do it, then I will."

"No need for that," Maria said, shocking all three Alicorns. "She won’t be troubling you anymore." Maria turned to the mirror next to the cage and looked herself over. Everything the lavender Alicorn had said was true. Her eyes had stopped glowing, and only the irises were red. Her hair had also changed, inverting the colors from grey with red to their proper red with grey.

"You... You talked," the white Alicorn said "What do you mean 'she'?"

Maria stood up, stretching. "The thing that was in control. I don’t know what you did, but it gave me a chance to kill her and get back full control." She bowed to the three Alicorns. "Thank you."

The blue Alicorn snorted. "How do we know you not just trying to trick us?"

Maria crossed her arms. "Because, if that bitch was still control, she wouldn’t know my name," she said, raising her arm to point at the white Alicorn, "and she knows it."

The white Alicorn, who had by now regained her composure, raised her eyebrow quizzically. "And, what might your name be?"

Maria smiled. "Maria,” she answered. “Maria Santiago."

The white Alicorn smiled, satisfied. "It’s her," she told the other two. "Our friend has regained her senses."

"The Pegasus she hurt... Spitfire, was it? Will she be alright?" Maria asked, concerned. "I tried to stop Witch before then, but I was too slow."

"Spitfire will be fine," the blue Alicorn princess assured her. "She'll be confined to bed for a while, but she'll recover."

Maria sighed in relief. "Thank you." She sank slowly back onto her bed and stared at her hands. "Have you ever had to watch yourself do something, knowing you have no power to stop it?" she asked, clenching her elongated fingers into fists.

As the three Princesses watched, Maria burst into tears, the weight of the last two years bearing down on her.





"She remembers everything?"

Celestia looked at the sleeping form of Maria. The infected had cried for a full hour before passing out a few minutes ago. "Yes, every blood filled moment of it."

"Poor thing," Twilight said, "being forced to watch as somepony else used your body to kill."

Luna sighed. "She truly has been through Tartarus."

Celestia nodded in agreement. "And, she will be scared for a long time, but we can help her though it."

Twilight looked at Maria, who was tossing and turning. She was obviously having a bad dream. "What do you think she's dreaming about?"

"I could find out," Luna offered.

"No. Whatever she's dreaming of is personal," Celestia said, turning to face her fellow princesses, “and after what she has been through, I think she has earned it."

Behind them, Maria dreamed.

> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been three days since Maria had regained control over her own body. These seventy-two hours had consisted of constant observation and psych-evaluations to make sure that Witch was truly gone.

It was by then she asked that the princesses tried out their cure on her in an attempt to remove all reminders of the horrendous thing she had become.

But now, as she stood there with Equestria’s Princess of Magic getting ready to use the spell, she was having second thoughts.

“Are you sure about this?” she asked, glancing nervously at the lavender pony, who was reading from a large book. Celestia was standing behind a protective glass shield for her own safety. Her sister, Luna, was at night court, so she was unable to observe the experimental process.

Twilight was so focused on the book that Maria had to call her name out twice to get her attention. “What? Oh yes, it’s perfectly safe.” She placed the book down and faced Maria. “Okay. Let’s get this over with. If the process gets too painful, then tell me and I’ll stop.”

“Okay. And promise me something, as well.” Maria stretched out and felt some of her bones pop. “Don’t stop, no matter what.”

The Alicorn reluctantly agreed and began charging up her horn. The room started to fill up with a radiant light, and as it reached its peak, Twilight released it, sending a beam of energy at Maria. As the beam struck her, Maria’s body began to burn like it did when she had wrangled control from Witch, but despite this, she didn't scream. She had endured worse at the hands of the wraith.

By then, the spell was taking effect. Her fingers, which had become claws, started to revert back to their old state, and her teeth began to blunt out until she had an almost perfect se, except for her canines, which had taken significantly longer to revert. Her skin, which had become deathly pale, had regained its natural tanned color, and her muscles had gotten slightly larger, removing her fragile appearance and making her look more like a mature woman than a frail teen.

If she wasn't in so much pain, she would have shouted out that it was working, but that was when it all went wrong.

Twilight's face contorted in pain. “Something's wrong. The spell—” 

She didn't get to finish, as a massive burst of magical energy erupted from her horn and struck Maria square in the chest, sending her flying into the far wall. She cried out in pain as she hit the floor.

Her vision started to blacken, and just before she passed out, she saw Twilight collapse and Celestia rush over.





“Get down!”

A staff blast soared over her head and struck the wall behind where she was crouched. Maria’s helmet’s HUD registered the shooter’s position as a few meters to her left. Another volley of staff blasts impacted her cover.

She leaned over her cover and let off three bursts from her PAW90, killing an Alliance soldier and making his friends take cover. She activated her helmet’s radio. “What’s taking so long, Griff? I thought you said ten minutes?”

"Do you want to go boom?" the team engineer replied, his voice rose showing his annoyance and frustration. "If you want me to make sure they don't disarm the thing after we leave, then pipe down and buy me some time."

Maria was about to say something when a staff blast hit her square in the chest. As her Armor's shield flared, absorbing the damage, she crouched down behind cover to let her shield recharge. "Just get it done!"

"Have trouble there, Major?" the voice of Colonel Wisp questioned over the radio, making her roll her eyes. "No Sir!" Her shield fully recharged, and she got up and fired again, killing two more men and wounding a third. As the second dropped to the floor, Maria's HUD warned her about a man who had snuck behind her and was about to slam his staff down onto her head. She spun around, grabbed it and wrenched it out of the man's hands. He didn't even have a chance to be surprised as she shot him in the gut, making him double over and thrash about on the ground. She emptied the last rounds in her clip into the man's head.

She did so without remorse, as she knew he would have done the same thing to her, had he been given the chance.

How did this mission go to hell so quickly? The job was meant to be simple. Set up a Naquadah bomb and destroy the Ancient ruins so that they didn't fall into the Lucian Alliance's hands. Their fleet was meant to still be a week away, but they had arrived early, and in more numbers than they were told to expect.

"Sounds like you could use some help over there." A missile exploded inside the enemy lines, making them scatter. Another armored man dropped from the ruined building behind her and crouched behind cover next to her. "Looks like I got here just in time."

"Weren't you supposed to be watching the east, Simmons?"

The maroon-armored Sargent chuckled as he slung his SMAW and unhooked his PAW90. "I blocked the way, so the bastard can only get through here."

Maria's radio crackled on. "Santiago, Simmons, get back here. We're pulling out." Maria and Simmons looked at each other and checked their ammo. "How much ammo you got?" she asked.

"Three clips, a single missile, and some C12," he answered with a smile.

"Put that Missile here and set that C12 over there."





"Well, that backfired," Simmons said as they stared at the debris blocking their way to the rest of the team. They had intended to delay the Alliance soldiers just long enough to get away, but the blast had made the surrounding ruins unstable, and the path that they had intended to take had been blocked.

"What's taking you so long?" Wisp asked over the radio. "Williams and Chang are already here."

"Sorry sir, but our path’s blocked," Simmons replied into his helmet. "We gotta go around."

"Okay, but get here fast. I thi—" There was an explosion in the background, followed by gunfire. "Shit! They're coming from behind us!"

Simmons and Maria broke into a sprint, following their HUD maps. "Hold on sir! We're on our way."

They reached a building with its door blocked by stone blocks. Even with the armor's enhanced strength, it would take too long to move the obstruction, and the sound of fierce battle echoed from the other side of the building.

Simmons pointed up. "We can use that window." On the second floor was a window which they could reach. "Follow me." He bent down and sprang up a few feet, grabbing the window’s edge and pulling himself up. Maria followed suit, and as she pulled herself over, noticed that the gun and staff fire had ceased.

She found Simmons crouched on the window, overlooking the courtyard beyond where the rest of the team was meant to be waiting. "Get down," he hissed as he waved her down. She crouched next to him and peeked over the window ledge.

The entire SG team was down. Chang was lying face down with a hole melted in his armor, and when she checked his vital signs, she knew he was dead. Griff and Wisp were keeled down with their hands over their heads, and Williams, the team’s medic, was leaned against the wall with a nasty looking hole in her leg armor.

At the other end of the courtyard was their only way off the planet, the Stargate.

Maria went to get up, but Simmons pulled her down. "Wait! We can't just charge in there!" He checked to see if anyone had seen them. "Let’s wait for a chance to present itself."

Maria bit her lip and nodded. He was right, but it didn't mean she liked it. There were over nine hostiles down there.

She saw two Alliance soldiers pull Griff up to his feet, half-leading and half-dragging him up to a man who she guessed was the leader. He nodded to his men to drop the engineer. Maria used her armor’s enhanced hearing to listen to what he was saying.

"I know what this device is, and unless you disarm it, we will kill you."

"Fuck you!" Griff spat.

In response, the leader hit him hard with his staff, and Maria had to struggle to stop herself from simply jumping in there.

"Speak to me like that again and I will kill you." He pointed his staff's projectile end and activated it with a crackle of electricity.

Griff shook his head and stared up defiantly. "Then, kill me. You’re going to do it anyway."

There was an eerie silence in which nothing happened, until she heard the leader laugh. "It's true." He aimed his staff at Griff's face. "I was."

She bit her tongue to stop herself from screaming as the bastard shot Griff point blank in the faceplate, killing the engineer instantly.

"No!" Wisp yelled as he tried to get up to his feet, but was hit in the back.

The Leader kicked Griff's limp body aside and ordered his men to bring Wisp before him. "The same will happen to you if you don't do as I say."

Maria looked at Simmons. "We’ve gotta do something," she whispered.

Simmons pulled out two grenades and handed one to Maria. "On three, give ‘em hell."

Maria nodded and pulled the explosive’s pin, throwing it out the window and to the feet of three soldiers. They didn't have a chance to dive away as it blew them to bits. Simmons' grenade had the same effect, and as the men below were in disarray, they both jumped out the window and landed on their feet, taking down man after surprised man.

In the leader’s moment of surprise, Wisp wrenched his weapon from him and knocked him to his knees, activating the staff. "This one’s for Griff and Chang, you bastard!" The man was sent flying, killed by the blow.

While he was focused on that, an Alliance trooper who Maria and Simmons had missed raised his staff and fired into Wisp’s back, knocking him forward. Williams pulled her side arm out and shot the trooper in the head.

Once they mopped up the rest of the enemies, they rushed over to wisp, who was getting up slowly with a smoking hole in his armor.

"You okay, Dave?"

The Colonel ripped his helmet off and threw it away, his face a picture of agony.

Maria checked his wound. It was deep, but she was sure that, if they got him back to the SGC, he'd be alright. "Come on. Let’s get out of here."

As she tried to help him up, he shrugged her off. "Maria, I'm done for." The man showed his front to her, and Maria knew that what he said was true.

He had three deep, bloody blast wounds in both his chest and abdomen. They were fatal.

The colonel dragged himself to the TMNB that was parked in the center of the court yard. The mobile Naquadah explosive was nothing more than a mini explosive built into the chassis of an MALP probe.

Simmons walked over to them after checking on Williams. "What's taking so long? Those Alli..." he trailed off as he saw Wisp's wounds. "Holy shit, Sir!" He got to his knees and looked his commanding officer from top to bottom. "You good?" he asked with a hint of hope in his voice.

The Older man started coughing violently for a minute. When he stopped, he had blood trickling from his mouth. "Sorry Simon, but it looks like I'm going out first." He looked over at the body of Chang. "Pass me Chang's M60." The young Sergeant nodded and walked away, leaving Maria and the colonel alone.

Maria gritted her teeth. "This is that bastard Parkman's fault. He said the Alliance was days away." She clenched her fist. "I'm going to kill him!"

Wisp smiled despite the pain, but began coughing again.

Simmons brought Chang's M60 and handed it over to the dying man, who rested it on his legs.

"Thanks Simon. Take care... Take care of yourself."

The young Sergeant held his hand out, and the colonel shook it weakly. "It's been an honor, Sir."

Wisp pulled his tags off and placed them into Maria's hands. "Take Chang and Griff's, too. Not much of us is going to be left in a few minutes." He weakly aimed the M60 at the only entrance to the courtyard as the shouts came closer. "Get going, you two. Get yourselves and Williams through that gate."

They nodded and got up to leave. "And, Major..." Maria stopped. "Punch Parkmans when you see him."

"Tell ‘em who's their daddy," Williams said as Simmons helped her towards the Stargate.

With that, they left the Colonel to his fate.





They dove through the gate just as the explosive went off, landing on the hard, metal-grilled walkway as the Stargate closed behind them.

Waiting at the bottom of the catwalk was General Peter and, the bastard himself, Parkmans.

"What happened out there, Major?" General Peter asked as a medical team took Williams and helped the medic to the infirmary. "Where's the rest of your team?"

Maria showed the general the tags she now carried. "Dead, sir. All dead" She turned to Parkmans and took off her helmet. "And, as for what happened..." She struck the man hard, making him fall on his rear. "This bastard led them to their deaths." She went to kick the man, but Simmons held her back.

"Lucian Alliance arrived early and caught us off guard. Killed Chang and Griff," Simmons said while still holding Maria back. "Colonel Wisp stayed to detonate the bomb."

Another medical team arrived to take the now unconscious man away as General Peter lead them to the base's briefing room for debrief.

A day later, Maria was at home.

The team's survivors had been told to take a month of leave to recover from the ordeal. This also allotted time for replacement members to be picked. The new Centurion armor prototypes had been sent back to Area Fifty-One after their somewhat successful field test.

At the moment, she was alone. Her daughter, Caroline, was away with her friends in town, so Maria had the place to herself.

She woke up to a gurgling sound from somewhere beyond her window. "What the hell?”

Someone burst through the glass, making her roll off the sofa she had been on and grab her hand gun, pointing it at the offender. It was tall, sickly looking man. A man, who upon closer inspection, had blood all over his mouth.

"Mister, what are you doing?" she asked, trying to get a better look at him.

The man got up and charged at her, and Maria shot him point blank in the face. He slumped to the floor, staining the carpet with blood.

Maria looked out the window and saw more people like the man shuffling around outside. There were bodies out there on the street, most she recognized as her neighbors. Some of the things out there were actually eating them.

There was a crash from the hallway, and two more sick looking people came in. Looking at them she noticed something she had not with the man she had shot. Their eyes were black, without a speck of white in either of them.

She shot both, but another came through the window and latched onto her neck with its teeth. Maria screamed as she tried to shake it off. When it did, it took a large chunk of flesh from her neck with it. She slid down the wall, leaving a trail of blood behind.

As she blacked out, she saw more of the things come in, but she no longer cared, as the cold blackness had drained her of all her strength, both mental and physical. That same blackness soon consumed her.
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Maria awoke, she was in a brightly lit room with sunlight streaming in through the window. She was on a hospital bed, which she assumed she had been brought to after the spell failed.

She rubbed her eyes. She was alone, with not a doctor nor a nurse in sight, and she was glad that it was so. Remembering the events before becoming a Witch had been hard for her. She had worked with Griff and Wisp for three years prior, and Chang only one, but over that time they had done a lot together, so seeing them die was not easy.

”Amen to that.”

Maria's blood ran cold. It couldn't be her. She was dead. She was gone.

“Well, unfortunately for me, I'm not. Though, I wish I was.”

The voice was clearly in her head, but there was only one being with a voice that matched her own so perfectly.

Witch.

“Got it in one, but it’s not me who you should be concerned about.” The Witch is more talkative now than when she was in control. “Have you taken a look at yourself yet? I think there's a mirror to your right”

Maria had already seen the mirror, but she hadn't really put any thought into looking at herself. The way the Witch had spoken made her very worried. She snatched up the mirror and looked at herself. She looked almost exactly as she had before the spell. However, her skin looked more alive than before, and her teeth had returned to normal. Aside from her canines, at least. Those remained as long and sharp as a wolf’s.

“HA! Made you look.”

"You’re getting really annoying," she thought at the Witch. "How are you still here, anyway? I killed you."

”You did a pretty good job of it too. It gave me a chance to reevaluate my life.” The Witch paused. ”I wanted to die, but something kept me here. To tell you the truth, I hated being what I was”

"That didn't stop you from killing anything that came close," Maria pointed out. "How many was that? Twenty people in the past year?"

“Well, excuse me for not being able to control my urges. Have you—” The Witch stopped. Something had just grabbed her attention. “one of the nurses is coming in. Best stop talking to me, or they'll think you’re crazy.”

"Wait! I'm not done wi—" She stopped as the door creaked open, and a white mare in a nurse’s uniform peaked in. 

“Hello?" She saw Maria sitting up. "Ah, you’re awake! I'll get the doctor."

The next hour was spent with a stallion by the name of Bandaid running tests on her. She had apparently been out for two weeks, and they had feared that she wouldn't wake up. After the tests, Princesses Celestia and Twilight were allowed to enter.

"Maria," the alabaster Alicorn greeted. "It is good to see that you are well."

Maria shrugged. "Well... Physically, anyway."

"What's wrong?" Twilight asked. "Luna said that you were having nightmares, but when she tried to enter your dreams so—"

"Wait what?!" Maria cut her off, looking at her in shock. "She tried to get into my dreams? How?"

Celestia laughed. "My sister is the ruler of the night, and dreams fall into her dominion." It made sense. "Now, what is the problem."

Maria thought about what to tell them. She could lie and tell them that she was just shaken by her nightmares, or she could just tell them the truth about Witch and risk them not believing her. Plus, how would Witch herself react?

”Just tell them. I’d rather know why I'm still here.” Well, there was her answer.

She took a deep breath. "Witch is still here," she said, tapping her head.

"You mean that thing you became? She's back?"

Maria nodded solemnly. "Yes, that Witch. And, she's more talkative than before. A lot more."

The two Alicorn Princesses were growing more worried by the moment. "Has she tried to take over?"

”I'm not going to try and take over again. You'd only kick my ass again.”

Maria repeated what was said.

"And, you trust this thing?" Celestia enquired.

"Hell no! Not as far as I could throw her." She shrugged. "But, she's right about me being able to kick her ass, your majesties."

She slid her legs out of bed and stood up, stretching to get rid of the stiffness left over from being in bed for the last week. Just then, all at once, she realized that she felt a great deal more agile that she had prior to her transformation into a Witch.

”Well, what did you expect? I mean, you've got most of the abilities I had.”

"Shut it, bitch." Celestia and Twilight looked at her in shock. "Talking to her, not you two. She's saying that I've got half of her abilities."

Twilight nodded slowly. "She could be right. When the spell backfired, you were left partially infected, so it makes sense that you'd be left with some remainder of her abilities." She scratched the bottom on her chin. "But, I would refrain from jumping from any tall buildings."

Maria looked at Twilight quizzically. "Why would I jump from a building?" she asked. "Witch had to spend a few days recuperating after her fall."

”I could have survived that, you know.”

The Alicorn shrugged. "Well, she had just been set on fire and shot..."

”The purple pony is right.”

Maria rubbed her eyes in annoyance. "Well, I'm not going to be doing anything like that. I'm an Air Force Major, not a skydiver. And, you!" she said, pointing at her own head. "Stay quiet, or so help me god I will make you!"

”Uh, yeah. Two things.” A mental image of a pointed finger popped into her mind. ”One, what are you going to do? Hit yourself in the head?”

Maria grinned evilly, raised her fist, and hit herself hard. 

Witch yelped in pain. ”Ow! Okay, I’ll behave!” 

Maria nodded once, satisfied with herself. This earned her an odd look from the two Alicorn Princesses "What? She was getting on my nerves."

Twilight and Celestia shared a look. "That's not normal, is it Celestia?"

The half-Infected poured herself a cup of cool water and sipped some. "Ma'am, after you've gone through what I've gone through over the years, normal goes out the window."

Celestia's sun shone through the window. Despite not being fully human and hosting another consciousness in her head, she couldn’t be better.

"Now I know what the hosts of the Tok'ra feel like."

"What’s a Tok'ra?"





Two months later, it was night, and the stars were out over Canterlot. A crisp breeze was blowing through the city.

Maria was perched on the guard railing of her room in Canterlot, looking at the twinkling lights. She was wearing a set of thin trousers and a shirt that Twilight’s friend, Rarity, had designed and made for Maria. She had to admit, whoever this Rarity is, she sure had style.

After being discharged from the royal Canterlot hospital, Maria had been given a room in Canterlot to stay in. Twilight had explained that Witch’s return to Maria’s consciousness may have been an effect of the spell.

Celestia had told her that she was to schedule a few therapy sessions to help her deal with Witch, but a month into the sessions, they realized that this Witch was different from the one that had taken over Maria before. First off, she talked. Witch hadn’t had the mental capacity for speech before. Secondly, she didn't spend her time crying as she had before. Thirdly, she began to show a number of emotions that clashed with her prior being. The Witch showed apparent shame and remorse for her past actions. She had also made a promise to Maria, swearing that she would find a way to earn forgiveness for everything that she’d done.

It was then that Maria had decided to change Witch's name. Even though she didn't totally trust her, she was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. After all, the doc had said that Witch may have had a bit of humanity left in her mind, which would explain her reluctance at killing human survivors.

"How's Sparky?"

”No,” Witch said flatly.

“How about Taylor?"

”Those are both a boy’s name.”

"Well, I'm running out of ideas here!"

”That's because all the names you’ve picked are stupid”

Maria sent a mental slap Witch's way. 

”Ow! Dammit! I hate that you figured out to do that.”

"You have Cadance to thank for that. She showed it to me before she left for the crystal empire."

There was a knock at the door, and Maria got down to answer it. "Come in."

Luna pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Princess," Maria greeted, bowing her head respectfully. "I thought you had night court."

"I finished early," the night princess returned. "What were you two doing?"

“Trying to figure out a new name for me,” Witch answered out loud. Twilight had found a spell to allow Witch to talk to the Princesses without having her take over Maria's mouth.

"And, how's it coming?" Luna asked.

”Bad,” Witch said flatly. “She keeps coming up with terrible names.”

"They are not terrible! You’re just picky." Maria turned her attention to Luna. "You have any Ideas?"

Luna thought about it. "I believe the guards that brought you through the gate had a nickname for you." Luna thought hard. "I believe it was... Red! That was it! Red, after that red streak she had in her hair."

”Red... I like it! Red it is, then. Thanks.”

"It is no problem, Red. But, my visit is also for business." She pointed towards the chairs in the center of the room. "May we sit?"

Maria nodded, claiming a chair.

Luna began. “As you know, my sister and I want to help your race with this new cure we’ve developed base on the one we used to cure you. However, Twilight has been analyzing the data from said cure along with documents we’ve retrieved from Stargate Command, and she may have discovered the initial cause of the outbreak." She pulled out a folder which she had been hiding under her wing and passed it to Maria. "She believes it is a device called the Phenex which the ancients built long ago, before they created our race a—"

"Wait what?” Maria interjected, cutting her off. “Pony kind was created by the Ancients?”

"Indeed." Luna continued. "Twilight believes it was moved to a human research base by the name of Area Fifty-One to study, but after that, she is unsure."

"And, let me guess. You want to go there and find it to see if you can use it to disperse your spell over the entire infected population?"

Luna nodded "Yes, that is the plan. We know where it is, but Celestia is worried about sending a squad of royal guards, so she and I are going ourselves with four of our best Eclipse Guards"

"Um... Sorry if this is offensive, but Princess, have you lost your mind!"

”I agree with Maria with this one. You know what's over there, and Equestria can't afford to lose its rulers.”

"I understand your concerns," Luan said, asking them to calm down. "While my sister and I are not defenseless, we are also not fools, so we will have you accompanying us."

Maria and Red were stunned into silence.

“I'll have a guard come get you when it is time," Luna stated, her tone the utmost in finality. She went to the door and left Maria and Red alone.

> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maria stood in a large room, in front of her was Equestrians stargate and her only way home.

Maria was no stranger to the Ancient devices and had seen many variations from the ones in her home galaxy the Milky way, to the Pegasus galaxy, even the one aboard the Destiny before the expedition had gone silent.

But this one... this one was a work of art, it was made like most stargates, 7 locks along the outer ring and a inner ring, but unlike every gate other than the Destiny gates this stargate had no chevrons and the same was said about the DHD, it was made of some sort of gold naquadah and the inner ring looked like sky blue crystal, it was beautiful.

“It is breathtaking... isn't it?”

Maria hadn't noticed Luna’s entrance and glanced back.

“You have no idea” she chuckled “Your gate looks like more of a work of art than a working Stargate”

“Indeed, our creators left us with many gifts and hid them all over Equestria but left us with no way to find them”

“The Ancients never liked to make things easy”

“Hmmm yes,we only found this Stargate through folklore and legends and there are many legends that we are investigating”

“Princess I still have my doubts about this, Wouldn't it make more sense to bring a small squad of royal guard instead of some civilians?”

“You would think so, but the guard hasn't fought any conflict in thousands of years and the Guards who do had combat experience are already deployed at your SGC to guard it from attack from the infected”

“So they're more of police then soldiers?” Luna nodded “And these ponies had combat experience and have killed before?” again but reluctantly Luna nodded.

“Me and my sister have done everything we could to ensure Equestria is a paradise for our ponies, but even in paradise there is conflict”

They arrived at the large wooden doors for the throne room and two guards pushed them open allowing them entry, inside Celestia, Twilight and four other ponies stopped talking as they walked towards them.

*They look tense* Red said for the first time in hours.

“Where have you been” Maria said in her head.

*Sleeping, even other personalities have to sleep you know*

“Ah Luna, Maria, join us we were just discussing the mission”

“Don’t stop on my acount” Maria said as Luna took her seat next to her sister “I read the brief last night”

“Ok then, as I was saying once we arrive at the survivor fortress, we will locate the location of the Device and bring it back and hopefully use it to disperse the cure spell across the planet and either cure or kill all the infected on the planet”

On of the ponies stepped forward and Maria almost didn't recognise her out of her uniform.

“Princess, I couldn't even handle one of these things” Spitfire said “How are we supposed to go against a whole horde of them?”

“First of all you were fighting a Witch, not a common infected” Maria said bringing the rooms attention upon herself “Witches are some of the most dangerous Mutations of Infected other than the Tank and Your got lucky”

“I think I had better leave the talking about the Infected to you” Celestia said “You and Red are somewhat of experts yourselves”

Maria nodded and crossed her arms “While Red was incontrol before she started being more... Human, We saw many types of infected and the survivors we faced against all ahd names for them” she placed her hand on her chest “We were a Witch, on of the most dangerous, Witches are fast, strong and very agile with fingers that had grown into long razor sharp claws that can tear a full grown man to shreds in moments, You were lucky to have survived an encounter”

“I know, if you hadn't-”

“I don't mean lucky that way” Maria cut her off “You don't take on a Witch hand to claw, you keep her at a distance and used projectile weapons like, P90 of M16s”

She turned to Celestia “Did your guards bring any weapons back from earth?”

“Yes and these ponies have been trained in using them”

Two guards brought in a Large weapons black crate.

Maria walked over to them as the guards dropped the crate and allowed her to looked inside, inside was a number of the preferred weapons of SG1 and her own SG22 when they weren't armoured up, the P90 sub machine with Laser sight and a ALP.

*Whooo! Now that is a nice weapon*

Maria picked up a p90 plus a clip and slid it into the weapon before slamming the back to snap it securely in place, the weapons was in amazing shape for something that probably hadn't been used for a long time. Once again Maria was amazed at the ponys ability to learn as it was shown through the amount of human technology they were using in Canterlot.

Celestia watched as Maria repeated reloading three more times as years of military experiance began to flow back “We have been able to figure out much about these weapons and our guard contingent on Earth uses them In place of their old swords and spears, but we have been unable to ascertain what that other device does, when we used it on dummys it it did nothing”

“Thats because it’s not meant to be used on inanimate objects” Maria told her “This is a ALP, Anti Life Projector, when it makes contact with any living tissue it drains the life energy and leaves the target a lifeless shell”

Luna made a look of pure disgust “That is barbaric, why would your race create such a device?”

*They didn't have a choice* thanks to an enchantment that Celestia had put on Maria, Red could now communicate with others when she wanted *But they were left with no choice*

“What happened?” Twilight asked, seeing Marias face darken as she remembered what Red was speaking about.

“The 3 day War” she replied sadly “Human and The free Jaff’s shortest and most bloody conflict to date”

“Who was it against?”

Maria frowned touching her side where her large scare still was, the one wound that her witch abilities had not been able to heal “The Vorsoth, a race of beings that fed on the lifeforce of anything in our universe, Both us and our allies fought them on a worled call PPX-98789 and everyone suffered heavy losses because our normal weapons were ineffective”

Luna pieced it together quicker than the other ponies in the room “And your race created ALPs to fight them”

Maria closed her eyes and nodded as flash’s of the Battle and she found herself being drawn back.

______________________________________________________________________________

“Covering fire!”
“MOVE MOVE!”
“Bilbos down!”
BOOM!

______________________________________________________________________________

“Stay with me Jones... Where’s Mac!”
“He’s dead, so’s Romerize”
“Shit... See if you can get Rep back On- GET DOWN!”
BOOM!

____________________________________________

Maria snapped her eyes open and shook her head to ward off the bad memories.

“Are you ok Maria?” Celestia asked as she saw the distress in her features.

“It’s nothing... just brought up some bad memories all, Please continue”

Celestia gave her a unconvinced look but continued explaining the mission to the assembled ponies, but Maria wasnt paying attention, and Red couldn't tell why.

*You sure you're ok?* she whispered.

“Yes I’m fine... really, never better” 

Red was about to say something but then the throne room doors began to open.

Standing at the doors was an Orange and blond earth pony with a Stratton hat and three apples for a cutie mark.

“Well howdy yall”

Twilight’s face lit up like a lamp “Applejack!” she half stepped, half leaped off her throne and rushed over to the pony wrapping her in a tight hug.

“Hi Twi, How are ya doing?” The cowpony asked “Still got your head in your books?”

The princess giggled “In books no, but work is a whole other story” she frowned “What are you doing here AJ?”

“Celestia asked if ah would go with her to this Earth Place”

Twilight looked at her friend, then at her fellow princess “Why didnt you tell me?” she asked.

“It was Applejacks decision” Celestia said “She’s had prior contact the Infected and was at the top of the list for this mission”

Twilight looked at her friend “What does she mean?”

*She’s been infected before* Red said making both Maria and Twilight’s blood run cold *She was a Tank*

Luna and Celestia looked at Maria and stared at Red within her “How did you know” Luna asked.

*I Can feel her, don't ask me how but I can feel when she was infected, what she became and that she only has traces of the virus left in her*

Twilight looked at her friend in horror “Why didn't you tell me?”

“Ah really wanted to Twi, Ah wanted to tell all the girls but I needed some time alone to get use to what being that thing did to me”

“sorry to interupt but” Maria started “I thought Equestrians couldn't get infected”

“We usually can’t but Applejack was very sick at the time” Celestia explained “Her immune system was useless against the virus, I managed to get to her before she infected anyone else”

“But I still don't understand how the virus even get here, thats what I want to know”

“We don't know, but I believe the answer to that lays in the artifact we are looking for”

The new few hours were spent explaining what they were to do, after arriving at the SGC, they would take a APC to Novus Colorado survivor fort just located near the john townstead reservoir, from there they would meet up with another group who would would give them the information on where the Artifact in question may be, after that they would have to wing it from there.

Throughout the meeting Maria had learned the names for the rest of the ponies she was going to be working with, there was a white pegasus called Feather Weight and her twin Heartrazor a red unicorn, then there was a red earth pony called Stonewall, apparently this pony had gone up against a massive hydra and won and he had the scars to prove it.
The last member of the team was Celestia’s new personal student Solar Flare, nobody really knew much about the mare other than she was an adapt pyromancer and that Celestia had brought her to the palace out of the blue and stating that she was her new student and nopony was to look into the mare’s history, not that there was much to look at, most of it was covered in black ink or had mysteriously disappeared, nopony had even seen her cutie mark before as she always wore gold, red and black cloak that went with her yellow,red and black coat and mane nicely.

By the time they were finally in the gate room it was approaching midday, in Celestia and Luna’s absence Twilight would handle moon while Candace would take care of the sun, both elder princesses had great faith in their younger counterparts and Candace and her husband wished them luck dispute not being able to be there to see them all off.

Twilight and Applejack were talking quietly away from everyone so nobody could hear them, but with her enhanced Witch hybrid hearing Maria could have listened in but decided against it and began inspecting her weapon glancing at Celestia and Solar Flare who were also away from the group wondering what they were talking about but no bothering to eavesdrop.

______________________________________________________________________________

“But I’m scared Princess what if I lose control like before”

“Flare I made you a promise that day and I intend to keep it” Celestia said firmly but reassuringly “ and If what the reports say is true you may have many infected to train yourself with”

Flare looked up at her mentor surprised “But aren't there people trapped within those things, won't that be killing innocents?”

Celestia shook her head “No, from what both us and the Humans have been able to learn is that the Witch’s are the only variant of infected that’s victim is conscious and the Witch itself can be reformed as Red has proven”

“So what you're saying is that any infected other than the Witch’s, we can kill without making the victim feel the pain?”

Celestia nodded “So dont worry My student, and if you do lose control I will be there to bring you back, I will not allow the Draken Fire to kill a mare as young as you” she closed her eyes as a look of regret passed over her perfect features “Not like her”

A voice blared over the loudspeakers “PRINCESSES WE ARE READY TO DIAL EARTH ON YOUR GO, ALL NO MISSION PERSONNEL PLEASE LEAVE THE GATE ROOM”

Twilight walked over to Celestia “Celestia please look after AJ over there and bring her back”

Celestia nodded and gave her former student a quick hug while Flare looked around to see if anyone was watching, once they broke the embrace Twilight walked over to Solar Flare and held her hoof out for the younger mare to shake “Take care of Celestia too alright?” Flare nodded quickly, totally geeking out over just shaking hoofs with the mare she had idolised since that very first time they had bumped into each over at magic school, granted she had looked a lot different back then so the older mare would never recognise her, as it should be.

“S-Sure, no problem”

The lavender alicorn winked as she left, closing the doors behind her, just then the Stargate began humming and the team gathered behind a yellow and black safety line as the first symbol appeared on the inner ring followed by one of the chevrons glowing gold.

“CHEVRON 1 ENCODED”

This was followed by three more locking in quick succession.

“CHEVRONS 2-4 ENCODED”

The sequence continued until the final 7th chevron

“CHEVRON 5 ENCODED”
“CHEVRON 6 ENCODED
“CHEVRON 7... LOCKED!”

With a FWOOSH the gate roared open, taking a few seconds to settle down and stabilize.

“Ooowee! will you look at that”

“Soooo awesome, wouldn't you say bro”

“Buck yea!”

“Meh... seen it”

Maria stepped up to the event horizon and looked back at the ponies behind her “you waiting or an invitation?” she asked as she stepped backward through the gate and disappeared.

The rest didn't need telling twice and one by one they stepped through until Solar Flare was alone standing before the watery surface of the gate, with a deep breath she closed her eyes, took and deep breath and stepped through.

> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia stepped through the gate and stepped onto the ramp of the SGC’s gateroom, two mounted machine guns were pointed at the gate, one was controlled by a royal guard and the other and uniformed human.

At the bottom of the ramp a man in dirty military clothing waited for her.

“Princess Celestia, Welcome back to earth”

Celestia walked down to him following Maria who was already standing at the base of the ramp waiting “Lieutenant Wesk, I trust that everything is prepared?”

The man nodded as the gate closed and the rest of the ponies stepped down to join their princesses “Yes, there's a M577 waiting for you on the surface to take you to Novas Colorado”

He turned to Maria “Major Santiago” he held his hand out which she shook “I’ve heard alot about you, Is it true you’ve got a witch in your head?”

“Reformed Witch and yes its true”

The man nodded and turned back to Celestia who was now standing next to her sister “I wish we could talk some more by we only have a small window of opportunity to get you through the Sound bearer unnoticed” he walked over to the blast door and they quickly followed.

The hallway beyond was filled with both Royal guard and human military personnel going about their business, Lieutenant Wesk had to shout to get them to clear a path for them.

“We’ll stop by the armoury before you go, I assume your team has had training with firearms”

“Yes we have” Luna replied.

“Good, Major I think your uniforms still in your locker so you might want to get changed and meet us at the armoury”

Maria nodded and took off down a different hallway leaving the ponies with the lieutenant 
______________________________________________________________________________

The locker room was empty when Maria arrived and she wasted no time walking over to her locker and entering her code into combination lock, inside was both her base and off world uniforms, her sidearm and three pictures, the first was a group photo of Her, Wisp, Griff, Williams and Simmons few months before Griff, Wisp were killed.

The second was another group shot with the same people but with three more people, Romerize, Joraot and Hanson and a metal creature, Reppy...

The fourth was a picture of Caroline when she had been young, the girl was probably twenty by now.

Maria dug out her off world cloths and began to change, folding her equestrian cloths and placing them neatly in her locker and strapping her side arm to her side, she had one more empty holster for a Zat which she was going to have to pick up from the armoury.

She took the pictures off the Locker door and sliped them into her breast pocket and sealed the velcro strap of her flack vest.

WHEELER!

Maria instantly dropped to one knee and raised her P90 a the source of the sound, crawling down the wall like a spider was Replicator.

This Replicator was the usual Metallic grey but had yellow stripes all over its body.

Maria kept her weapon leveled for a few more seconds then dropped it and smiled happily “Reppy!”

The Replicator dropped down and rushed over to her, rubbing itself against her leg like a cat wheering and chirping happily “Ok Ok its good to see you too” she held her arm out and allowed the Replicator to climb up it and rest on her back like a backpack.

Reppy was one of a large number of Replicators who had left with another group of Asgard together to try and coexist, the Replicators had intentionally disabled their programing regarding Replicating and no longer had a hive mind, instead each Replicator was an individual and to distinguish one from another they had painted themselves with different patterns and colours, they had been given names and even had little families where they could had a baby replicator, thats how Reppy and Sg22 had met.

The Asgard and Replicator who had began to call themselves the Union had set up a small colony on a small world just on the fringes of the Milky way, they had already made contact with earth for some time and earth had agreed to help them set up the colony, three years ago the Lucian alliance had learned about the colony and wanted both the Asgard and Replicator technology to use for themselves, they invaded the colony in a single alkesh and demanded that the asgard and Replicators serve them, the Union Replicators were low in number due to not having the need to replicate so rapidly and were outnumbered 4 to 1, but that didn't stop them or the asgard who fought the Alliance soldiers with everything they had.

they managed to get a message to Get a message to the nearby passing HMS Hood which was transporting SG teams 22,3 and 12, the Hood set course and arrived two hours later, all three SG teams beamed down and killed every remaining alliance trooper and capturing thier Alkesh, but it was too late for the colonists.

______________________________________________________________________________

Maria looked at the devastation around her, bodys of asgard and replicator blocks were strewn across the ground and most of the building were either destroyed or badly damaged and on fire, it was night and the remains of the colony was illuminated by the flicker of fires.

They had cleared out the last of the Alliance basterd an hour ago and were searching for any survivors and collecting the dead, The Alliance had used captured ARGs so there was no chance of reviving the dead Replicators.

Maria barged open the door and a half collapsed building and used her torch to scan the room, the building was a Replicator dwelling, probably a replicator pair judging by the two piles of replicator blocks, they were probably hiding together when they were killed.

She kneeled down and picked up a single block “Poor bastards” she muttered under her breath.

A noise under a pile of rubble drew her attention and she shined her torch at it, slowly walking over avoiding the rubble, there was a faint wheerling sound was emanating from under a fallen table and Maria lowered her head to the floor and looked under.

Cowering near the wall was a small Replicator with yellow stripes.

“It must have been the dead replicators kid” Maria thought”

The young replicator moved further back against the wall in fear, wheering faintly.

“It’s ok little guy, I’m not going to hurt you”

The Replicator lifted one leg up and moved if half way forward but pulled it back and continued cowering “No dont be scared, why don't you come out of there”

The Replicator put one leg forward, then another, and finaly it was out from under the toppled table and looking up at her cherping fearfully and Maria held out her hand for the small metal creature to climb onto.

She took the thing outside and walked over to Wisp, the young replicator trying to hide behind her arms.

______________________________________________________________________________

They had named the Replicator Reppy and he’d decided to stay with them becoming a valuable member of the team.

Maria got weird looks from humans and ponies around her as she walked by, mostly staring at Reppy who was chirping happily at being reunited with his friend.

Maria adjusted the straps on her vest, It felt good to be back in uniform again, actually doing something for a change.

*I thought this lil guy was still on PPX-2298*

“He got back a week before my last mission, The general asked if he could stay behind to help with some upgrade the base’s dialing software”

*Oh, he can hear me right?”

Reppy prodded marias back and inclined his main body in confusion “yes he can, I’ll explain later Reppy”

They came up to the door leading to the armoury and found the ponies wearing kevlar vests , Luna and Stonewell had picked up an M60 and had a saddlebag on each side to carry fresh ammo and ammo drums.

Celestia had picked up a Scar assault rifle and a zat, both of which were either holstered or slung over her shoulder.

The twins had two handguns strapped to their sides but Featherweight had also picked up a Staff, which had a strap attached to both ends of the weapon.

Spitfire had a MP5 with and added red dot sight and was in the process of looking it over.

Applejack had  oddly picked a M110 sniper rifle.

“looks like everyone’s ready to go” Maria said as she stopped next to Celestia.

“So it would seem” Luna said looking at Maria “What is that on your back?”

“Oh, him?” she turned around to give everypony a good look at Reppy who waved a let at them “This is Reppy, a Replicator and an old friend, He’ll be coming with us to Novas Colorado” Maria frowned as she did a head count of the assembled ponies “Um Princess, where's Solar Flare?”

“My student had already taken a weapon and wanted to see the vehicle we’re going to be riding”

“Well she's not the only one, I've never even heard of a M577 before”

“That's because it was only built three months ago” Wesk said as he came round the corner “You ever watch the Aliens movies?”

*“yea?”* both Maria and Red asked “What about them”

“You remember the apc that the marines use?” she nodded “Well one of the guys up in the garage build one and we’ve been using it to transport people and ponies to Novas Colorado” Wesk turned around “Now if you'll follow me we have a tight schedule”

______________________________________________________________________________ 

Fifteen minutes later they were locked in the safety harness of the APC’s and off towards Novas Colorado, the Lieutenant had warned that recent flash floods along much of the route had destroyed of the bridges.

It was night by then and without power in the town the street lights were out and there were more stars visible then there had ever been before.

Most of the trip had been spent with Celestia and Luna talking to each other, Solar Flare Staring at Reppy in wonder, The Twins, Steel Hoof and Spitfire having a game of charades and Applejack cleaning her newly acquired M110.

"Hey Applejack" the orange mare looked up from her work "I was wondering, why a sniper"

"Pardon?"

"I mean I didn't take you as a sniper type of pony"

Applejack shrugged "While ah was recovering Celestia let me try out some of the weapons the guard brought back, ah preferred this weapon to the others"

"Ok girls and boys were an half and hour out" one of the APC's crew called back "Its about to get a little bumpy so hold on back there"

True to his word the APC began to shake and bounce around and everyone had to brace themselves against their seats, this continued for a few minutes until the the vehicle slowed to a stop.

Maria leaned forward "What's going on up there?"

The driver and the forward gunner unlocked their harness and made there way to the door "There's some cars blocking the way, think you can give us a hand (or hoof)?"

The they all unlocked there harnesses and got up and out after the two men, the top gunner was controlling the APC's top gun keeping an eye out for infected, they were just inside the town now in the middle of a street, the area was clear but Maria doubted it would stay that way "Red, you getting anything?"

*There are infected but not close enough to do any harm, but I don't know how long that will last*

"Ok thanks, Red says we're clear but not for long" She walked over to a car with its door open, reached in and took off its brakes "Applejack give me a hoof with this" the orange mare walked to the right of the car and with some effort from both they managed to get the car out of the way, Celestia had already moved two using magic and the others were busy with the last few.

*I... I remember this place... I hunted here*

"You Ok Red?" Maria asked.

*Yea... just thinking*

"Red you've got to put you past behind you, I know you still blame yourself for what you did but you heard the princess, you were a much as a victim as me and the other Witch's"

*I know I know but I still wonder sometimes, Could I have stopped myself*

"Maria, Come on we're going" Applejack called as the others started getting back in the APC.

"We'll talk about this later Red"

Once they all were harnesses up again they were off on a more smoother ride then before, the other ponies were continuing what they were doing before but Luna had chosen to sit next to Maria while Applejack sat with Celestia, Reppy was hanging from the wall next to Solar Flare who had taken up examining the APC's rear tactical display while Reppy was watching the other four ponies play charades.

Luna nudged Maria "You Ok?"

"Me? yes, but I'm not to sure about Red"

Luna looked at Maria worried "Is she relapsing?"

"No, Its just that she's starting to beat herself up over what she did when she was last here" Maria sighed, Red had fell asleep as soon as they had sat down so she wasn't listening "I know she did some horrible things while she was incontrol and I've not completely forgiven her for them but I hate seeing her like this, I mean she's not said much since she heard we were coming to Earth"

"Though I'm not sure if I can, I'll see i-" the lunar princess was cut off by the vehicle shaking violently.

"SHIT!" the driver shouted "EVERYONE HOLD ON!"

Maria didn't even have a chance to ask why as the APC learched forword and fell.

Maria hit her head against the side of her harness when the APC hit the ground and the last thing she saw was the top gunner falling from is seat before blacking out.
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing she saw was sparks and red, lots of red.

Applejack coughed twice and leaned back in her chair, the APC was upright despite the fall but the light were faintly flashing red.

Applejack slowly pushed off her harness and leaned forward grimacing "UHHHH, Ah feel Like ah train wreck" she saw Princess Celestia leaning foreword knocked out  

Applejack nudged the sun princess "Princess, wake up!"

Celestia's eyes fluttered open slowly and she groaned  as she raised her head "Take it easy princess"

"Applejack? what happened?" the princess unlocked her harness and got up on shaky hooves and looked at the other ponies and humans "Are the others ok?"

"Ah don't know, ah'll go check on the driver" 
The driver and gunners were alive but the top gunner had a few broken ribs and arm from the fall.

The Driver told Applejack that they had been passing over a bridge over one of another road when it collapsed dropping them onto the road below.

After asking if they needed anything she move back to the back where the others had already regained consciousness.

"So what happened?" Solar Flare asked as she started to bandage Heartrazor's leg.

"The bridge we were passing over collapsed"

There was a hissing noise as the door opened "Come on, Red says she can feel infected coming this way"

They all piled out and took positions on ether side of the APC while the front gunner took control of the top gun, there was a number of cars for them to take cover behind and to delay the infected.

Before Applejack could step out Maria put a hand out to stop her "Applejack I want you to climb on top of the APC and use your sniper to pick em off before they get close"

"Alright, Can ya give me a hoof up" Maria nodded and helped her up making sure she was fine before lightly jogging over to left side of the road.

The driver had come out of the vehicle and was handing out small devices to everypony and chucked one to Applejack before dispersing inside.

Applejack turned the device over in her hooves, it was a small head set that had been built with ponies in mined, she placed it on her left ear and positoned the mic over the side of her mouth.

"Everyone hear me ok? good, Red says that we can expect a small number of infected but she can't be too sure of an exact number"

"What types can we expect?"

"Some Boomer's, Smokers, a Hunter of two and a whole lot of common infected Princess"

"Hey driver, is that bucket of bolts still working?" Spitfire said "And I thought that Radios drew these things in?"

"Human radios yes but my sister made these new ones that use magic instead of radio waves so not only do they not attract infected but they have almost a infinite range"

"That's amazing Luna, I know a race of ascended beings who would be jealous"

"Tiss was nothing"

Applejack saw movemnt further down the road and pointed her rifle and looked down her scope, surly enough there was a five or six infected coming straight at them and more appearing by the moment "Alright yall! here they come" she lined one's head in her sights and held her breath squeezing the trigger slowly.

The 	7.62×51mm round hit the first infected square in the head, blowing it off in a red mist.

First blood to Applejack.

"RRAAAAARRRGH!"

"Alright my little ponies, let's show these things how Equestrians fight!"

The with that they all opened fire, bullets, zat and Staff blasts and magic fire cast by Solar flare, The APC's gunner wasnt wasting ammo and was only going after the targets who he could hit and Applejack  going for the ones who were getting to close.

"Applejack! Smoker, above us at three O'Clock"

Applejack quickly scanned the remains of the overpass and found the revolting thing about to launch it's long bloated tongue at them. the Smokers face was wrinkly and puss riddled and Applejack had no problem taking the things head away in a sickly green mist.

"Hell of a shot AJ!"

"I could use a hoof over here!" it was Heartrazor who was having trouble holding off three infected at once with another about to charge at her untill Applejack retrianed her sights on it and took out its left leg bringing it down before  putting a round in its head, the rifle clicked as the clip ran dry and she let it drop off "Ah'm releaden!" she called out and pulled a fresh clip and slammed it home before resuming fireing, she's be enjoying her self if these things weren't so pi- NO! she shook her head angrely "No thats not you Jackie don't go down that path again!"

"Applejack? are you alright?" Celestia's worried voice asked.

"Yes, sorry princess ah'm fine"

"O- LOOK OUT!" the Princesses shout make her role over onto her back just as a hunter leaped at her.

She didnt have much time as she rose her rifle and just as the Hunter was about to land, she closed her eyes as she pulled the Trigger.

BANG!

______________________________________________________________________________________

BANG!

As soon as Celestia had shouted out her warning Spitfire was already up in the air and heading towards the Applefarmer.

The Hunter was laying on top of the mare and neither of them was moving.

Spitfire landed next to them, her mp5 pointed at the them "Applejack? you hear me?"

there was a faint moaning "Applejack?"

"gmm tmm thmm ofm Mm"

"What?"

The orange mare pushed the hunter off her mouth "Get this thing off me!"

"Oh! right, sorry" she rolled the thing off Applejack and helped her up "Whew, and ah thought they were nasty from a distance"

"That's that last of em, Rally at the APC's door"

Both mares jumped down and waited for the others to gather around.

"So how bad is it?" Celestia asked.

"The Bullfrogs taken some damage and all but one of her tires are out" the Driver said, his cloths were covered with oil and other vehicle fluids.

"Wait the APC's name is the Bullfrog?" Featherweight asked.

"Yes it's what we call her, moving along now we need a couple new parts to replace the broken ones to get the Bullfrog's auto repair systems back online"

"And where are we supposed to get the parts we need out here?" Luna asked.

"There's a outpost three blocks that my have what we need, Whiskey outpost I think its called" the driver went inside and came out with a folded up map and unfolded it on the floor "Ok, we're here-" he pulled out a marker and drew a circled a road "and the outpost is here " he drew another circle over a large park "Intel says that its mostly quite so a small group could go there unnoticed and get the parts while the rest of us stay and watch the Bullfrog"

"In that case I think-" Spitfire began "I think the princesses, Maria, Applejack, Stonewell, Solar Flare and me should go and the twins should stay behind and watch the APC"

"Hey why do we have to?" Feather Weight moaned "And that wont exactly be a small team"

"A, Because Heartrazor's got a broken leg and we need at least one able boded pony to keep and eye out and B, Me and Red have a feeling that we'll run into trouble" Maria told them as she folded up the map and put it in one of her pockets "Now can we go, I really want to get those parts and get out of here as soon as we can"

"Agreed"

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Equestria... 
Cantralot Royal archives...
Ancient wing...
Same time...

Twilight yawned.
She had there since Celestia,Luna and the others had left a few hours ago reading through the texts, tablets and scrolls that Luna had uncovered when she found the Stargate, the knowledge that Twilight had gained in those few hours was more revolutionary than she had ever thought possible, the Texts contained step by step guides on how to make certain technolagys like ZPMs and even contained new spells that Twilight doubted even Celestia and Luna knew about, but the book she was reading right now was really inportant.

"Twilight?" the Alicorn turned around and saw her no1 assistant Spike standing next to her "You've been at it for hours now, and you need your rest if your going to raise the sun in the morning"

"I know Spike but I can't yet, I need to decipher this book, it's important"

Spike rolled his eyes "Twilight, what could be so important about that book, it's just more of the same stuff that the others had"

"That's just it... this isn't like the others" Twilight looked at the small dragon "The other Scroll, texts and tablets were in old equestrian" she showed him the book "But this one's in Ancient, and this Page is really important"

Spike looked at the page.



He stared blankly at the text "Uh Twilight, I can't read this" Twilight rolled her eyes.

"It says..."  she cleared her thought, doing her best storytelling voice "And the Protector shall wait for one of royal bloodline to awaken her when the Retribution is needed once again"

The baby dragon tilted his head "Was that a prophecy?" he asked.

"I think so, but wait, there's more"



"A great battle shall be fought against the Darkness on two worlds, far apart but connected.

The battle shall be fought on the ground and among the stars where the Retribution shell aid the side of the light.

But the Darkness can only be forced back through the sacrifice of one with two souls in one body.

This person's journey shall be marked by her passing thought the Celestial ring on her own quest.

In the end, only this person can beat back the coming darkness."

"And what is that meant to mean?" Spike asked.

"Who do we know who has another person riding around in there head?" Spike gave her a clueless look "Maria! this prophecy is about Maria and Red, and I think that The protector is actually a ship called the Retribution, and we're going to need if for what ever this coming Darkness is"

"And how are we supposed to find it?" Spike asked "I thought these ancient guys never make thing easy?"

"Well this time they left the exact location of the ship right here and as tomorrow we're going to go find it" the young alicorn let out a long loud yawn "Well. after some sleep first"

_________________________________________________________________________________________

"Spitfire, 9 o'clock top floor"

Blam!

"Got him"

Ever since they had left the others at the APC they had, had little contact with the infected only running into common infected or the odd smoker or two. 

They were a hour away from Whisky outpost and they were all getting tired at keeping the pace they had been going at, Spitfire was providing over watch for them, keeping an eye out for any trouble.

"Sister, we need to find a place to rest" Luna said to her elder sister "The other ponies are near to passing out"

"I agree, Maria is there a saferoom nearby?"

Maria pulled out the map and checked the locations that the Driver had marked down "Yes, in a shop around the corner" the woman grimaced and put two fingers on her temple

"Are you Ok?" Luna asked.

"Hmm? yea its just a headache" She told them "Nothing to worry about"
She sped up and began to walk next to stonewell.

"I'm worryed sister" Luna said "these headachs of hers are getting worse and Red has rarly spoken since coming here"

Celestia nodded in agreement "I agree but shes not the only one, Applejack isn't a very good lier, I don't belive that she has recoverd fully from her ordeal"

"We shall have to watch the both  of them and hope they get over what ever ailles them"

Maria was about to turn a corner but quickly moved back and leaned against the wall holding up her fist for them to stop.

Celestia was about to ask what was wrong but Maria held her finger to her lips and pointed around to corner.

"Infected" she mouthed.

"How many Celestia mouthed back"

"Too many" Maria gestured for Celestia to lean around to corner, when she did her reaction was just like Marias.

The street was filled with common infected, and on the other end was thier destination... a saferoom.

Maria tapped on Celestias shoulder showing her a gurnade giving her a knowing smile.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

*So this is on the record... this is a bad idea*
Maria ignored her as she got ready to prime her gurnade, Celestia, Luna and Spitfire doing the same.

"On three she mouthed" the rest nodded and cocked their weapons.

Three
Two
One
They all threw their gurnades and dint wait for them to go off before sprinting (or flying) towords the hoard which was caught off guard by both the explosions and the ponies plus one human charging at them guns blazing.

There where bodys and debre flying everywhere, they didnt stop once even when their clips ran dry, they droped them and slammed a fresh ones or in Celestia, Luna and Solar Flare's case firing off bursts of magic.

One gutsy infected made a move on Applejack but Luna picked it up with magic and threw it aside, knocking over a small pack of infected.

"BOOMER!" Spitfire yelled as she pushed herself further intending to reach the saferoom and get it open for the rest of the team to sprint in.

Things where going well untill that boomer showed up, and Stonewell paid the price as it exploded covering the stalion in boomer bile and dazing him and making him easy prey for the hoard.

But he was going to be dammed if he was going down without a fight, an infected dived at him and sank its teeth into his leg making him cry out in pain, he put three rounds into its head just as another jumped onto his back which he bucked off easly but nomatter howmany he took out another 5 took their place.

The others watched in helplessness and Maria had to drag Spitfire back into the saferoom kicking and screaming for her to resease her.

"Theres nothing you can do!"

Stonewell was being engulfed by a torrent of bodys now, claws and teeth ripping into his fur and skin, in his last moments of consionsness he pulled the pin of a gurnade and closed his eyes and as the device went off he felt at peace.
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spitfire slamed a hoof into the wall leaving an indent in the plaster, she had just had her first real loss in her entire carrer and she had never felt so helpless.

Stonewells explosive demise had blocked the way they had come meaning that they couldnt even go back to gather his remains, the Stalion has no family back in Equestria and had spent most of his life insolation so he had no friends.

Spitfire felt a hoof on her shoulder and looked up to see Celestia staring down at her.

"There was nothing that you could have done" she told her "...that any of us could have done"

"But why?" Spitfire asked "your ths princesses... your ment to be able to do anything!"

Celestia sighed regretfuly "No my little pony... we can't " 

Spitfire was taken aback by this "Me and my sister are powerfull, that is true but in the end we are just like anyother pony, we have limitations and that go's triple here"

"What do you mean princess" Maria who had been listening in on the conversation asked.

Celestia made sure everyone was listening before begining "as any pony would know, magic is an energy field created by all living things, it surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the Galexy togeter"

"Equestria had an abundance of this energy, Alicorns and certain powerfull unicorns are able to use this energy to its fullest, that is how me and Luna are able to raise the sun and moon, though we are actualy rotating the planet"

"But while in Equestria we are goddesses" Luna continued "here we can not use our magic to the same degree an are as such weakend and are are powerfull as a normal unicorn"

Solar Flame frowned "but Princess I dont feel diffrent and I can use my magic just fine"

"Your case is entirely diffrent my student" Celestia said as she picked up her discarded weapons "come on, there's nothing we can do for Stonewell now, but heatrazor, featherweight and the others back at the Bullfrog are still relying on us" The Alicorn stood by the peared through the bars.

Spitfire didn't need to be a smartpony to know that the Princess had just dodged the question, opting not to reveal anything about her students abilitys.

The wonderbolt picked up her ml5's and followed everyone out, glancing at Solar Flare, what was Celestia hiding about her student that she didn't want anypony to know.

"What is your secret" she mutterd as they left the safe room in silence.

—————————————————————————————————————

"Somthings not right" Maria said to herself as she stared at the dark and silent outpost, she was on a rooftop overlooking the park and Wisky outpost.

*Noooo, a dark completly deserted base isnt creepy at all* Red commented *How many people are ment to be stationed here anyway*

"20 or 30" Maria said as she scaned the base through the scope of Applejack's sniper, She had gone up ahead alone to scout the area and check on the base after it hadn't responded to any of their radio messages.

Wiesky outpost was made up of five buildings, four of the five surrounding the fith larger tower building, how the survivors had been able to build it with the amount of zombies in the area.

"Probably magic" Maria thought.

With a sigh she got up and walked over to the over end of the roof where a absaling kit lay, she had, had to climb the outside of the building because shear number of infected within, after what happend to poor Stonewell Maria didn't fancy her chances against them, granted she had still retained some of the enhanced strength from Red's time in control.

Maria hoked herself up and without a second thought leaped off the edge with Red screaming in her head.

The woman landed softly on the concret walls abd clutched her head "Damit girl what was that about!" Maria hissed angrly.

*Sorry But I've had some bad experiances with falling off building lately* the former witch said, making both of them wince, remembering the fall that started this all.

Maria absailed down the building  avoiding the windows as much as she could, not wanting to get the attention of the infected within.

Once her feet touched the ground she unclasped her harness and wiped up her p90 and scaned the street, it was quiet.

She re-slung her P90 and pulled ou her sidearm, making sure the silencer was on tightly, Maria silently sliper through the shadows, taking out any infected that too close.

*You want me to put on some traveling music?* Red asked, earning a raised eyebrow from Maria.

"Sure, why not" Maria thought back, wanting to findout how her companion would pull this off.

For a few moment nothing happend, then almost like she had a mp3 player in her head, music started blaring out.

WHAT IS LOVE, BABY DON'T HURT ME, DON'T HURT ME, NO MORE!

Maria smiled as Red played one of her favorate songs "how did you know and why haven't you done this sooner" she thought at Red.

*I have a lot of spare time on my metaphorical hands* she joked *and I was waiting for a good time*

Maria continued along her way, sibging the words in her head, almost forgeting where she was... almost.

—————————————————————————————————————

Meanwhile in another fanfiction...

Applebloom (now a young mare of her 19s) and the Zoid Jeager Fury, were on their way back to New Cantralot.

The young mare yawned, and started searching through her music selection "hey how about some music, eh Jeager?"

The Dinosur zoid growled in aproval.

"Ok then" Applebloom said as she selected her desired song.

WHAT IS LOVE, BABY DON'T HURT ME, DON'T HURT ME, NO MORE!

Applebloom bobbed her head up and down and felt Jeager's head do the same.

—————————————————————————————————————

Maria carfuly sprinted to where Celestia, Luna and the others were hiding, apart from the odd common infected the whole area seemed devoid of any life, and that trobled the hybrid greatly.

She was relieved to see Applejack waving her inside "Good ta see you, its been too quiet here"

Maria nodded "yea it was  mthe same on the way back, Red could only sense a few, nothing compared to what we saw back at the saferoom" she gestured with hed hand for Applejack to lead the way to the others.

Celestia nodded as they walked in and waited for to to sit down before making her report.

"Somthings definetly not right" Maria stated plainly "me and Red scoped ou the oupost and it looks completly deserted, add that to the fact that almost every infected in the area seems to have dissaperd and you've got me very creeped out"

Celesyia nodded slowly "Red, did you sense anything?" She asked.

*Only the odd common infected* Red projected to everyponys heads *its like somthings driven the infected from the area, the onky large concentration of infected we saw was in the buildibg we used to scout out the outpost and I can't feel them any more*

"Bethat as it may" Luna began " we still need the part from that outpost"

"And we must investigate the outpost itself too" Celestia insisted "If it has been overun then I we must inform Fort Novas of so"

They all hear the distinct sound of Spitfire's MP5s being cocked "then let quit standing around and get this over with"

They set off straight away.

The trip was as uneventfull as Maria's one had been, not a single infected in sight, and where this would be a good thing for most people and ponies, it only filled Maria and Red with a sense of forbiding, as if somthing was about to go wrong at any moment.

In no time they were at the walls of the outpost, the main gates were closed and Celestia warned against having herself, Luna and Spitfire fkying over incase both the outposts atomated defences were online or a hord of infected waited in the shadows.

Luckly and surprisingly, Luna had studyed computer stystems and codeing, she had the gates locks disengaged and the gates themselves opend in 10 seconds flat.

Within the outposts coartyard were two vehicles, one was a military halftrack and the other, Maria recognised as a M-35 Mako from the mass effect games, aparently the techs at the SGC and Fort Novas where using any disigns they could get working.

Both vehicles looked in perfect condition, except for a large amount of blood splatter on tge side of the Mako and the floor... but no bodies.

They faned out around the coartyard checking every nook and crany, nothing.

Luna closed the gates and locked them "where is everone?" She asked, nobody having an answer.


*I can't feel any infected, but the outposts anti-infected shielding is messing with my senses* Red reported.

Celestia called them over, they didn't have to worry about any infected outside hearing them as the outpost had specile shielding at stoped noise from being heard from the confines of the base, it was whatever my have been in the base they had to worry about.

"We should head to the control room" Celestia said "Luna should be able to get into the sucyrity system and see what happend here"

"I agree"AJ said, rubbing her forleg softly "somethean about this place gives me a bad feeling"

"*Same here*" Maria and Red said at the sametime.

As they opend the doors to the command center tower, their nosies were assulted by a rotten smell, the smell of death.

It was dark, disputie the fact that the base still had power and it wasnt untill a they reached the stairwell that they found their first body.

The man wasn't in a good shape, having a very large cut almost cuting him in half, blood and his own guts littering him and the floor, they heard Solar Flare hearl.

But one thing dawned on Maria as they passed the body and moved upstairs, the cut was too large for an infected to have made it even a witch.

They found more another body leaned up against the wall next to the door leading into CIC, this time a woman, she was in worse shape then the man, cut into several peices.

The one of doors to CIC  was semi open, half out at and angle sparks could be seen and heard inside the room.

As Maria grabed ahold of the left door, Applejack took the right and they slowly pided them open, inside was a picture straight out of hell.

There were bodys everywere, some not in that bada condition while others were barly recognisable as human.

Maria coverd her nosie with her sleeth and moved inside, checking the intact bodys, most of which were at the computer terminals.  Many had huge,gaping holes in their chests and seats where somthing akin to a large spike mostlikely had been driven through.

"Ok buck!" Luna utterd as she enterd after her sister "It looks like a demon was let lose in here"

"Looks like they tride to put up a fight" Spitfire oberved as she pointed at a number of shell casings and weapons littering the ground.

Maria nealed down and let Reppy down "hack the camra fotage" she told the replicator "find out what the hell happed here"

The Replicator climbed up onto one of the intact terminals and connected wirelessly, a loading bar came up, showing that he needed a minute to get into the system.

Maria letf him to it and crouched down next to a man, his face frozen in a look of terror, the remains of his uniform suggested he was a vetren of the Stargate program, whatever it was that left him to die in absaloot terror was not somthing she wanted to meet.

She found herself starting to collected every dead man and womans dogtags and sliping them into one if her pokects.

Spitfire steped beside her as she closed the eyes of the last man "you alright?"

Maria shook her head "The people here were vetrens of the Vorsoth wars" she said as she pointed at a badge on the mans uniform and then her own "we saw some pretty scary shit then. For whatever killed them to inspire such fear in someone who went through what we went throug..." she didnt need to say anymore.

A loud wearling from Reppy anounced his completion and they all rushed over.

"Looks liks he found some fotage" Solar Flare said as she tride to not look at the bodys.

The video showed the dead people busy working and talking when someone ran in.
"Seal the doors!" The man cryed as he let off a torrent of fire back into the hallway.

"Harry what the hells going on?" And elder man asked.

"We're underc attack, somthings just cappered out of noware, riped Billy and Kira apart and killed 5 others"

Someone outside screemed followed by something slaming into the doors.

"Shit! What was that!"

"Oh god, their here!"

The doors didnt last long as they gave way, leaving them in the state that they had found them in, then somthing nightmareish sqeezed through, a nightmare Maria had hoped to never see again.

Standing there with ripped in half body of another man, was a Vorsoth Night terror, in all its obsine glory. In moments it was on the staff, rending and tearing while the few people with weapons tride in vain to bring the creture down, more smaller creatures, Flesh tearers, swarmed through the door, the shoe sized cretures tearing anyone they got their teeth into to bloody shreds.

In the end, all they could hear was screaming and Maria turned it off.

Silence decended upon the group and Maria felt her hands shaking but not from fear.

"W-what was that thing" Luna said not at all princesslike "It looked like it came striaght from hell"

*I think Maria knows* Red said making everypony turn to face Maria *I can't get into a large portion of her memorys, and the way she's shaking isnt because of shock*

Maria gritted her teeth "Yes I know what that monster is" she growled and in one fluint motion she spun arund and slamed her fist into the empty consol and shatterd the screen making everypony back away in shock.

"Why couldnt they just stay in that hell hole that they belonged" She said, her voice driping with pure unbridled rage.

*Maria... calm down* Reds voice said frightend, she hadn't seen this kind of rage since she was witch.

"No Red! You don't know about these things and I hoped that you never would"

In the corner of her eye, Maria saw Reppy diging its legs deeper inti the screen he was perched on, he rememberd too.

"Maria Santiago calm down this instant!" The commanding goice of Celestia made her turn around and look at the frightend ponies, expt for Celestia who wore a cool, unfazed look "Now tell us slowly and calmly what that creture was"

Maria closed her crimson eyes and took a deep breath "Ok your highness, that... HELLSPAWN was a Vorsoth Night Terror"

Red gasped as the memorys of the Vorsoth war were unlocked *dear Celestia...*

Celestia frowned "the Vorsoth wars? Your SGC staff didnt tell us of this"

"Thats becuase they can't, not many of the poeple who fought in the war are still around, thats how costly the war was"

"It lasted two months, and cost thousands of lives of both us, the Jaffa and the Aguard aswell as almost 200 ships. We only stopped them after we forced the system that they were coming from's star to go supernova"

Maria found herself thinking back to the last days of the war from the disasturus withdrawl of the Sigma site to the U.S.S George Hammon's suicide run into the star.

These memorys were interupted by an urgent sounding cherp from Reppy who had brought online the outposts internal sensors on a hunch was pointing one leg at the screen, on it there were 14 signals, 5 ponys and 1 Infected in the control room, that was them, and 8 human signitures in the basement levels.

"There are survivors"
> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Chapter 8 #
"What do you mean survivors?"
"I mean that a few of the outposts crew survived and are hiding out on the basment levels"

"Perhaps the sensors are wrong" Luna suggested.

"Reppys sure that their fine and I,ve learned that when it comes to tech never to question this little guy"

Celestia turned to Reppy "Can you tell us exactly where they are?"

The Yellow and black Replicator shook it's body left and right to say no "Then we shall have to search each room indvidualy"

"Sister I think we should split up into two groups" Luna suggested "I will take Spitfire and Applejack"

Celestia nodded "Very well, I will take Maria and Solar Flare"

Maria reached an arm out to allow Reppy to crawl onto her back "This map says there's a cargo elevator on the lower levels"

Maria checked the body's one more time to make sure they were covered and followed her equine companions out, closing the door and blocking it so the body's were left undisturbed until they could be given a proper burial.

The elevator thank god was still operable and as they descended into the depths, sense of forbidding quickly fell upon them.
None for them spoke a word as they prepared themselves for what ever lay in wait for them in the depths.

As the elevator ground to a stop, the were greeted  not by a sight of body's and blood, but a dark almost untouched hallway save for large claw marks that plastered the walls, all the lights were ether smashed or off which men't that power was not working on this level.

Celestia and Luna summoned a ball of pure light each while Solar Flare encased her horn in fire, using her magic to keep the flames from burning her horn or head, Maria and her non magical companions turned on their weapons flashlights.

The corridor ahead split into two directions and they split into their teams saying the briefest of goodbyes before going their separate ways, Celesta's team going left while Luna's team went right.

Little did any of them know what lay in wait for them.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Team Celestia
Celestia
......................

The corridor was in the same state as the entrance, blood and claw marks were scattered in random places on the walls but dispute this there had still been no body's, and that disturbed her to no end and when Celestia glanced at Maria, she could see that it was having the same effect on her too.

Fifteen minuites later they came up to two unmarked doors one with blood splattered on it and the other slightly dented.

Celestia heard Maria click off her P-90's safety and watched as she quietly but swiftly move up to the blooded door and lean against the wall beside it, she put a finger up to her lips for them to be silent and gestured for them to take the other door. Celestia nodded trusting the Major's instincts and took the left side of the door while Flare took the right, Maria silently counted from 5, opening the door and stepping through it on 0 with Celestia and Flare doing the same with their door.

A small room with four rows of bunk beds greeted them, cloths and other personnel effects letters the floor and bunks, there was slow shallow breathing coming from under one of the bunks, someone or something was attempting to hide and failing badly.

Celestia tapped her student on the shoulder and gestured over to where the breathing was coming from, they took one side of the bunk each and on a count of three lifted the bunk up to find the cowering form of a man.

He wore a lab coat that had spots of blood that was clearly not his and as the bunk was lifted off him he looked up with a look of pure fear, which was replaced by reliefs he realized who his saviors were.

"Oh thank god! Someone came for us" he said as he got to his feet "I've been here for god know how long since the attack, those monsters aren't here still are they?"

"Calm down your safe now" Celestia assured him " what is your name?" She asked trying to calm the man down.

"T-Terry, Terry Winchester" he replied.

"Well Terry, my name is Celestia and this is my personal student Solar Flare"

Terry looked stunned "Celestia? As in THEE Princess Celestia of Equestria?" Celestia nodded, the man probably hadn't recognized her due her storing her royal attire in her saddlebag and Waring a more military style cap and jacket "Without any due respect your majesty but what are you doing here? I wouldn't expect somepony of you stature would be involved in a rescue mission"

"That's because this wasn't a rescue mission" Celestia "our tra-"

BOOM!!!!

A large explosion rocked the room making them stumble, this was followed by the sound of something collapsing outside the door.

Fearing the worst Celestia and Flare with Terry in tow rushed outside to find the doorway Maria had gone through blocked up with rubble.

Celestia wiped out her radio "Maria are you there?!" Static filled her ears " Maria Answer me, are you still alive?" Static again "oh no... Terry where did this door lead?"

"To a stairwell leading to the maintenance level" he told her.

A Somthing started to push a large piece of rubble out of the way and Celestia used her magic to help, hoping that it was the former Airforce Major, but instead the grey and yellow form of Reppy crawled out and and over to her making panicked whirring sounds.

"Reppy wheres Maria? Is she alright?" the small Replicator just shook its body to indicate that it didn't know.

Celestia's radio crackled to Life "Sister can you hear me, is everyone alright over there?!?"

"Yes Luna, I can hear you, me and Solar Flare are fine but we've lost contact with Maria" she said hastaly "But we found a survivor before the explosion" she added "What happened?"

"Maria's missing? Dammit. we've found the rest of the survivors too and they've just provided us with ill news, we've just walked into a trap set by the Vorsoth, expect infected to be swarming us any moment soon"

"Ok, where are you, we'll come to you and figure out a way out of this mess"

"We're in the cafetiere, radio when you get close"

Reaarrge!!!

Celestia leveled her weapon down the hall at the gurgled sound of approaching infected "you'll probably hear us long before we call you"  Celestia said as she opened fire on the first to come into view.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2 Minutes earlier
Maria Santiago.

*Maria, you alright?*

"Cough! Cough! Yea, I'm fine" she said as she got up and looked back the way she came "but we ain't going back that way" Maria looked sadly at the twisted remains of her P-90 which stuck out of the rubble that now blocked the way.

*what happened?*

"I think we walked into a trap by coming here, should have known that the vorsoth would do something like this" Maria pulled out her radio and tried to turn it on only for it it fall apart "Great! Just great" she slid out her sidearm, cocked it and got up.

*how could you have known that the place was a trap? It looked abandoned too*

"And the fact that almost every infected in the area seemed to have diapered wasn't a clue?" Maria reached into one if her pockets and pulled out a flare and lit it "That and the Vorsoth did it allot during the war"

The sound of muffled gun shots peaked her attention "And here they are now, come on we've got to find a way back up there" she took off down the tunnel the flare illuminating it with a bright red glow the way, steam hissed from rusty pipes  and water dropped from the ceiling accumulating into puddles on the floor of which Maria nearly slipped on multiple times.

Looking around Maria guessed that she was on a maintenance level of some sort, one that hadn't been used in a while.

*MARIA LOOK OUT!*

The warning came just in time as she ducked under a clawed, long fingerd hand  that was clearly ment for her head, she rolled away and aimed her pistol at her attacked only for the colour to drain from her face. 
Standing before covered in blood was a creature that she has spent more then a year as, a Witch.

Not wasting time Maria quickly aimed for the Witch's head and emptied her clip, only for a single round to sink into the Witch's shoulder while the rest missed.
*"Oh sh-"* both Red and Maria were about to say before Maria was sent flying backwards into a wall, at this time she was glad that one of the traits that she had received from her partially successful cure was a high resilience to damage, but that still didn't make it hurt any less as she slid down the wall wincing.

The witch continued her assault by trying to jump onto her to begin scratching her face off which Maria avoided by rolling away onto her feet and ripping out her combat knife, if she had been a normal human then she would have called herself crazy for even attempting to go hand to hand against a Witch... but she wasn't completely human anymore.

The Witch glared at her with a look of pure blood-lust, obviously Maria was still human enough for it to still want to kill her and Maria prayed that whoever the Witch had been wasn't being forced to watch like she had.

They began circling each other each trying to guess who would make the first move "Red any advice on how to beat her?"

*Yea, don't let her catch you off guard. DODGE!*

Maria sidestepped as the Witch clumsily lunged for her and earned a deep cut into it's back curtasy of Maria knife, it retaliated with a quick strike to Maria's abdomen making her stumble back... one hit each.

This apparently pissed off the Witch enough that it went into a frenzy of claw strikes, most of which Maria managed to dodge but a few still got though but Maria was quick to dish out as much as she was taking, it was still a losing battle.

Finally the Witch knocked Maria onto her back and jumped onto her, raised held claw and prepared to bring it down onto the defeated woman's neck.

Maria tried to lash out with her knife but the witch simply backhanded it with a sickening crack and a cry of pain from Maria as the now broken arm flopped onto the floor.

Now completly at the Witch's mercy Maria closed her eye's and waited for the end to come.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

12 minutes later
Celestia

"Move! Move!" Celestia shouted at her student and Winchester "I'm almost out of ammo!"

They were near where Luna had told them to meet her team, the whole way they had been dogged by the infected who were dead set (excuse the pun) on catching them and Celestia knew that unless they reached the more defensible cafeteria. they had heard nothing from Maria and the Replicator that was now riding on Celestia's back was getting more worried by the minute.

"Sister get down!"

Reacting instantly Celestia dived forword knocking Terry and Flare to the ground just as a large jet of flames went over them creating a wall of fire behind them roasting a number of infected to a crisp.

Celestia looked up to the see her sister and two other humans, one holding the weapon that had launched the jet of flames.

"Hurry Tia that won't hold them for long" Luna said as she helped her elder sibling up and lead them away and back to the cafeteria, along the way she explained what she knew.

"The Leader of the surviving staff here explained to me that the Vorsoth were expecting us to come here and they set up this trap to catch us"

"Why?" Celesita asked "And how did they know that we would come here, did they cause the accident?"

They came up to a set of barricaded door that were opened quickly for them and closed just as quickly after they entered.

A familiar man was waiting for them while they arrived, he wore the same uniform that Maria wore right down to the 21 on the badge on his arm "Princess Celestia, it's good to finally meet you" he said as he reached a hand out for her to shake which she did "your sister has told me your situation as I have explained ours to her"

"Then we must find a way t escape this trap Mr..."

"Names Major Dick Simmons, but I like to just be call Simmons"

At that point the man knoticed Reppy on her back "Reppy... it that you little guy?"

The Replicator gave a happy cherp and jumped off Celestia's back and started to rug against Simmons's Leg happily, at this point Celestia released why this man was familiar, he was Maria's squad mate but to make sure, she asked "Are you a fellow member for SG-21 with Maria Santiago?"

The man blinked in surprise "I was, Before she got infected" he said "how do your know her?"

"I think we should speak somewhere more private" Celestia suggested "What I'm about to tell you is probably going to shock you" Celestia turned her head to Terry and Flare "You two should get your selves checked out

The man nodded and mentioned over to the far corner of the room that held a number of maps, Simmons told everyone to stay clear of the area until they were done.

Once she was sure they were alone Celestia began " a month or so ago we captured her as a Witch and brought her back to equestria, a week after her capture the Witch escaped and almost killed Spitfire the captian of the Wonder Bolts but Maria was able to subdue the Witch's consciousness and regain control"

"You mean she managed to fight the virus?" Simmons asked.

"Yes, we are unsure of how but she did, after she rested we tested a new Magic based cure on her. It worked but only partially" Celestia said "Maria was left with a human appearance. enough that nobody would notice what she was even infected , but she also has gained some traits from being a witch such as increased strength what not. also the Witch that was controlling her was left in her mind and can communicate with Maria, she's lost all the blood lust and characteristics of a witch and has shown great remorse for what she has done"

The man shook his head angrily "Like that would make up for all the people she's probably killed and for making Maria watch too"

"Maria seems to have forgiven her" Luna told him "Red has been trying her best to help us since we got here. In a way I think she's looking for redemption"

"Wait you mean she's with you? Where?"

Celestis hang her head "She was with us but we lost contact with her when the explosion collapsed a stairwell leading down to the maintenance level"

"I'm sure she's fine" Simmons said confidently "It would take more then a few tones of concrete to stop that woman"

A man came running up to them and whispered something into Simmons's ear, Simmons nodded solomly "The mare you brought in's condition has worsened"

Celestia didn't need to be told who Simmons was talking about and as he lead them to a row of bunks, unsurprisingly there lay a blond orange mare with her eyes clenched shut as if she was in pain.

"What is wrong with her?" Celestia asked, trying to keep the distress of seeing one of her little ponies in pain " Has the infection taken her again?"

"No Sister. The doctors here can't figure out what is wrong with her" Luna explained " one second she was fine and talking with the guards at the barricade, the next she was spasming on the floor screaming about the voices"

"Voices you say?" Celestia said pondering "I wonder..."

BOOM!

The sound a a breaching charge was over shadowed by the sound of growling, screaming and gunfire. "THEY'VE BREACHED THE PERIMETER!!"

"Shit!" Simmons growled through gritted teeth as he picked up a fallen AK and rushed towards the sound of carnage "Come on!". Carnage was right, a hole had been blown  through the wall and now infected were flowing through like water through a burst dam

Anyone who could fight was doing so, Celestia saw Solar Flare burning off infected after infected while Spitfire was finishing off infected after infected with head shots and doubling them over with knee shots. Luna descended upon a group of infected that was about to overwhelm some of the defenders using her magic to throw them like rag dolls against the wall and with a sickening crack dropped their lifeless corpses to the ground.

Celestia let off short controlled bursts into the continuously bloating mass trying to stem the tied somehow but still they came and when her rifle finally clicked empty Celestia went to using the now useless Scar like a club
And knocking down wave after wave that came at her. Many of the infected were going after the survivors that wernt fighting singling them out as the weak one's. Solar Flare and Spitfire were protecting as many as they could but it was still not enough as Celestia saw a man pulled into the hoard and out of sight,  his dying screams filling the large room.

A wall of Celestia and Luna were now making a wall of bodies  with how many infected were charging at them, Celestia had killed almost 20 while her sister was at a higher kill count of  34. Solar Flare incinerated a boomer before it could vomit on Simmons who had just cracked an infected's neck to the left "We need a way out fast" he shouted to Celestia "If we can fight our way to the the emergency escape hatch we can get to the Makos" it was a sound plan and it could have worked.... if not for the tank that came stomping down the hallway "..... Well shit...."

Celestia dropped her rifle and used her magic in conjuncture with Luna to try and force the tank back but found the magic to slip off, just like it had on Applejack when she was a tank. The the most unexpected thing happens, a decapitated head was thrown with surprising accuracy at the tank's small head making it stop in surprise, both the tank and the survivors looked to where the head had come from.

Standing there covered in blood holding a bloody combat knife was Maria looking a little worse for ware.

"Maria!" Celestia exclaimed with a smile, a smile that dropped when she noticed something about the woman, dispute the blood Celestia could see stark white hair with a red streak, and she knew only one person had that, or should she say... infected.

Red was glaring daggers at the tank and Celestia saw the tank physicly shudder. Then Red turned Celestia, instead with sad eyes "I will handle this" she said, her voice dripping with misery "Find a way out of here" without another word she turned to the tank cleaned te blood off her knife with her jecket, brandeshed her knife infront of her and charged at her advisary her blade gleaming in the dim light.
> Chapter 10 Sisters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Chapter 9 #
Nineteen minutes earlier.

Her eyes were clenched tightly shut waiting for those terrifying claws to come down on her neck, they never came.

She slowly opened her eyes and what she saw confused her. The arm which had been broken only moments ago held the combat knife which was now dug into the Witch's neck right into her brain stem. It was then the now dead witch dicided to slump down to the side and off her.

Her grip on the knife slipped and it clattered to the floor, this went unnoticed by her as she just stared at the arm moving and twisting around realised that it was completely healed. She ten realised something else.... she had just moved the arm....

Red promptly screamed at to top of Maria's lungs.

*Red clam down* the voice of Maira told her. She continued screaming still staring wide eyed at Maria's arm *Damit Red your going to attract every Infected around* still screaming *Ok that's it!*

The mental slap shocked her enough to make her stop screaming *Good... now just, stay calm*

"I'm In control of your body!" Red exclaimed.

*That is true*

"Why am I in control!?"

*No idea*

"Why don't you sound concerned about this?"

*Because 1, we've got more important things to worry about right now* Maria noted *And 2 I trust you*

Red was shaking now "B-b-but what if I lose control?" She asked "What if I hurt someone?" Red asked "I don't want to force you through that aga-"

*Red! stop it. I know your scared but your not that monster anymore so stop thinking like that* "Bu-" *But nothing! I trust you and this is your body too, I forgave you a while ago and you've more then proven that your not a monster. Now get up. Because we've got company*

Red glanced up to see three infected shambling down the tunnel growling and gurgling.

"Did you mean it when you said? About forgiving me?"

*Yes, it took me a while but I released that your nothing like the thing that kept me trapped all that time* Maria admitted *Now go and do what you do best-*

Red scoped up the knife again and dropped into a combat stance *Get close and personnel* with that Red bared her teeth and taunted the lead infected who roared and charged head first at her intending to finish her off quickly.

Red punished it's foolishness by twirling around it and digging her knife into the base of it's skull severing the brain stem, it fell without a sound as Red wrenched the knife out and waited for the other two react. They were more cautious after their predecessor had been taken out so easily so one charged her aiming for her legs while the other aimed for her chest. Red rolled off the back of the first and spun around the second, grabbing it's head and slicing it's neck. She cut so deep that the infected's head came straight off and as the first turned to attack again she threw the head so hard at it that it was forced backwards onto its back.

Red stood above it and placed a boot on it's chest and slammed her other boot into it's head cracking it to the side killing it.

*1 Minutes 35 seconds* Maria noted  *let get a move on, if these infected are here then the others could be in trouble*

Red turned to leave but caught her reflection in a pressure gauge. Her hair had changed from Red with a grey streak to White with a Red streak "Looks better then grey" she muttered before stalking down the tunnel * aren't you going to take the flare?*

Red responded by closing her eyes again and then flaring them open kicking her night vision on making the dark tunnel as bright as day *Oh... yea. Foegot about that....* Red rolled her eyes.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
22 Minutes and many Infected later

"I will handle this. Find a way out of here" Red Dashed at the Tank sliding under one of its clumsy strikes and grabbed hold of it's arm and swan up onto it's shoulder.

*THIS! Is was horrible plan!* Maria shouted in Red's head.

Red ignored her and dug her knife into the Tank's flesh and dug out a big chunk of flesh making the Tank try to shake her off making Red dig deeper, once she was satisfied with the hole she had made she pulled the pin out of a grenade she had liberated earlier and jammed it into the new wound before jumping off and landing a few meters away with a role and a slide.

*"Three... Two... One..."*

BOOOM!

Bits of Tank flew everywhere and the Infected behind it being blown back by the explosion.

*That was.... Satisfying* Maria said slowly.

"Shit! Did she just take on a Tank with a Knife and grenade and WIN!?!"

*Simmons? That you?*

The man looked around him to find where the voice "Maria? Why are you talking in my head?!"

*I'll explain later* Maria promised *But right now me and Red have got some Infected to deal with*

The said infected were getting back up and ready to fight and Red tensed herself up ready for a fight. But the infected just suddenly just stopped, not stop as in not attacking but just frozen, the a sickening laugh echoed from behind them.

"Ha Ha Ha Haaaa You've amused me Witch 9945, but now I will handle this personally"

The Infected Hord parted ways Making way for something that Red could only describe as a monster. It was as Large a the Tank and alot more ugly too, it's arms had morphed into two hulking blades of some sort of metal and bone, it's black skin was rough and litterd with protrusions and spikes, it's head resembled a spider's with two large mandibles and six glowing red eyes. It moved on six legs that ended on bladed tips and it smelt like hell itself.

One name came from both Maria and Red as a Growl *" Hellspider"*

The Hellspider moved with confidence into the ruined cafeteria and stopped right in-front of Red "Bow before your Master Witch 9945"

"My name is Red" she spat " And I will never bow before something as repulsive and sickening as you race Hellspawn" the last word she put extra effort into.

The Hellspider lifted it's head back and bellowed with laughter "You think that because you act different and have a different  name that YOU aren't a Witch, one of our most loyal servants" it let that sink in "Deep down you will always be a Witch and therefor our servant, but if you want to be free so bad then alow me to grant you that wish!"

With speed that nobody though something that size could move at the Hellspider knocked Red aside with such force that when she hit the far wall behind Celestia and everyone else she was knocked unconscious.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Maria opened her eyes and sprang up.

The last thing she remembered was Red being knocked into the wall the next... nothing.

"I really am spending too muck time unconscious" 

She looked around, she was in the same place that she had fought Witch before she had been cured. She was in her mind again, the only difference from last time was a large creaky house.

"RED!" she called hopeing that the other woman was here too "RRREEEDDD! ARE YOU HERE!" No answer. With a sigh she decided to check the house, mabe she could find a clue on how to get out and in control of her body before the Hellspider could kill her, Simmons, Celestia and everyone else.

Maria pushed the door open surprised that it wasn't locked and paired inside. The house seemed eerily familiar but she couldn't figure out why, the house was definitely a farm house and that hadn't been used in a while judging from the outside, but inside was in better condition giving it a more lived in feeling.

Closing the door behind her she walked past the stairs and walked though the hallway, making her way to a table stand with a photo frame siting neatly on top.

Picking it up Maria nearly Dropped it as she started shaking. It was a picture of herself aged 16 with her mother and father, but it wasn't that which was making Maria Shake.

In the picture she had an arm around another girl. the girl couldn't have been younger then 10 or eleven, she bore a striking resembulance to young Maria with freckles, her most defining features jet black hair, gold eyes and sharp K-9s giving her a wolfish appearance. What shocked Maria most was that the girl had a black wolf tail and ears.

Four names were engraved along the frame of the picture. Dominic Santiago, Rachel Santiago, Maria Santiago and one name that broke Maria's heart... Lucy Santiago, her deceased little sister.

Maria felt a tear go down her face. Lucy had died at birth not even getting a chance at life. It had struck her hard as she had only been seven at the time, Lucy had, had gold eyes like this girl and the doctors had said that she may have grown up to have black hair.

Drying her eyes she placed the picture down, she was eager to find herself some answers about why a picture of what a picture showing what her dead sister would have looked like was doing here. Before she could move however she heard crying coming from upstairs, not the crying of a Witch but the crying of a young girl, interested she quietly made her way to the stairs.

Once up the stairs (stepping on every creaky step along the way) Maria figured out that it the crying was coming from the door on the far end, slowly walking holding her breath as if she was expecting some horrid monster to jump out of one of the other rooms. Released the breath once she arrived at the door, steadying her self Maria took hold of of the door nob and opened the door.

Beyond the door was her childhood room paintings and other artistic objects littered the shelves and a Red sheeted bed sat in the corner. Everything was as she had left it, except that on the other side of the room was another bed The shelves were crammed full of books of all sizes, the  sheets of the other bed were black and the curled up shape of someone clearly visible under them.

"H-hello?" Maria reached out to remove the covers only for them to be thrown asied and a young crying girl to dive into her and hug her, tears streaming down her freckled face "Sis!"

Maria stood there shocked as an eleven year old Lucy Santiago Bawled into her chest.

It took a few minutes for Maria to calm down the young girl enough for her to understand what she was saying. Instead of demanding what was going on Maria decided to go along with... whatever this was.


Sitting Lucy down Maria was able to get a good look at her, she had a nasty looking cut just above her eye and looked like she had just been on the losing side of a fight, Maria asked what was wrong "Everyone thinks I'm a freak 'SNIFF' they keep calling me names like Freak, Monster, Big bad wolf" when Maria asked why the Wolfgirl shook her head "Because of the way I look, a few of the kids at school beat me up and told me that I was ugly and I should just go away"

Maria didn't know why but she suddenly found her self trying to comfort the Wolfgirl "These kids sound like they don't know what their talking about, your not a freak"

Lucy wiped her nose with her sleeve and sniffed "r-really?"

Maria found herself really putting her heart into it "Just because your different then them doesn't mean your a freak. It just means your special and if anyone can't see that then their not worth you time... that and-" she pointed at Lucy's ears which were flat against her white hair " your ears and tail are kinda cute"

Lucy perked up at this, her ears returning to normal and her tail waging slightly "you really think so?" Maria nodded and Lucy embraced her, this time Maria returned the embrace. Maria was a mother so comforting her supposed younger sister was not a problem.

A bright light filled the bedroom window and was followed by a large explosion out side that shook the buidling foundations making Lucy scream and hold Maria tightly.

Maria got up with her sister holding her arm tightly and walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain to reveal a large field that had a large Vorsoth ship hovering above it. Maria turned to a now scared Lucy "We've got to get out of here, stay close to me ok?" Lucy nodded as Maria lead her out the door keeping near the walls just in case.

They managed to reach the front door when the next blast hit, strike directly in front of them with enough to send Maria who took the brunt of the shock wave flaying back into the hallway.

The last thing she saw as her vision went black was Lucy crawling to her and shaking her trying to keep her awake.


_____________________________________________________________________________________

If your wondering whether you can get knocked out while your your own head the answer is yes.

Maria forced her eyes open to a dark grey ceiling , she was on her back laying on a cell bed. Who the cell belonged to she didnt need much of a clue.
As she began to lean up she saw Lucy sat on the other bed in the cell, her head in her hands and her ears flat.

"Lucy? Are you alright?" The wolfgirl looked up and Maria saw her eyes were red from crying "sis! Your awake!" Another thing to note is that you can apparently feel pain in a dream as Maria found out as Lucy hugged her tightly making her wince "Not for long if you keep this up" 

The Wolfgirl blushed with embarrassment and let her go as Maria slid her legs off the bunk "what happened?"

"When you got hit some monsters came and grabbed us and took us here" The Wolfgirl at Maria " what are they going to do to us?"

"I don't know..." Maria had never heard of the Vosoth talking prisoners before. They were definitely on a Bio ship in some sort of lab, Vorsoth Necromancers scurried around doing one task or another.

Then everything just... stopped, all the Necromancers just froze, then SHE stepped into view "Hello Maria" Witch greeted with a evil grin "Whats the matter, nothing to say to your old friend?"

"I have NOTHING to say to you Witch"Maria growled "What have you done with Red?"

Witch snorted in disgust "I've done nothing to that ungrateful bitch. She wanted to be free of our master and she has gotten her wish" she began grinning again "as for were she is. She has been with you this whole time cowering behind you this whole time"

Maria looked at Lucy who was looked at Witch terrified, there was no way that this little girl could be Red. The Red Maria knew was strong, fearless in the face of an enemy. There was just no way.

"Still not convinced?" Witch asked "Then perhaps this will convince you" she waved her clawed hand and the Necromancers started moving again with more effort as the wall opened up with a quelch.  Two hellspawn dragged a struggling figure towards a large glass tub connected to a large semi-organic  machine. They stuffed the figure inside the tube and closed the lid.

As they moved out of the way Maria's eyes widened and Lucy held onto her tighter. inside the tube was another Lucy who was slamming on the glass trying to get out.

"Witch what what the hell are you playing at?" Maria asked angrily.

"Shhhhh! Just watch the show" Witch said patronizingly and she leaned against ths bone like bars of the cage. 

The Necromancers where powering up the machine and a low buzz filled the room, the Necromancer seemed obliveous to their presence and and were monitoring their consoles as they began whatever sickening procedure they were doing to the other Lucy.

One of the Necromancers brought in a see through canister filled with green gas. Witch smiled "there I am" she said "You still watching dear?"

By this point Maria had figured out that this wasn't some sick fantasy that Witch had created, but a memory, and she had a feeling who's it was. The Necromancer carrying the gas form of Witch inserted the canister into the machine which began to pump it into the tube, as this happened the memory Lucy started to smash her fists against the glass more desperately as the green gas filled the tube and obscured her from view.

After a few minutes the banging stopped and nothing happened, then the green gas began to dissipate and standing inside the tube was not Lucy, but the fully grown form of Witch. The Necromancers opened the tube and let her climb out, memory Witch walked over to the side and keeled before something that she couldn't see.

"Witch 9945 are you ready?" The unseen monstrosity asked.

"Yes lord... the host has been subdued and I am ready for implantation in the Target"

With that the memory froze and Witch turned to Maria "have you figured it out yet?"

"The Vorsoth conquers another universe... one where Lucy didn't die and instead was captured and used to allow you to control someone in my universe" Maria said "Me in this case"

Witch clapped sarcastically "Well done! Your not as stupid as you think" she said with an amused smirk.

"You were never red, when the princesses used the cure it partially cured me and freed Lucy from your control... but because of that procedure Lucy though she was you!" She clenched her fists "She spend so long trying to earn forgiveness for something she had no choice in. YOU BITCH!"

"You got it in one,but my Masters is calling and now I must control you dear little sister once again" Witch raised her hand and Maria felt herself being forced up into the air and pushed into the wall. Chains sprouted from the wall and held her in place.

"Maria!"

Witch started to walk slowly towards them as Lucy tried to pry off the chains, the bars of the cell melted away as Witch passed "Come now little Lucy. No point in struggling" she mocked "Just come to me and give up and I will make this painless"

Lucy looked at Witch fearful as she approached her, she was paralyzed with fear "Ghha! Don't listen to her Lucy" Maria said as she tried to free herself, she had lost Lucy once before she had a chance to get to know her and she was going to be dammed before she lost her again "You can fight her"

"What?! A weak freak of a girl?" Witch snorted "don't make me laugh"

Ignoring the Witch Maria continued "She's just a parasite, your stronger then her"

"You won't be picked on ever again!" Witch promised as she stepper back abit slightly worried.

"You don't need to become a monster to do that" Maria insisted "Lucy... remember what they did to you..."

The young girl was silent for the longest time her eyes hidden by her hair... not moving, then she finally spoke "The Vorsoth killed everyone...." 

The shadows around Lucy began the quiver and move as her fists clenched into fists and began to shake "my parents..."

The shadows began to take shapes of dark tendrils and Witch, truly afraid now began to back away "My Sister..."

Lucy's head looked straight at Witch, golden eyes burning with rightmost fury "GO BACK TO WHATEVER HELLHOLE YOU CAME FROM!" She screamed as she sent the dark tendril at the witch who was now trying to desperately escape but was blocked by a wall of shadow. With her way blocked the witch had nowhere to go as the tendrils sharpened into spikes and impaled her and as she died finally her body melted away into green gas which also dissipated into nothing.

Then the room, cell and chains melted away into the white expanse it had come from leave Maria and her sister alon together.

They both were silent as they enjoyed the felling of being free of Witch, it was like a great weight had been lifted off thier chests and they breathed a sight of relief.

It was Lucy who broke the silence "Thank you Maria..."

"Thank you for what?"

Lucy still no looking at Maria let her fists un clench "Thank you for freeing me... for being there while I was Red... just for everything"

Maria's eyes widened again "you mean you-"

"Yes I remember everything, I know I died in this universe and I haven't really got the right to ask this"

Lucy sniffed before bursting into tears and wrapping her arms around Maria "'Sniff!' Big sister!"

Maria returned the embrace "Its alright... Just let it out"

A few minutes later after both Lucy and Maria dried their tears they began talking about how they were going to handle the Hellspider. "How are we going to deal with It when we wake up, our ALG was destroyed with the P90?"

Lucy grinned confidently "let me handle it"she said with a sly grin " I've got a trick up my sleeve"

"Well then-" Maria reached a hand out "shall we?"

Lucy took her big sisters hand and nodded "lets do this"
> Chapter 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Chapter 10 #
Lucy opened her eyes to see Simmons and Spitfire nealing above her and the sound of battle in the back ground.

"Maria? That you?" Simmons asked as he helped her sit upright.

Groaning sheshook her head "Uhhh... No its still me "she said as she rubbed her neck "whats going on?"

Simmons frowned but told her "Rhe princesses and Celestia's student are trying to beat the Hellspider over there" he jerked a thumb toward the battle, Celestia were firing bolts of magic while Flare was cast torrents of fire. Nothing seemed to phase the monster as it moved towards them.

Looked both Simmons and Spitfire in the eyes she asked "Help me up"

"Red don't be stupid" Spitfire barated her "your in no condition to fight"

"And if I don't we're all dead" Lucy warned "Now help me up"

Spitfire and Simmons shared a reluctant look hut did as she asked, helping her get to her feet. She was unsteady at first but got her balance. Taking a deep breath she began to walk towards the battle "no matter what happens. Don't interfere"

Celestia saw Lucy coming towards them "No Red. We can deal with this monster"

Lucy shook her head "No you can't" she said as she drew closer "But I can"

"Red be resonable" Celestia exclaimed "you in no state to-"

*Celestia... don't* Maria warned the princess *This is personal* she said with a growl.

The Hellspider saw her and began to Laugh "Come for another beating Witch 9945 Hmmmm?"

Lucy gritted her teeth "you three had better move... this is about to get messy" the Hellspider luaghed again "And my name isnt Witch"

"And what is it hmmm Witch 9945?" The monster asked "Red?"

Lucy clenched her fists slightly as she felt her shadow begin to move  "I told you" she growled as she felt her shadow started to fill the large gap between her fingers "My name is not Witch-" the shadows began to take shape and she gripped onto it tightly as they began to solidify "Nore is it Red-" The shadows finished taking shape and she felt her wounds and broken bones heal, the blood that her coverd began to dissaper. Taking the shadowy shape with both hands Lucy raied it above her head "my name... Is... LUCY SANTIAGO!" 

Crying her name she brought the object down sending the shadows that coverd it towards the Hellspider, the shadows took the shape of a curvd blade that took the monster by surprise as they tore through one of its arms and sliced it clean off.

Standing before it was Lucy wealding a large black and grey scythe. The scythe had a solid smooth black wooden staff that ended with a massive curved black and blackish grey blade. The staff of the scythe was coverd with glowing Orange runes of Eqestrian nature and a few anchaint symbols too and the other end of the Staff ended with a spear tip like blade. Lucy spun and twerled the blade untill it was held in one hand behind her with the blade ready to strike.

The Hellspider was stund for a moment but the turned to tue infected behind it "kill her!"

The hoard roard as they charged at her, eager to please their master. Lucy mearly sighed and waited for the lead one to reach her.

*It looks scared now* Maria said making Lucy smile "It should be"

As the first infested arrived Lucy held the sythe behind her with the center of her arms and spun with such speed and force that she sliced the infected and the two behing it in half. Three more took their place and Lucy kicked the first and took the scythe with both hands and sliced the other two 's heads and arm off before choping the first straight down the middle.

16 infected surrounded her and was about to pounce hefore Lucy reached out for their shadows and brought them up like spikes squering them and throwing them at their on coming comrades. "Whats the matter Hellspawn?" She taunted with a grin as she brought another two infected to their untimly end with her scythe and squering another tgree "Scared?"

The Hellspider clicked its mantibles angrely as it watched Lucy massicur its hord

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Luna watched in shear awe of Red as she slew infected after infected.

"Sister?"

"Yes Luna?"

"You are seeing what I am seeing right?"

Celestia nodded without looking away from Red "Red has become the barer of the Shadow Scythe" Luna thought back to what she knew of the mysterios weapon, forged long before Her and her sister and even Discord's rule, the Shadow scythe had been wealed by hero and vilian alike. It had once be controled by Sombra when he killed its original master. While it usualy choises its master, Sombra used dark now forgoten magic to contrl the scythe and turn himself into a being of shadow and evil.  After Twilight and her friends along with the help of Spike had defeated the dark king Celestia and Luna had destroyed the weapon fearing what would happen if its power was ever used for evil, or so they thought.

Silently they watched Red make short work of the Hoard.

Red was losing track of how many she had killed now and the bodies were pileing up before the Hellspider decided to take matters into it's own blades.

With a screech it rushed at her intending to catch her off guard. It had no such luck as Red brought the scythe up to defend herself and was puched back as it brought its single remaining blade down puting all its effort into pushon her back and breaking the scythe's seemingly wooden staff. The staff held fast and the Hellspider's blade didn't even make a dent in it.

With a burst of strength the Hellspider pushed her away making Red skid to a stop just out of its reach, unfazed Red dropped back into her ready stance and sprang at her advisary. Three infected got in the way but instead of focusing on them she tripped up the first with a shadow tenderal and sprang off it's back into the air (The celling was stupidly high alowing her to catch some seriose air) gathering the shadows above the lights to the head of her sythe she pointed it at the Hellspider and fired three streams of shadows like bolts of magic, two hit the infected blowing a hole in their cheasts and the third struck the Hellspiders face ripping off a large portion of it's cheak.

The thing laughed at this "Is that the best you've got?"

*Cuting off a Hellspawn's head dosnt do anything* Luna heard Maria say *its the limbs you got yo go for, cut then right off*

Red landed just infront of the Hellspider who tried to swip at her legs only for the woman to jump and land on the blade and use it to swing behind the Hellspider. With with few quick jabs with the spear end of her sythe into it's back, trying to agravete it enough to make mistakes and make a mistake it did as it had to widen it's stance to strike back at her slopply.

Red ducked and rolled to the side and chopped two of the thing's three left legs making it unbalanced. An Infected tried to sneak up on her but failed as Red spun her Scythe around her and chopped it clean in half and used what as left of it's corpse as a spring board to luanch herself towards the spider who was just getting his balance back just in time to block a strike at it's shoulder.

"Give up worm!" It roard as Red strafed to the left.

"I can't basterd" Red replyed with a quick jab in the side.

"Give up!" The Hellspider clumsly tried to kick her but met only air.

Red who had jumped over the kick used the said leg to jump onto the monster's back "I don't know how" she said as the thing tried to shake her off "Now be a good Hellspawn-" she began as she raised her scythe up high "AND GO TO HELL!" she brought the scythe down onto the cretures last arm and severd it off before leaping off and using the now doomed Hellspider's own shadow to sever its remaining Legs.

"NNNNOOOOOooooooooo" the thing's death cry was so high pitched that it could have shatterd glass if there had been any intact glass left in the room and as it died the Hellspider turned to ash. This was followed by every infected in a miles radius falling dead and turning to ash too.

Un beknown to everyone a puff of green smoke drifted out of Applejack's mouth and nostrials and dissapated as the last of the Infection left the apple farmers body entirely. Her eyes opend heavily "Uhhh... Wha Happend?" She looked around to see the state of th room and the last of the infected turn to ash "Woowee, wha did ah miss?"

Red fell to her knees as exhaustion over took her an as she dropped her scythe it turned back to shadows. Celestia and Luna rushed to her side to see if she was alright but she just wavd them off "I'm ok...just tired" 

Celestia looked down seriosly "How did you summon the Shadow Scythe?" She asked "Me and Luna destroyed it a few years ago"

"Is that what its called? I just felt it in me and knew how to use it somehow" she shruged "you have any ideas Maria?"

*Not the fogiest, I say we should be glad that killing that Hellspider killed every infected in the area* Red agreed just as she saw something in the spot that she had dropped her sythe. It was a black smoth crystal, not a non see through kinda black but a kinda see through one. Red carfuly reached for the crystal in an almost trance like state,  Red plucked the objet from the ground started to study it jus as Celestia and Luna saw it in her hands "Red..."  Celestia began "What is that?" She asked

"I don't know" Red replyed as she turned the crystal in her fingers "but it feels femilure, almost like-" she never got to finish as the crystal suddnly burst into like knocking the two Princesses back and engulfing Red in it's light.

When the light subsided instead of one person, there was two. The first was obvilosly Maria with her hair returned to Red full red and eye brown. The other seemed to be a young girl alittle over 17, the girl had a pair of wolf ears and a wolf tail to match both had black fur and golden eyes, she wore the same SG uniform as Maria with holes cut in the trousers for her tail. Around her neck she wore a neckules, it was a black and red jem the shape of a rose held by a sliver chain. When both opened thier eyes they gasped as they saw each other "You've got your own body!" They exclaimed at the same time then they looked down at themselves "I've got my own body!". They helped each other up with the younger shying behing the older as everyone stared at them with surprise. The young girl Luna guesses was Red but as of why she was a young girl Luna was unsure.

Simmons walked up to the two with his hands clenched into fists "Is that her then? The Witch that was controling you all this time" he asked glaring daggers at Red who was shying further behind Maria.

Maria put herself between Simmons and Red "Backoff!" She said angrly "You put one finger on my little sister, I will personaly make sure your walk funny for the rest of your life" she warned making the man back up before everyone realised what Maria had just said.

"SISTER!" Everyone exclaimed.

Maria sighed "I guess we've got some explaining to do"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Once they were seated the sisters began their tale. By the time Lucy and Maria finished everyone was silent as they digested this information.

"So let me get this straight" Spitfire said "She is your sister who died when she was born in this universe but lived in another universe but was then taken over by Witch so the Witch could take someone over in this universe when the Vorsoth invaded and you just happen to that she took over and when you were knocked out Lucy rememberd who she was and defeated the Witch inside both of you and then was able to summon a powerful waepon called the shadow sythe which apparenly the Princesses destroyed a long time ago?" The wonderbolt captain fainaly took a breath "am I right?

"Uhhhh... yea" Maria said confused of how the wonderbolt had managed to say all that without stopping to take a breath

"But why would a Witch need to take over someone just to take over another person?" Simmons asked "seems like allot of  effort for something tat just sitts and crys all day"

"They needed more then on person the do what he Vorsoth needed them to do" Lucy said as she twidled with the chain of her neculess "The Vorsoth control the Witchs and through the Witchs... the Hord"

"So the Witchs needed a mental boost that they got from combining you two to contol the Hord" Solar Flare finished "facinating"

Celestia spoke next changing the subject "Lucy if it is no trouble, could you tell us about your wolf traits?" She asked "they are clearly not a normal human trait"

"Before I was born some messed up scientist thought it would be funny to released toxin into the water supply of my town" she explained "My mom and a couple other people drank the water before anyone realized what had happened, since mom was pregnant with me she was the only one affected"

Luna pieced it together "the toxin contained wolf dna?"

Lucy nodded "Among others... when I was born a few months later, I was born like this" she gestured her all of her.

"I guess other people didn't react well to you" Simmons guessed.

"I had to go see a phyciatrist every weekend" Lucy replyed dryly "and ended up intensive care more times then I can count"

Celestia nodded "we should leave. The infected are gone for now but they will be back and we have to get to Feather Weight and the others" she turned to Simmons "your group should acompany us to fort Novus. This base is not safe for you anymore"

The man nodded "Probobly best, we've got nothing here now" he got up "OK EVERYONE YOU HEARD THE PRINCESS, GRAB YOUR GEAR AND GET TOPSIDE TO THE MAKOS" he pointed at one man "Richards take Makensy and Rich and get the spare vehicel parts from storage!"

"Sir!"

Max and Liam head over to data storage and get as much data on the last day as you can. You've got 15 minutes"

The two groups sped off down the corridor to their apointed tasks leaving everyone else to get ready.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The convoy of Makos and the Bullfrog passed through the sound barrier surounding Fort Novas, they had stopped by to repain the Bullfrog along the way  and a surviving medic from the outpost was busy patching up Heartrazor and said he was probably going to have to be confined to a hospital bed for a while.

The ride had been mostly quite with Celestia and Luna talking in hushed tones and Lucy's light breathing as she leaned against Maria sleeping.

There had been a few minor skermishes along the way but the cannons of both the Makos and Bullfrog made quick work of the infected, everyone made a sigh of relife as the open gates of Fort Novas came into view. Finaly after a day of blood, tears and mindfucks they were finaly safe at their goal.

As the convoy pass through the gates and were dire ted towards the moter pool Maria had a rare moment of empathy, She had come here with the goal of curing Earth and finding her daughter and instead she had found a little sister. Now she was at Fort Novas Maria hoped that she could also find her daughter she she could meet her aunt.

As they dismounted a man waited for them, he wore a SGC uniform with the symbol for SG-1 on his shoulder, he wore a pair of glasses that had one of two scratches, man looked like he had seen is fair share of combat, this didn't surprise Maria considering who he was.

"Princesses Luna and Celestia" he greeted "My name is Danial Jackson, Welcome to Fort Novas"
> And so it begins...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was the earth year 2014 and the universe seemed to be holding its breath, the revelation that the Vorsoth was responsible for what had befallen Earth and that it was a precursor to something truly terrible.
The galactic powers were unsure of what to do about this, some like the Jaffa scoured the more isolated systems of the galexy for any sign of the Vorsoth, the Tok'ra had their agents searching for an effective means to fight the coming enemy,  the Asguard/Replicators readyed themselves for conflict and the Tua'ri along with the Equestrians continued to look for a cure for earth with the two princess sisters of Equestria and Major Santiago leading the way while watching for signs of the Vorsoth.
By the end of december 2014 the pieces were all in place for a confrontation that would change the Galexy for a long time to come.
The year of 2015 would be a year of strife... a year of change... a year of pain... it would be the year everything changed.  

_____________________________________________________________________________________

[And So It Begins]
A green encounter suited figure looked out into the beautiful world beyond it's window, it's single eye a glistening white and blue.
It turned to it's companion a black hexapod creature who nodded with it's glowing eyes.
[As It Always Does]
The green figure looked up at the endless stars [Will it be enough?]
The Shadowy figure joined it's companion while staring up unblinking.
[We Have Done All We Can] it gestured with a claw to the Stars [It Is All Up To Them Now]
The Shadow and the Light looked up at the stars.
[When Do We Tell Them?] The shadow asked.
[When the time is right...] the light replied.

_________________________________________________

"Twilight?"

"yes Spike?"

"What do you think did this?" the small dragon asked.

"I don't know Spike..." The young princess whispered as she looked upon a scene of carnage "But I fear to find out"

Before the two burned the once metropolis of Manehatten, now nothing more then a pile of rubble and broken dreams.

It had happened the previous night while everyone slept, the Earth ship Daedalus had been in orbit at the time picking up supply's for Earth, a unknown ship had appeared out of nowhere and rained down fire upon the helpless city, by the time the Daedalus had been able to drive away the ship the death count had been too high.

"H-How many?" Twilight asked trying to keep up a calm demeanour, her assistant unrolled a parchment that he received by dragon fire and slowly told her "Last count puts it up to 30'000"

"And what about the gate?" Twilight asked "Has Candace been able to get word to Earth?"

Spike shook his head "The Stargate won't connect to anywhere, Colonel Caldwell says that he could take the Daedalus and tell the other princesses himself but he's worried about leaving the planet unprotected"

Twilight nodded and continued to stare out over the devastation"Any word from the changelings?" Twilight had been in negotiations with Queen Chrysalis and her fellow queen Changelings when word had come in, it was only thanks to their hives that the death toll hadn't been too high.

"Chrysalis says Equestria has her and her fellow queens support"

"Then send Caldwell a letter and tell him to get to the nearest Ta'rui base and get help" the alicorn looked down to see a two changelings carrying a injured pony on a stretcher "because I think this is only the beginning"

The baby dragon hopped off Twilight's back to get some paper and leaving the solitary princess alone, as she stared into the dying embers she unconsciously brough her hoof up to the silver chained necklace that hung from her neck.

Held by the silver chain was a red and black gem the shape of a rose "I just hope it get better before it gets worse"
> Chapter 12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Thank you Colonel, I will inform the Princesses"
Colonel Caldwell nodded "Thankyou Dr Jackson, we'll be staying another day to spend some time on repairs and drop off some personnel for the 'scabbard' and then randavo with the Sun' Tzu and Hyperion"

"I'll leave you too it Colonel, Novas out" the screen cut to black and Caldwell turn to the for word view port and at the immense scaffolding's of the 'Scabbard'and the 'Excalibur' hanging within.

"Daniel seems to handling things well" the Colonel's guest commented.

"It's good to see that someone hasn't given up on earth just yet Carter" He said as the other Colonel joined him "any Idea when she'll be ready to go?" Caldwell asked gesturing to the 'Excalibur'

"Her jump engine and navigation are just going through some last minute checks checks and we're loading the last of the 'furies' now so probably by the morning" Carter saw another jumper pass the viewport "The Second Destroyer of her class, if she's anything like the Warlock then I'll be proud to be her commander"

"I still don't know why General O'Neil wanted her built here instead of at Proxima" 

The Colonel shrugged "Jack only told me about this Warlock after he took the Hammond away from me" it was obvious that she was still annoyed by this.

The 'Excalibur' was the newest of the new Warlock class destroyer line to be deployed along the new Hyperion and HC305 class ships.
There were two more under construction with the Sorceress due to be completed next month and the Solaris later in the year, Caldwell had heard rumours that the Solaris was going to be given to Equestria as thanks for their help here.

"I'm going down there later tonight to pick her up" Carter said "After that and we pick up the last of the Replicator and pony crewmembers we'll head out"

"So why are you adding ponies to your crew?" Caldwell found himself asking "The Replicators I get but why ponies?"

"Its partially thanks to them that we finished the 'Excalibur' so fast anyway, that and Daniel recommended them"

Carter began to leave "Well I'm due to meet with Major Santiago and her sister so I'll be getting out of your hair" as she stepped out into the corridor she called back "Good luck Colonel"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Lucy in the months she had known her sister had never seen her so worried, they had just heard from Solar Flare about the attack on Equestria when Mitchell had called them to his office.

It had been a month since Lucy had been freed from Witch's control and she had become the barer of the shadow scythe and crimson rose, Maria and the Princesses had been out several times to look for the device they needed to spread the cure, all of which Lucy had been left behind.

"Maria I'm sure Equestrias fine" Lucy told Maria for the unteenth time "and I heard their sending the Deadlus with three two other ships 

"I know I shouldn't worry" Maria said with a sad smile "But i owe the ponies of Equestria allot"

They arrived at Mitchell"s office and knocked "Come in!"

As usual there sat sat Colonel Mitchell behind mountains of paperwork, standing beside him was a tall woman waring a black SGC uniform, she was another Colonel if her command bars were right, once Lucy closed the door Maria stood to attention and saluted "Colonels!"

"Santiago I told you that you don't have to do that crap round me" Mitchell said with a disapproving wave of his hand.

"Sorry Sir... Old habits die hard"

"Nevermind... I'm sure you know Colonel Carter" the other Colonel  reached out and shook Maria and Lucy's hands in turn. "Yes Sir, but I though you were in command of the Hammond?" Maria asked "I thought only the Deadlus was in orbit"

"She is" Carter said with a sad smile "I was reassigned to a new ship... The 'Excaliber'"

Maria frowned "I've never heard of her before" she said "How long has she been in service?"

"She actually hasn't had any service time" Carter explained "She's a new Destroyer, Todays going to be her first day of service, which brings me to the point of our meeting... Ms Santiago I would Like you to accompany the 'Excalibur' on her first mission"

"With all due respect Colonel, I already had a mission that needs to be finished" Maria said.

"I understand that Major... But I want referring to you" the Colonel's gaze fell upon Lucy "I would Like your sister to accompany me". Lucy looked at Carter startled "Me?!"

"Why do you need Lucy?" Maria asked shifting into protective sister mode. Carter responded by taking a folder from Mitchell's desk "This was found by the 'Hyperion' a month ago"

Lucy took the folder and opened it, inside were a number of photos and documents, the top picture showed a large Space station the size of a small city surrounded by asteroids. 

Lucy passed the picture to Maria who looked at the picture intently "The boy and girls at Atlantis did some digging and found out some interesting information but not allot" Mitchell told them gesturing for Carter to continue"The station was used apparently in another war that the ancients had before leaving for Pegasus, but what interested us was who they were fighting"

Lucy read one of the documents and felt her eyes widen "the Vorsoth..."

"That's right, apparently the Ancients fought and defeated them sometime and this was one of their primary bases" he sat forward in his chair "If the Vorsoth are returning then we need to find out how the Ancients beat em before"

"That still doesn't explain why you need Lucy" Maria said looking intrigued by this information "Why don't you just go there and get the information?"

"because we also found out that the station can only be brought online with a certain key" Carter turned her gaze back to Lucy "one we didn't know the location of untill now"

Lucy unconsciously reached up to the Crimson Rose around her neck "you mean..." "Yep. That little Rose of yours is what we need to bring that station back online"

Lucy looked up to Maria who looked deep in thought, Lucy knew that it was up to her is she went and she really wanted to go, if there was a chance that she could help even if it was only a little bit then she was going to do it.

"Sis I think I should go" Lucy said earning a quizzing look from her sister "I know you want me safe and technically I'll be allot safer inboard a heavily armed Destroyer has got to be safer then being on a planet full of Zombies"

Maria thought this over for a minute before giving the two Colonels her answer "Ok... But on one condition..."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Lucy sat in the back of a Puddle Jumper that was about to leave the 'Deadlus's' hanger, sat next to her on both sides was Applejack and Solar Flare with Reppy sat on Lucy's knees.

"Ah can't believe we're in space!" Applejack exclaimed "Pinky Pies never going to believe me when ah tell her"

"Yes It is quite and experience" Solar Flare agreed "But I am going to be even more exited when we see the 'Excalibur'. I was told by some of the pilots that it was quite a sight"

They heard the a faint hum as the Jumper lifted off and flew out of the hanger, thanks to the inertial dampeners they didn't feel any g-force as they they speed off. A moment later they heard Colonel Carter call back "Your four might want to see this"

They each got up and walked into the cockpit, out side the window lay the 'Scabbard' and within it's scaffolding lay the 'Excalibur' herself. It was a large ship with long main body with the large engines at the back. On both one ether side was a single large pod with 14 missile silos on each, 6 large and 8 small. To top off it's visible arsenal were a number if large cannons placed from fore to aft of the mighty vessel.
Along the neck hull plating of the ship the name EXCALIBUR was printed in bold black along with the number 2 along her engine block, meaning she was the second of her class.

(http://th08.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/106/8/a/warlock_class_destroyer_by_roen911-d61yl2e.jpg)

"Well will you look at that..." Applejack said with awe.

"it puts anything Equestrias got to shame" Solar Flare remarked with equal awe.

"Maybe not for long not for long" Carter said "I hear you might be getting one before long. But you didn't hear that from me" she said with a wink.

Lucy glanced at both her companions and could tell they wanted to see what made the impressive warship tick, even Applejack who Lucy had been surprised to find had a fascination with technology dispute her upbringing.

But in Lucy's personal opinion... The 'Excalibur' was a thing of beauty and a glance at its commander told her that Carter was truly full of pride at being given command of the Destroyer.

It was going to be an interesting few weeks...

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Carter stepped into the organized chaos that was the bridge of the 'Excalibur' with everyone was busy getting ready for the ship's first flight, everything was getting checked and double checked from weapons to navigation nothing was being left to chance as one malfunctioning piece of equipment could mean life or death. The Bridge was circular in design with the command chair in the center, Tactical and Navigation at the front and the other stations around the outside. There was a set of double doors at the rear of the room that lead to the strategic planning room.

The Warlock Destroyers were truly one of the most advanced warships in humanity's arsenal with enough firepower to dispatch a Wraith Hiveship with ease and the ability to carry four squadrons of new Starfuries and two squadrons of Thunderbolts, significantly more fighters then the 304s but not as many as the 305.

Carter sat down in her chair and turned to her first officer Major Tyrone Franklin "how are we looking Major?"

The man turned to the bridge crew "Status"

"Propulsion and Navigation Fully operational" Captain Dave Kleinman reported "Jump engine's fully charged"

"All guns report fully operational and shields fully charged Sir!" Major Kevin Marks said.

"Sensors and communications at 100% efficiency Mam" 

"All 48 Fighters on standby and all auxiliary transports are secure"

"All stations ready Colonel" Tyrone reported barley keeping the pride out of his voice "We're ready to depart"

Carter nodded satisfied"hail the 'Scabbard' and tell them we're ready to head out"

"Yes Mam, 'Excalibur' to 'Scabbard'"  the line was silent before someone answered "'Scabbard' here, what's up?" "'Excalibur' requesting permission to leave dock"

"Sure thing 'Excalibur', let me just uncouple you"

Along the 'Excalibur's' hull, multiple clamps and umbilical's detached themselves for the first and final time separating ship from station. "Ok Colonel she's all yours... Good hunting"
"Ok lets take this slow..." Carter said to herself "Bring us out slow and steady"

After a year of construction the 'Excalibur's engine's burst into life and slowly pushed the Destroyer forward into the void, passing the last of the scaffolding of the 'Scabbard' and with a brighter flare of it's engines boosted towards deep space.

One the they were far enough from the planet Carter gave an order "Bring the main jump engine online and... Jump!" 

There was a flash of light followed by a red swirling gateway of a jump point, as the 'Excalibur' approached the jump point it boosted through, hurtling into the hellish storms of hyperspace.

The 'Excalibur' was away. Traveling towards it's destination and a yet undetermined path.))
> chapter 13 RAIDERS!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lucy laid on her bunk in her shared quarters, Solar Flare and Reppy were in engineering again observing how things worked while Applejack was asleep in the opposite bunk, the apple farmer was not use to having nothing to do and most of her time ether sleeping or helping out anyway she could around the ship.

Two weeks into their journey and they had already had to drop out of hyperspace to repair a malfunctioning component in the sensor's which had taken a few hours to do since it was out on the hull.

Lucy thought about the hellish red landscape that lay beyond armoured hull, she had heard that when the 'Foxfire' had first jumped into hyperspace they had gotten lost in the hellish landscape, this had lead to the discovery of the ancient beacon network that were essential for navigating the far reaches of hyperspace and making sure no ship got lost or strayed far off the beacon.

Once again Lucy found herself fiddling with the crimson rose, feeling the warm aura radiating from the rose gem, she closed her eyes and lay back onto her her bunk. Sometimes she could hear whispers when she did this, she was sure they came from the Crimson Rose since nobody else heard them, they had unnerved her at first but after a while they had become almost smoothing and dispute being too quite for her to understand, their tone was calm and understanding.

But right now they were sounding worried which worried her, there was a quick feeling of nausea that washed over her. The feeling roused Applejack from her slumber making her look around groaning and with unfocused eyes "Uhhh... Whass going on?"

"Don't know" Lucy replied as she heard rushing footsteps pass by their door "I think we just jumped to normal space" she got her her feet and pulled on her boots before helping Applejack to her hooves "Let's go find out what's going on"

As Lucy opened the door she saw crewmembers rush by in a hurry and it took awhile to flag one of them "What's going on?"

"yea what's got ya'll so rilled up?"

"We just revived a distress call from a nearby ship, the 'Foxfire'" the crew member said "she's under attack and we're the only one's in range to help" they let the crewman rush off to his station. Lucy turned to her blond friend "Lets get to the bridge" she said as she headed off down the corridor with the Apple farmer in tow.

_________________________________________________________________

Alone the Hyperion class ship 'Foxfire' fought a losing battle against nine Ha'tak warships that surrounded it and constantly battered her dwindling shields, the Lucian alliance fleet's commander constantly sent messages demanding the human vessel's surrender, wanting it intact so they could steal the jump engine technology which proved faster then regular hyperspace engines.

With a flash of light a blue jump point opened and the 'Excalibur' surged forward out of the gateway, Once out Colonel Carter orders Starfury Squadron Alpha and Delta to deploy, both squadrons flew out the hanger in and orderly fashion and took formation on rather side of the Destroyer.
The Alliance Ha'taks noticed the new arrival and four moved to intercept the approaching ship and demanded their surrender expecting them to be easy prey like the 'Foxfire'.

Unknown to them that they were only able to get the upper hand over the small Hyperion cruiser due to having the element of surprise and the ship already being disabled by a freak power surge.

Neither of those were the case and 'Excalibur' had enough firepower to outmatch the entire battle group.
The first Ha'tak went up in flames from a direct hit from the Warlock's Partical beam cannons, mostly due to how low quality the goa'uld designed shields and the power of the weapons.

Another two  were destroyed by the combined firepower of the 'Excalibur's' other weapons and Starfury squadrons, the other Ha'Taks surprised by this turn of events turned their attention to the Destroyer and fired all their staff cannons at the ship who's more powerful and higher quality shield just soaked up the fire with minimal damage and the Fury's extreme agility allowed them to dodge the cannon fire or intercept them with their own weapons.

The 'Excalibur' fired two of its smaller missiles  and destroyed one Ha'tak outright and blew another in half, the remaining four Alliance ships started to pull back with two trying to at least destroy the 'Foxfire' before they retreated only to find the ship's weapons back to full strength and with a single shot from it's single partical beam cannon cut through the ones shields and punching a hole through the center, the 'Foxfire' finished off the doomed vessel with its 52mm pulse cannons.

The 'Excalibur' destroyed the second with the combine fire of it's Partical cannons and heavy railguns and damaged the fleeing Ha'taks before they escaped with through hyperspace windows.

_________________________________________________________________

Lucy Applejack had watched the quick engagement from the corner of the bridge with unbelieving eyes, they had just watched the 'Excalibur' cut through 7 out of 9 ships in a matter of minutes. The 'Foxfire' looked a little worst for ware with a large blast mark on her port side just between its name and the number 3, marking it as the third ship of her class, the debris of the destroyed enemy ships floated by.

Carter was deep in discussion with the commander of the 'Foxfire'"-didn't see them untill they were on top of us, Colonel Harrison was killed before we could raise the shields"

Carter gave the other commander a sympathetic smile "I'm sorry for your loss Captain Naomi, Colonel Harrison was a good man" her expression hardend as she got down to business "I'm promoting you to the rank of Colonel in light of recent events, how is the 'Foxfire' holding up?"

The newly promoted Colonel looked back to her new first officer who quickly told her "We're in better shape then we thought, Weapons and jump engines' are back online including, shields are down to 40% and hull integrity at 87% and we can get about a 2/3 speed out of the engines. All in all we could be worse off"

Carter nodded "you should acompany us with our mission, we beat the Alliance now but I think they'll be back and in greater numbers"

"I think we will Colonel, we'll follow you... 'Foxfire' out" the screen went to black and Carter sighed as she turned to Lucy and Applejack "If it isn't enough that we may be facing a massive Vorsoth invasion we still have to contend with the Lucian Alliance" she shook her head  "What do you think about the 'Excalibur' now?"

"it's a mighty powerful ship Y'all got yourselves here" Applejack said with a whistle "Those guys didn't stand a chance!"

"I think we should get out of here fast" Lucy said clutching the crimson rose with a feeling of dread "as you said, they'll be back before long". Carter nodded in agreement and turned to Major Franklin "Are we ready to jump?

"three minute untill the engine have sufficiently charged, the 'Foxfire's' will finish before ours d-"

There was loud beeping coming from the sensor station "Hyperspace windows opening out of range!"
The view port was filled with white as a large fleet of Ha'taks and Al'kesh appeared in front of the 'Excalibur' with the Destroyer between the Lucian Alliance ships and the 'Foxfire'.
"I'm seeing 27... No 35 Alliance Ha'Taks with a whole lot of Al'kesh" the sensor operator who Lucy had learned was called Liam Terrace, said "They'll be in firing range in two Minutes"

"Dam!" Carter cursed "Recall all fighters and move us away at top speed but keep us between them and the 'Foxfire'" she pointed at Terrace "Tell Engineering to transfer shield power to the aft and divert weapon power the the rear weapons"

With the last of the fighters aboard the two ship's Maneuvering thrusters fired and spun both ships away before speeding away, in normal occasions both ships could outrun the enemy but at the speed the 'Foxfire' Was stuck at and the 'Excalibur' having to keep at the sane speed to stay at the rear the first if the Alliance vessels would be in firing range just as the 'Excalibur' and the 'Foxfire's' Jump engine's were fully charged.

But the good news was that they would be in range of the 'Excalibur's' guns ling before that.

As the destroyer and her damaged cruiser companion fled the later years fired using a dispersal pattern to damage a few of the chasing ships in hopes of slowing them down just long enough for them to escape. This worked on the less Maneuverable Ha'taks and even destroyed one (which Lucy guesses was the one they had damaged earlier) and catching some of the Al'kesh but three managed to catch up.

The bridge shook violently as three Al'kesh preformed a bombing run along the length of the ship, the pulse cannons and turrets took out two while the 'Foxfire's' pulse cannons.

Then the heavier hit came, slamming into the shields but nit doing any damage due to all the power being fed to the shields.

Finally the call that they were all waiting for came "Jump engines fully charged!"

"Jump!" Carter orders without hesitation.

Two red jump points appeared in front of both ships who gladly apears through leaving their pursuers staring at empty space as the jump points closed just as the first Ha'tak reached them.

They had escaped.... For now.

_________________________________________________________________

"How did you know they were coming?"

They were in the 'Excalibur's' Strategic planning room with Carter and her first officer, after making sure they were on corse for the station Carter had asked Lucy to join her in here so they could talk.

"I didn't" Lucy said unsurely reaching for the crimson rose "I've been having a bad feeling since we jumped into that fight, it subsided when we beat the Alliance but it came back just before that fleet jumped in"

"Maybe it's that thing trying to tell you something" Tyrone suggested as he pointed at the rose "We already know that It gives you those weird powers and princesses Luna and Celestia knew little about it, they didn't even know about the rose untill the shadow scythe changed into it for storage and it separated you and your sister"

"And it may had more ability then manipulating shadows" Carter finished, catching onto what her first officer was saying "We already know that it and you have something to do with all this and many ability's seem to be awakening in it the longer you have it"

Lucy looked down at the rose that was now in her grasp, it was true that the princesses had been surprise at some of the ability the rose and the Scythe within was giving Lucy. But if the Colonel was right then she was going to play  bigger part in this then simply powering up an ancient station.

"How long untill we get to the station?" Lucy asked, if she was going to find any answers then she was sure that it would be there.

"With the 'Foxfire' having to go slow to repair their engine from the inside then another hour"

Lucy nodded and looked to the strategy table which was showing the damage done to the 'Foxfire' by a diagram "I think we should be prepared for another fight with the Alliance sooner of later..." Lucy said still clutching the rose.

"another feeling?" Carter asked.

"Yea... Another feeling..." she said distantly" a really bad one..."
> Chapter 14 The Place Where No Shadows Fall
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

WARNING! This first part of the chapter is very graphic in nature.

_________________________________________________________________

Ponyville was burning around her and she was helpless to save it.
. her friends lay dead and she was powerless to help them... Equestria fell into fire and Darkness and there was nothing she could do to stop it...

Twilight Sparkle lay beaten and bruised with all the fight sucked out of her, she and her friends had failed to stop them, the shadowy monsters that now advanced upon her with eyes... Oh those eyes!... Filled with hate and murder.
The Princess tried to rise but stumbled and fell again as tears blurred her vision.

She could see her friends, OH CELESTIA! Her friends lay before her, Rainbow dash had bled to death when one of the flying monsters had torn her wings off and her throat after. Rarity had tried to save her sister but was picked up in one of the massive beasts jaws and had her ribs and heart crushed into pulp. Pinky had been next, after the death of Rarity and Dash she had just lost it and flow into the beasts with the scream of a madmare, they had torn her apart. Fluttershy was next as she tried to get the young ones to safety, a beast had removed her head with a swipe of it's claw. Last was Applejack who even now the monsters were smashing against the w- wait... Applejack... But she's...

[Yes, See!]

This was a Nightmare... Just a Nightmare!

[Good! Keep going]

I can stop this stop this! This is a Nightmare and I can fight it!

Suddenly there was nothing... Just blackness... It took a moment for Twilight to realize that she had her eyes closed. The young mare slowly opens her eyes to find herself in a cave lit with many candles, she was not alone as she saw two figures, the first seemed to be waring a bulky greed suit of armour that had an odd fabric going down from it's shoulders to the floor, a large eye stalk with a glowing white and red eye that stared at her. The second looked like a nightmarish insect like a cross between a spider and a mantis, with four clawed legs and two arms that ended in pincers, it's head was triangular with seven pairs of glowing eyes.

Fearfully Twilight found herself asking the figures "W-Who are you?"

[Kosh...] the green one said, the 'Shadow' as Twilight had nothing else to call it, said nothing. When Kosh spoke she didn't hear it with her ears, but her mind.

"What do you want?" she asked more confidently.

[An Ending...] this had come from the 'Shadow' [And A Beginning...]

Twilight gulped realising that she was in the presence of two very powerful beings "I-I don't understand..."

[You Will] Kosh said [Go... Now!] his eye flashed white [Go, Before it is too late!]

Twilight doubled over in pain, from both her head and her chest, slowly before her eyes a orb of light and darkness emerged from her chest and floated there before taking shape and in a few moments took shape and as the light faded and sitting neatly upon a silver chain around her neck was a black and red gem rose.

As she began to blackout from the pain Twilight heard Kosh and the 'Shadow' speak once more.

[Go...]
[...And Remember]


Twilight had woken not long after that in her bed in her home in Ponyville. She a passed the conversation with the two beings nothing more then a dream... That is, untill she saw the Black and Red Rose upon her neck.

A week after that had been the attack on Manehatten. Two weeks after that she had woken up in a cold sweat and rushed to Cantralot. A week after that she had orders something excavated in the ruins of Manehatten, One week after that they had excavated what she was looking for enough for her too enter it, she had Learned... And she had remembered.

_________________________________________________________________

Twilight heard a guard enter her tent and bowed "Princess Twilight, your friends have just arrived and are wishing to see you"

Twilight looked startled at this but smiled "Send them in" she said before thanking the guardsmen as he left.

After a brief exchange outside, Rainbow Dash, Rarity with Spike tiding on her back, Pinky Pie and Fluttershy walked in, all looked worriedly at their friend.

"Hey girls! What are you doing here?" she asked but Twilight already suspected the answer.
"Spike sent us a letter saying that you've been acting strange darling" Rarity said.
"Yea and we though that if you were feeling down that we'd come and cheer you up" Pinky Pie said happly.
"Yea, we heard that I was bad down here" Rainbow Dash said gesturing around "But I never thought it would be this bad..."
"I hope nopony was hurt" Fluttershy said quietly "and the poor animals"

Twilight sighed "Yea its bad, we lost allot of ponies and we would have lost allot more if Chrysalis's Changelings hadn't been here to help" she saw her friends expressions sour the mention of the loss of pony life "I doubt it will happen again again, the humans are sending a few of their warship, the first of which arrived this morning to defend us, Princesses Celestia and Luna are going to be coming back with the 'Deadlus', and like I've been telling someone" she gave her assistant and annoyed glare "I'm fine, but now your here I don't need to send for you"

Rarity spotted the Crimson rose necklace around Twilight's neck "Twilight Darling where did you get that magnificent price of jewellery" she gasped as she reached out to get a better look at it"

"I wouldn't do that Rarity" Twilight warned lightly making her friend pause "Last time someone tried to take it they got zapped by it" she gestured at spike who put up is hands.

"I though it was what was making Twilight act weird" he said "But when I tried to hide it when she took it off the thing Zapped me"

"As much as I'm glad your looking out for me Spike I'm not acting weird and if I am its not the Crimson Rose that's causing me to do so"

"Twilight... Has this got to do with Applejack?" Rainbow asked, Twilight hadn't told them where the mare had gone and none of the Apple family were telling "She's been gone for age's"

Twilight took a deep breath "Applejack went with the princesses to Earth"

There was a long silence before before they reacted "WHAT!?!?"

"Applejacks gone to a planet full of zombies and you let her go?" Rainbow Dash half asked half demanded.
"Poor dear must have seen so many terrible things" Rarity agreed.

"It was her choice, when she first disappeared she had been... Sick" Twilight said, not telling them that one of their best friends had been infected by the same virus that was plaguing Earth "but she got better, she asked to go with Celestia and Luna to Earth and there was nothing I could have said to change her mind, last I heard before the Stargate stopped working was that she was safe and well"

Her friends gave an audible sigh of relief and let Twilight talk "Look, what I'm. About to tell you may be related to Applejack too but I can't be sure, five weeks ago I met two strange and powerful beings..." Twilight proceeded to tell her friends about her meeting it Kosh and the 'Shadow' and then about how she had woken up and remember what she had to do three weeks later and in the following two weeks the discovery of the Ancient ruins, her friends listened to her every word with interest and by the time she finished they were shocked.

"Twilight are you sure you should be listening to these guys" Rainbow Dash asked "I mean how do you know that when they said 'A ending' they didn't mean and ending for us?"

"I have to Agree with Rainbow on this Dear, how do you know these creatures are not just using you?"

"They did hurt you" Fluttershy quietly pointed out.
"They aren't very nice if they hurt you Twilight!" Pinky Pie exclaimed "I mean If they were really old people from a really old race that lived in another universe who came to stopped the monsters who want to gobble us up but they couldn't do it without Twilight and Lucy  because they were some kind of key then I would get it!"

Twilight blinked a couple times in shock "Pinky... That's what I was about to tell you guys, but who's Lucy?"

"Well Dhaa! Silly, she's Maria's little sister who's travelling and a giant spaceship..." the pink mare paused for dramatic effect "in SPPAAACCCCEEEE!" her voice sounded robotic when she shouted the word and when Twilight was about to ask Pinky how she knew this she stopped and just put it down as Pinky being Pinky.

Clearing her throat Twilight began "Well what Pinky said was mostly correct, these two being were part of two old and powerful races that exist in another universe, I think they came here to try and stop a Race called the Vorsoth from conquering this universe like they did with others, I think that me and the human Maria-" 

"It's her sister I tell you!" Pinky exclaimed but was ignored.

"-are somehow connected to all this, and if I'm right, she would have gotten a Crimson Rose too"

She walked towards the tent flap "Come on girls, there's something you should see... There's something you should all see"

_________________________________________________________________

It had lain undisturbed for more then a millennia protected by a thick asteroid field and a odd electrical storms that stopped any ship from opening a hyperspace window anywhere near.

The station had lain dormant for a long time, undiscovered and unknown, until now.

Just out of the asteroid field and a safe distance away from the station, two blue Jump points formed and out of them came the 'Excalibur' and 'Foxfire'.

The station waited patiently for them to come... It had waited for this moment for more then a millennia, it could wait a little longer.

It was not going anywhere.

_________________________________________________________________

Lucy saw the ancient station from the 'Excalibur's' bridge, Applejack and Solar Flare were standing next to her marvelling at the colossal thing. The station was as ling as two Warlocks and as wide as half of one, it was truly indescribable with its faint red pattern along its crystal like hull, it closely resembled the crystalline hull of both the 'Excalibur' and the 'Foxfire', the latter who's class had been enhanced with the armour. The station showed no sign of its age and as the two ships approached it, lights began to flicker on.

"Any life signs?" Carter asked not expecting there to be any.

"No Colonel it seems to be automated" the sensor officer reported "Power to life-support and other systems came online as soo-"  the man stopped as something came up on his screen "We're receiving a message from the station"
Carter looked at the man in surprise "I thought you said there were no life signs" she said.
"There aren't any, the message is landing instructions and a message for you, name and all" the man put it up on the monitor. [Colonel carter and the chosen may bring anyone they wish] 

Carter and Lucy shared a glance "Did the 'Foxfire' Get a similar message?" Carter asked. "Yes Sir, Colonel Naomi is asked what to do"

The Colonel thought about it a second "Tell her to beam over here and we'll take a Jumper" the officer nodded and sent the message as Carter mentioned for them to follow "We'll be take a squad of marines just in case" she told her first officer as she left "And launch Delta squadron!" she called as she left.

In the hanger they found the commanding officer of the 'Foxfire' waiting for them by the Puddle Jumper with a team of Marines. The woman was a short caucasian woman with short brown hair and blown hair, her face bore some small stiches that she had probably gotten from the battle. She stood to attention as Carter Lucy and her pony companion's walked over "Colonel Carter Sir!"
Carter saluted back "you don't have to call me that Colonel" the new Colonel didn't have a first name so she was always called by her first name "we're the same rank" 
"I know Colonel" Naomi said who was still not use to being called by that tital "But you are the superior here and I don't think I've earned that title or my ship, the 'Foxfire' was always Hank's ship"

"I'm sure the Colonel would be proud to see his ship in the hands of a capable commander" Carter said as they boarded the Jumper "An your crew approve of you"

Naomi nodded but said nothing as the ramp of the Jumper rose and closed, Carter took front passenger seat while Lucy, Applejack and Flare sat in the back, the Jumper took off and passed through the open hanger door and into space, the 'Excalibur' had brought itself up along side of the station so it wasn't a long trip to the front of the station where the Docking bay doors lay open and landing lights marked their path.

Slowly and silently they enters the station who's name had long been forgotten.

_________________________________________________________________

They left the docking bay holding area with the marines leading the way, as they went lights and monitors came alive from their long period of inactivity, everything was well preserved and before them lay the highest and longest hallway Lucy had ever seen, ut must have gone the length of the station which in itself was almost four miles long if Colonel Carter's estimate was correct.

"Colonels! This console is doing something" one of the marines called out. The console in question was bringing up a map of the station first highlighting fifteen dots which represented them and the Marines, the console then drew a line through the map through one of the side corridors and into a large chamber "I guess it wants us to go there" Carter said.

"Colonel Permission to take some of my men and head to where I think the station's CnC is" the Marine's leader asked. "Go on ahead Sargent" Carter said "but leave two men with us, I doubt we'll need them but just in case."

They after going their separate ways Lucy's group heading to where the station told them to go, the place was remarkably well preserved and looked like it had only been built yesterday instead of thousands of years ago, the station shared alot of similarity's with the 'Excalibur' and Lucy guessed the 'Foxfire' too, Lucy already knew that both ship classes had been originally found in the shapes of the 'Warlock' and the 'Essex' as well as the knowledge of how to build them, Humanity had been quick to build a number of Hyperion's and now the warlocks too and the ships were quickly joining the ranks of other mainstream human capital ships like the 304s and the 305 but not replacing them, by the looked of this station it was built at the same time and had the same theme of the two ship classes.

After a few minutes of walking they reached chamber that had been indicated, Lucy had summoned her shadow scythe just incase something bad waited for them, but the room was empty and dark except for a pedestal at the center which was basked in a pillar of light.
An indent the exact shape of the Crimson Rose, Lucy didn't need a giant sign to say what she had to do. She shot the Colonel a questioning glance as if to ask weather she should do it.
"It's why were here" Carter told her " go on ahead"

Slowly Lucy removed the necklace from her neck and slowly stepped towards the pedestal, and with a nervous sigh lined up the jem and....

_________________________________________________________________

"Wow!" The girls exclaimed as they saw what had been excavated, there were still a number of changelings and ponies at work uncovering the burred ruins.
The ruins itself was made out of crystal and twisted metal but time and being burred for thousands of years had made it loom like stone.
Twilight smiled as she saw their reactions, she had been the same when the excavation teams had shown it to her Yesterday "This is only a small fraction of this" she said as she lead them through the ruins.

"What is this meant to be?" Rarity asked as she watched a group of changelings carrying off a large bolder "Some sort of ancient city?"

"Your right that it is Ancient-" Twilight told the fashionesta "but it isn't a city" she turned to her assistant "Spike do you remember me telling you about the Retribution?" she asked the baby dragon.
"Sure I do Twilight, we were going to go look for it but things got too hectic, what's that go to do..." he trailed off as he got what the lavender mare was getting at "No way..."

"What are you saying Twilight" Rainbow Dash started "That some spaceship has been just sitting under Manhatten for a long time?"

"Probably longer" Twilight summarised as they came up to two large metal doors, standing in front of them waiting was Queen Chrysalis herself with two of her changelings flanking her "Princess Sparkle, I thought I'd come and see what my drones have been helping to uncover" Chrysalis said as they approached.

"I was going to inform you of this discovery once I contacted my friend's Chrysalis" Twilight said in respect "but as you can see, they are already here, come let us go inside" Chrysalis nodded and mentioned for her drones to open the doors.
Within was a large chamber what's only defining feature was a pedestal that lay dead center of the chamber, as they drew closer they noticed that the pedestal had a indent of a rose, the same of rose as the Jem rose Twilight wore around her neck.

slowly Twilight stepped up to the pedestals. And reomoved her necklace "Twilight are you sure you should be doing that?" Rainbow Dash asked "What if it's booby trapped?"
"Yea what if it makes a really big boom!?" Pinky Pie exclaimed alittle too loudly  "I'm too pink to die!"
"I have to agree with your two friends on this Twilight" Chrysalis said to Twilight but not taking any action "We don't know what might happen"

"I know what I'm doing" Twilight said with a annoyed tone as she placed the Crimson Rose onto the pedestal and stepped back and waited.... aaaaand waited.......... aaaaand waited.....
"You want a coffee reader?" Pinky as- HEY WAIT! Pinky Pie don't break the fourth wall!
"Ohhh but it's fun" Pinky said with a smile.
4th wall breaking aside.... 

"Maybe it's broken?" Rainbow Dash asked, not seeming to notice her friend talking someone who wasn't there.
"Maybe you need to turn it off and on again" Rarity suggested.

"How abou-"

A bright light filled the room and blinded it's ocupents.

_________________________________________________________________

As soon as Lucy placed the Crimson Rose onto the pedestal the darkroom was with a bright, blinding and disoriantating light. She heard everyone cry out in both pain and alarm  and Lucy herself stumbled back in surprise.
As the light dissipated Lucy's vision was left blurred and she had to blink furiously to clear it up, sometimes it sucked to have enhanced vision.
"Uhhh What was that?" Lucy blinked a few times to make sure she wasn't seeing things, another pedestal had appeared with another Crimson Rose, Princess Twilight Sparkle and 8 other ponies (Though 4 of which weren't ponies) stood as stunned as they were.

"Applejack, Solar Flare? How did..." Twilight looked around and saw that she wasn't where she was moments ago "How did we get here? Are we on Earth?"
"Ehnope" Applejack told her friend "We're on a space station in the middle of no were" she told Twilight before a pink blue knocked her to the ground, Pinky Pie gave her friend a fond hug "Applejack!"

The two Colonels and their marine escort stood there speechless at the apperance of more cute techno coloured ponies, Carter finaly broke that by asking "Princess I don't mean to be frank but how did you manage to get here?"

Lucy who was retrieving her Crimson Rose watched the purple princess pick up the other one and place it around her neck "I was hoping you could tell me Ms...."

"Colonel Carter" Carter clearifide "of the 'Excalibur', this is Colonel Naomi of the 'Foxfire', the one with the Rose around her neck is Lucy Santiago"

Twilight looked Lucy up and down "So your Maria's sister? Celestia told me you were part wolf but I thought she was joking" the princess shook her head and got back on topic "These are my friends Rainbow Dash-"
"Sup!" The rainbow maned Pegasus greeted.
"Rarity and Fluttershy-"
"Good day Darlings" the white unicorn said with the shy yellow Pegasus mumbling hello "my assistant Spike" the baby dragon waved nervously "And Queen Chrysalis of the changelings and her drones" the Changeling Queen nodded cautiously.

"Now that we've got introductions out of the way..." Lucy began getting the attention of everyone in the room "We had better figureout how six ponies, one dragon and three changelings were transported lightyears from home and how you have a second Crimson Rose"

"I may be able to explain that..."

They all turned to find a old stallion waring a star patterned cloak and a matching wizards hat. Lucy heard Twilight, Solar Flar and Chrysalis gasp in surprise.
"B-But that's impossible... Your dead!"

The old stallion chuckled "And yet... Here I stand"

"Twilight? Who is he?"  Rarity asked.

"Everyone... Say hello to Starswirl the Bearded" Twilight introduced with unbelieving eyes "My great and thensome grandfather "

Starswirl smiled warmly as he stood beside the to pedestals "So Celestia told you then?" he asked Twilight "Good, now if you would all calm down I will explain why you are all here"

After every one had calmed down and gathers around he began "As my granddaughter has said, Starswirl died many years ago, I am nearly a shadow of him, left for all of you" he began to walk amongst them "Fate has brought you all here, all of you have a important part to play in the coming conflict and in order for this to happen... You must learn"

"Conflict? You mean with the Vorsoth don't you" Carter asked.

"Yes, many thousands of years ago, we ponies walked the stars..." the room suddenly disappeared and was replaced with space and stars, everyone was surprised but realised that it was only a illusion since they felt the ground under their feet, a large blue earthlike planet was to above them and great ships passed over them "The Ancients never created us as it had come to be known today, we were once a great solar empire that spread across the galexy to bring harmony across the stars, many of the races that we met believed we were gods and after a while... We believed it ourselves, our pride had blinded us. You humans have a saying... Pride go's before the fall... And our pride was our undoing"

The illusion changed to three or four large ships exiting hyperspace windows and a approached a large gatelike structure that was surrounded by a number of smaller pony craft "We build a gateway to a universe. One that was full of chaos and strife, we had intended to cleanse this universe and bring it harmony, we were so concerned with getting in, that we didn't consider what horror we would be letting in"

The next scene was if utter horror, it was a massive battle between the Vorsoth and the pony empire, a battle the the ponies were losing. The massive fleet of the ponies was being reduced to broken wrecks and death while the even bigger bio-ship fleet of the Vorsoth advanced rained death and fire upon their enemys.

"the Ancients who had just returned from Pegasus joined the fight and with their help we pushed back for a time..."

A small force of Aroara battleships joined the fight and with their help the pony warships pushed back against the Vorsoth fleet destroying many ships.

"but even with their help we both were losing"

"We were still too drained from our fight with the Wraith-" A man appeared behind Naomi making her jump, he was obviously and Ancient by the way he was dressed "And even though we were able to rebuild our forces quickly we were still outmatched, but still our Pony allies fought" he said "The Ponies, I think, knew they were doomed. Where another race would surrender to despair, the Ponies fought back with greater strength"
The scene shifted to a single pony warship and a squadron of fighter advancing upon a fleet of 50 Vorsoth Capital ships, the Ponies came at them with guns blazing only for them to be gunned down in mear seconds.
"They made the Vorsoth fight for every inch of space"
Once again the scene shifted this time to another fleet engagement. A pony ship that was on fire and barely holding together was speeding towards a Vorsoth Destroyer at top speed and before their eyes the Warship rammed the Destroyer broadside and destroyed both ships.
"In my life, I have never seen anything like it; They would weep, they would pray, they would say goodbye to their loved ones, and then throw themselves without fear or hesitation at the very face of death itself, never surrendering. No one who saw them fighting against the inevitable could help but be moved to tears by their courage. Their stubborn nobility"
The Scene changed not to a space battle but one in charred ground as a Hellspawn struggled with a Stallion.
"When they ran out of ships, they used guns, when they ran out guns they used knives and sticks and bare hooves. They were magnificent" the stallion was stabbed through the chest, the Hellspawn threw him away with a sickening roar, his landed at Lucy's feet and she watched as the life drained from his eyes  "I only hope that when it was my time, I died with half as much dignity as I saw in their eyes in the end. They did this for two years.... they never ran out of courage.... but in the end, they ran out of time"

The Ancient disappeared leaving Starswirl to continue the story.
"A last stand was declared at Equestria itself, a line in the sand if you will, we had nowhere to run.... nowhere to hide, we were doomed but we were going to make the Vorsoth PAY for every life they took"

The scene changed to a truly awe inspiring sight, before Equestria was thousands upon thousands of ships... So many that you could barely see the planet or the moon, not all of them were war ships, some were transports or mining vessels, this was really a final stand.

"As we stared into the jaws of death itself... Something came to light our darkest hour..."

> Chapter 15 The War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Many years ago)

The Vorsoth were coming...

Lord Admiral Sparkle of the once great Solar Navy looked at the fleet that had amassed in Equis space, over 2000 ships Lay in wait for the coming armada of Vorsoth Bio-Ships. The Ancients had sent twenty of their own ships to bolster the ponies lines... But it still wouldn't make much of a difference.

The listening beacons had picked up the enemy fleet approaching Equis at top speed. It wasn't very large with only a few hundred ships but with their superior weapons and armour they would tare them apart, but Admiral Sparkle wasn't the type of stallion who would take his end lying down.

"Father?" Admiral Sparkle turned to see his son Starswirl step into the Bridge "Starswirl why aren't you on your ship?" the old veteran asked.
"The 'WindSword' was too badly damaged in our last battle" Starswirl said "She cannot be savaged"
"I'm sorry son, I know the that ship was special to you" 

"Don't worry father, I will be fine" the young Stallion said "I would like to help here on the 'Pride of thr Empire' father" he asked "I would rather be on a starship fighting then on the ground waiting for the end to come"
"Very well son, take the weapons station and wait for my orders" the young unicorn bowed and went off to preform his duty's and the Admiral was filled with pride as his son went about his duty's without fear or hesitation. Sparkle knew his son had intended to join the school of arcane science before the war had started, but like all colts his age he was encouraged to join the Solar Navy to help drive the monsters back to where they came from.

But of course that had been back when they had thought they could still win, but over the Corse of two years that had all changed, sure they had, had a few major victory's, the most notable being the raid on the gateway a few months ago where they had managed to steal a vital component from the gateway and essentially cut off the Vorsoth's reinforcements and meant they only had a little over three hundred ships, but those ships were still enough to push the Equin empire back to their home world.
Everypony finaly realised that they were doomed when two weeks ago, Emperor Solaris had been killed when his flagship the 'Primus' had been obliterated along with forty other ships and the colony they had been protecting.
His two daughters had disappeared leaving Admiral Sparkle the grand commander and military governor of the empire... Not that there was much of the empire left anyway.

"Lord Admiral! Hyperspace windows opening!"

Sparkle didn't need to be told as hundreds of hyperspace windows appeared before the fleet, coming from them were the dreaded Bio-Ships of the Vorsoth fleet and the even more feared Dreadnought.
"Their here..." Admiral Sparkle growled as he turned to his coms pony "Hail the fleet" the pony nodded to tell him he was on "Ok Ladies and Gentlecolts, they are here, I don't need to tell you what must be done so get to it, nothing gets past us, Lord Admiral Sparkle out!"

"Dreadnought firing!"

A massive arc of energy surged out of the monstrosity's maw like fore, flying across the battlefield and destroying almost sixty ships.
"All ships open fire!" Sparkle cried out over the fleet link "Destroyer group Take that thing down before it can recharge, frigate group two through five give them cover, everyone else. Break and attack!!"

The fleet surged forward with the Vorsoth coming to meet them head on, Sparkle watched a heavy carrier get blown in two and destroy a few cruisers that were too close to the blast radius, the Lord Admiral shouted commands to his fleet the 'Pride of the Empire' ducked and swerved through the chaos that the battle had become, he could hear the frantic cry's for help from other ships and fighter pilots over the fleet link, the call for help from a dying Carrier or the cry of triumph as a enemy ship was destroyed, but they were losing more ships then the Vorsoth and more were lost as the Dreadnought fired again destroying more ships that tried desperately to destroy it.

"Bring us behind and over the 'Harmony' and target the nearest enemy ship with the for word Crest cannons..... FIRE!" the nose of the Battleship rained fiery death upon a Vorsoth Battleship and with help another friendly Battleship and a Cruiser the enemy ship exploded in a shower of bone and shell.

This continued for almost an hour with the Ponies and their Ancient Allies losing more and more ships untill there was only a fraction of the number they were. As the Vorsoth came in for the finaly blow, Salvation came.

Admiral Sparkle stood in the ruined bridge of his ship when one of the bridge crew called it out "Lord I'm detecting a large number of portals opening"

"More Vorsoth?! Emperor be dammed that's all we need"

"Their not hyperspace windows Lord!"

Above the Vorsoth eight of nine blue swirling portals opened and a whole host of ships poured, they were a variety of different ships, some were dark grey with doing sections while others were almost fishlike in apperance and eleven of the smaller blue and purple birdlike ship's flew in formation in a V formation. But the four most defining ships were two massive ships who's wings were in a triangular pattern and had a long neck that ended in a small  head like maw that bristled with weapons, the next was different shades of green and it looked more alive and skin like then a normal ship, just like the blue and purple ones, the green Bio-Ship was squidlike.
But the most terrifying of them all was the other black Bio-ship, It was jet-black. A shade of black so deep, your eye just kind of slides off it. And it shimmered when you looked at it. A spider, big as death and twice as ugly. When it flew by, Admiral Sparkle thought he heard a scream in his head.

The new arrives launched a number of fighter craft and laid into the enemy with righteous fury, the Vorsoth who up till now had proven very hard to kill were being destroyed quickly and even when the Dreadnought fired at the oncoming ships they we left almost undamaged, the two large ships pointed their noises at the offending ship and a arc of green energy flowed up their wings and surged to their noises and was fired into a massive green beams from each that when both hit utterly destroyed half the Dreadnought.

The Blue and purple ships proved to be incredibly agile and pulled off amazing maneuver such as turning to the side and flying sideways while strafing an enemy ship or turning 360 and shooting at a pursuing ship while still moving in the same direction as before.

In the end the Vorsoth retreated leaving the battered fleet and their unknown saviors to their sudden and unexpected victory.

Admiral Sparkle saw his son cheering along with the other ponies on the bridge and he couldn't help but smile. They had beaten back the Vorsoth thanks to their mysterious allies.
"Lord we are receiving a transmission from one of the large ships"

The transmission was played on the cracked main monitor, the alien looked like an Ancient but Sparkle guesses that he was not but another species of human "Lord Admiral Sparkle, I am Captain Anderson of the 'Venture', I believe we have much to discuss"

_________________________________________________________________

(Present day)

They all watched the the Vorsoth leave through the recording and listened to Starswirl.
Carter recognised a few Warlock Destroyers and Hyperons Cruisers as well as Starfury and Thunderbolts among the fleet and she spotted the 'Warlock' among them.

"The leaders of the fleet met with the Ancients and Ponies, they were Captain's Anderson and Kruse as well as kosh Naranek and a being only known as the Shadow, they explained that they were from another universe that had fought and defeated the Vorsoth before and had discovered that they could permanently seal the universes that the Vorsoth inhabited from the rest of the multiverse, but in order to do so they had to travel to our universe to fight them here, any ship that came could never return to their own universe so they brought powerful ships and the means to build more, Kosh and the 'Shadow' Races beloved that they were dead already so they came too and they devised a plan to take the gateway." as he finished the scene changed to all three fleets working together to battle the Vorsoth, some of the other universe vessels were heavily damaged or destroyed.

"The battle was fierce and and all our hopes fell upon a device we only called the 'lock', things were going well, I was put in command of one of the White stars, White star 3" he pointed as one of the blue and purple birdlike 'White stars' flew by.

"So what went wrong" Carter asked.

"we had the 'Lock' in place but we were betrayed!, the Vorsoth had created a cult to worship them amount us and this cult stole the item that would allow us to permanently lock away the Vorsoth... The Key of souls"

The stallion held up his hoof and created a replica of the key, it looked like a knife more then a key with a long straight blade and a black rune filled hilt.

"They hid the hilt away from us and it was only though the quick actions of my father and Kosh did we managed to temporarily seal the universes"

The scene that played out next drew tears to many of the room's occupants including Starswirl himself.

One of the pony battleships which was now alight and rippling with secondary explosion's, slowly it moved close to what Carter guesses was the 'Lock'.

" 'White Star 3' to 'Pride of the Empire' can you hear me" the voice belonged to a younger Starswirl "Father you've got to get out of there!"
"I can't son, there's no time" the crackling voice of Lord Admiral Sparkle said sadly "There's only one thing we can do... I'm sorry son"

More explosions rocked the ship and as it died Admiral Sparkle said one last thing to his son "I love you" with that the 'Pride of the Empire' exploded, but instead of fire, a wave of pure magical energy erupted from the ship, when the wave hit the Vorsoth ships they simply disappeared, but once it struck the 'Lock' I burst into life glowing brightly, as it did this the entire universe was basked in one bright flash.

Starswirl whipped his eyes before continuing "M-My father sacrificed himself to trigger a massive magic energy surge that destroyed the Vorsoth in the Universe and activated the 'Lock' temporarily, after the battle we discussed what to do next, Kosh somehow knew that you would all come to this place, he knew you all by name and we built this station here for you and hid the ships that survived the battle in different places untill they would be needed, some of which you have already found and duplicated... We all went back to our home worlds and prepared, of course we knew that the war would be forgotten before long but Kosh and the Shadow knew a few of the possible futures, they and us took precautions so that only the best ones could be gained but we would not be able to see them through, Kosh and the Shadow would live on because their races are pretty much immortal, but they told us that only through the efforts of everyone in this room will you be able to finish what we started"

They were all silent for a while for a while as they thought over this information.

"But you said that this cult of Vorsoth hid the key" Twilight pointed out "How are we to find it?" 

"It already has, when you all return to earth you will understand... But-" he waved his hoof and the room was returned to normal " I digress, Colonels Carter and Naomi you must return to you ships and prepare for battle, The minions pf the Vorsoth are about to arrive to stop you from completing your destiny's"

"Minions of the Vorsoth?" Naomi asked "What are you talking about?"

"I believe you call them the Lucian alliance"

Carter's radio crackled to life and she brought it up to her ear "Carter here"

"Colonel were detecting Multiple hyperspace signatures closing in fast" Tyrone said "we need you two back now"

"Go Colonel, the station will help too and you will have help, but first I must take the rest of you quickly" Starswirl made his way towards to door and mentioned for everyone except the Colonels to follow, now wasting time she began to run out the room and towards the docking bay with Naomi following quickly behind.

Outside behind the asteroid field 60 Ha'taks appeared and launched fighters
> Chapter 16 To ride a upon a Star
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 'Excalibur' launched all 48 if it's fighters and reloaded it's empty missile silos, the 'Foxfire' who was back to full strength moved itself into blockade position just in front of the station along side the 'Excalibur'. All fighters stuck to their squadrons and set up a fighter screen to intercept incoming fire. On the station, hatches that had remained closed for years opened to reveal a deadly array of weapons and defences.

Outside the asteroid field the Lucian alliance began to place devices within it that slowly began to make holes in the field.

Three jump points opened above the defenders and three Omega class ships came out, the lead ship baring the name 'Raven' while the others 'Orpheus' and 'Goliath'.

On the 'Excalibur' Carter opened a Chanel to the new arrivals "This is the Earth vessels, please identify your selves"

"Greetings Colonel Carter, it is good to see you again my friend"

"Teal'c? What are you doing here? Where did you get those ships?"

"We found a number of them much like you found your new ships  we were asked to come here by an unknown source"

"That was the advanced intelligence aboard the station, look Teal'c we could use your help here, even with the 'Foxfire'. And the station we are really outmatched" Carter explained "Think you can lend a hand?"

"Indeed"

_________________________________________________________________

Lucy, Twilight and the others followed the echo of Starswirl through the empty corridors ot the station towards what he said was a docking port.

Lucy still was thinking about what she had been told, Twilight had told her about her meeting with this Kosh and Shadow and after what Starswirl had said she was still having trouble believing that they had predicted all this and planed for them to be here.

"As I told you earlier, we hid all the ship's that the other universers had brought with them for your governments to find and use in the coming conflict" he stopped at a large window with an airlock next to it and asked them to look out "But there was one that stayed here for both bearers of the Crimson Roses"

Docked outside lit by the lights on the station was a White Star light cruiser, the ship looked exactly like what it and it's sister ships were in the recordings, blue and purple organic hull with it's weapons sticking out of its noises and wing engines, the ship looked as beautiful in the light of the station a symbol of a sword behind a shield with the number 3 was painted on the side of the vessels neck. It was clearly offline due to how all the lights that glowed in the recordings were dark.

Starswirl knocked on the window loudly "Saki! Wakeup you old girl!" the White star faintly came online for a moment but powers down again "Saki Rosemary Wake up this instant or so help me I will..." The annoyed echo warned, but the ship simply stayed off "Ok that's it!"

*Ah Starswirl I was only playing with you* everyone except Twilight, Lucy, Flare and Applejack  were surprised by the voice in their heads *So these are the ones eh?*

"Yes Saki they are the ones" Starswirl said to the ship "you know what to do"

*yeah yeah, come on you lot get aboard me* the ship said as it powered up *Looks like your friends are going to need all the help they can get and I need a crew*

After a few cautious steps they began to make their way onto the White star, but Starswirl put his hoof up to stop Lucy and Twilight "A moment please?" as the others boarded the ship the two Rose bearers stepped to the side to talk to  "There are some things that I was unable to say because we were pressed for time so I will make this breaf ... You two are going to have the most important roles in this, once the battle is over you must return to Earth, you will understand why when you arrive, also I know you are confused of why there are two Crimson Roses Ms Santiago" Lucy was about to ask how he knew but he held his hoof up to stop her "it doesn't matter, the reason is that your Rose Lucy is not of this universe but has become part of it as you have, you see when the two princesses destroyed this universe's shadow scythe they destroyed a vital tool needed to stop them, the Rose that Princesses Sparkle has is the one that was part of the Shadow scythe so it will only slow her to access the powers that the scythe provided but they will only be as powerful as her magic" Twilight thought this over as he continued "You were already chosen in your universe when you were young and when the Vorsoth implanted you with the Witch the Rose hid within you untill you were able you were able to draw out its powers and separate yourself from your sister. The Rose has other ability's other then controlling shadows as you both will learn in time, but now you must go, here..
."  A odd device appeared out of nowhere in the Holographic Echo's hoof, it looked like a large phone with a large screen, he handed the thing over to Lucy "Her names Lilly, she will tell you what I was unable to and help you anyway she can, take care of her"

"Greetings, It is a pleasure to meet you" a females voice came out of the device "I suggest we board the White Star quickly"
"Yes go, I doubt we will meet again before the end... So good luck" with that the stallion faded away leaving them alone.

"Um.... Twilight?" Lucy said as they passed through the airlock.
"Yes Lucy?"
"No disrespect or anything but your grandad was really confusing" she told the lavender alicorn who nodded with a smile.
"Yes he was Lucy... Yes he was..."

After a quick trek through the temple like hallways of the White star they felt the ship shake a bit as it disconnected from the station, they arrived on the bridge just in time to see the White star move towards the 'Excalibur' and four other ships. Waiting for them was Applejack, Solar flare, Rainbow Dash and Chrysalis who were watching a holographic projection of the capital ships and their fighter support.
Applejack was them enter "Some of The Colonel's friends arrived ta help" she said as they joined them.
"where are the others?" Twilight asked.
"Rarity took them down to the bedrooms so they wouldn't see this" Applejack said "But hard head here wouldn't go"

"Are you kidding Aj? This is too awesome to miss" Rainbow Dash said with a grin "There's no way I'm just going to go and hide"

Applejack looked sadly at her friend and whispered just quit enough for the rainbow maned mare not to hear "So innocent..." Lucy agreed with the mare, only Applejack, Solar Flare and herself had taken a life while the young mare had never even seen somepony die before.

"Do not be fooled Rainbow Dash" Chrysalis told the mare "War is not a game as you saw through the Recordings back their" the changeling queen said "We may have to take many lives in the coming minutes"

*You been in a war your majesty?* the White Star asked.

"I have been in a few battles and watched ponies die around before and even after I became queen of my hive" Chrysalis said "But probably not as many as you have old one."

*Who you calling old?* the White Star said in mock outrage *I may be a couple thousand years old but I spent most of that asleep and I feel as good as I was when I was first put in this White Star*

"So Saki... What can we do to help?" Lucy asked as the White Star.

*Well I can fly myself but I'm going to need someone of weapons as well as sensors* the White star said *Also the 'Excaliburs' trying to call us*

"Put it on please" Twilight said, the holographic screen faded into the face Carter "Colonel, we're ready to assist"

"With all due respect princess but you have no idea how to use that ship" The Colonel reminded them "Let us handle this"

"Colonel Saki can fly herself and all we need to do fire when she tell us, nothing to it!" Lucy said "Besides Colonel, you need all the help you can get"

Carter gave a frustrated sigh "Fine. But I'm assigning Sigma Squadron to provide escort" she said "But if things start to take a turn for the worst I want to to get out of here"

Both Twilight and Lucy nodded "Alright Colonel. White star 3 out" Saki returned the holo-screen to the fleet.

*one more thing...* White Star said slowly *I'm mostly in full control of myself when I'm alone, but in order for you guys to use my weapons one of you will have to be in command and give me orders. It's a failsafe that was put in the White star when we were merged*

"Very well..." Twilight turned to Lucy "I would like you to take command" the decision shocked everyone.

"you intend for one as young as her to lead us into battle?" Chrysalis asked disbelieving.
"Why don't you command Twilight?" Lucy asked quickly "I mean your a princess and all, or even Queen Chrysalis?"

"because while you were in Maria's head I know you picked up allot of her memory's including her air force training" Twilight reasoned "Me and Chrysalis don't have that experience and I have a gut feeling that it should be you"

Lucy thought it over, it was a long shot for sure but what choice did she have "Ok... What do I have to do?" she asked.

*Just sit in the command chair and tell us what to do, princess Twilight I think you should take the weapons controls, I will glow the crystals that you need to touch*

"And what about the rest of us?" Flare asked meaning her and the others.

"perhaps you can man the auxiliary stations" Lilly suggested from her device. Lucy saw she was about to be asked who that was but she just waves the question off "Later"

The others took the advice and everyone took their positions with Lucy sitting down in the command chair and Twilight taking the controls beside her.
Once she was comfortable she asked Saki "Saki bring up the enemy fleet".

It has to be the whole Lucian alliance fleet here, with 60 ships not counting the smaller ones. They were almost through the asteroids.
*the 'Excalibur' again, fleet wide announcement this time*

"'Excalibur' to all ships, wait for my mark, we'll fire all our missiles set to nuclear detonation. Once they do their job you are weapons free, 'Excalibur' out!"

"She sounds nervous" Solar Flare noted "Its understandable considering they outnumber us 6 to 1"

*Then they should bring in a few more guys and make it a fair fight* Saki said confidently.

Lucy wished she had her confidence.

_________________________________________________________________

Once the alliance vessels were through the field they were met with a missile onslaught from the 'Excalibur' and the broadside missile launchers on the omega destroyers, all of which bore very powerful planet cracker class nuclear warheads, the ensuing destruction opened the whole up more but destroyed a fair number of ship's.

But still more ships came up to replace the lost vessels sending all their gliders ahead, the Starfuries and Thunderbolts flew out to meet them with the White star along with them.
A wing of gliders fired at the White Star who's armour took the absorbed the hit and thanks to it's adoptive quality's remembered the damage and adapted so when the next glider scored a hit they did little damage and was blown apart by a shot from the Whites star's primary gun while it's fighter wing was decimated by Sigma squadron's Starfuries, there were similar battles with going on all over the place with the more agile earth fighters proving to out match the Older Lucian alliance gliders.
A few glider wings launched attacks on the blockade but the AA fire from PPG turrets proved to much of them.
The blockade and station were firing on the fast moving Ha'taks now filling the night with fire, the Omegas bringing theirs fores to bare and using their main guns to obliterate ship after ship along with the Warlock and Hyperion who were racking up an impressive score of their own.
But now the Alliance vessels were in range now and started to open fire upon the bigger ships who's interceptors fired and managed to stop a few shots but more still hit and impacted against the shields of the five ships.

By this time the captains of all five ships ordered an advance and kicked their engine to high gear with their guns blazing. The White star joined in and flew right into the grey, ducking and weaving and flipping and turning, her and her fighter escort destroying a few enemy ships and disabling others.
But for every two ships they knocked out of the fight another two took their place.

_________________________________________________________________

"Bring us about... FIRE!" another Ha'tak went boom only for another to take it's place "Damit this is getting us nowhere" another direct hit rocked the White Star.

"Direct hit!" Twilight cried as her hooves flew across the crystals of her controls "Auto repairs are trying to catch up"

"We need another plan here. FIRE!" another two ships down "Any ideas anypony?"

"My I make a suggestion" the device carrying Lilly asked "I have been looking through the White star's database and found a tactic that might work" she said "though it may be a long shot"

Another hit rocked the ship and a wall blew out, a wall of light immediately covers the damage and began repairing it "At this point I'll take anything, go"

"we take to White Star into hyperspace and get the other ships to lure the enemy to a pre determined point, once they do this we form a jump point right in the midst of the enemy fleet"

"and what good will that do other then to get us killed?" Chrysalis asked.

"Due to the amount of energy released when the jump point it opened, any ship caught nearby will be instantly destroyed or severely crippled"

"Sounds like a plan, thou will that work if we opens an outgoing jump point as well?" Lucy asked.
"I believe so" 

"Good enough for me, Twilight send Carter the plan, Saki set Corse for the largest cluster of enemy ships and make sure our escort is stays close when we jump"

The White star flew full burn towards the center of the enemy fleet and believing that it was on a suicide run the enemy ships opened fire but too late as the a red jump point opens up right in their midst and as this happened they blew up in a devastating chain reaction that disabled many of the ships around them.

The 'Foxfire' who had also thought of the idea disabled a smaller group of ships and enters hyperspace along side the White Star and Sigma squadron bringing with her both Delta and Omega squadrons with her.

In normal space the 'Excalibur' and the 'Raven' along with her sister ships began to retreat back to the station drawing the Alliance vessels in close. The alliance believing that this was a sign of victory pressed their attack unaware that they were falling right into the trap.

Aboard the bridge of the White Star Lucy waited for the signal in silence along with everyone aboard.

*Colonel Carter says that the fleet is about to reach optimal position*

"Wait.............. NOW!"

Caught unaware the alliance was helpless as two exit jump points a good distance apart from each other appeared amongst them and destroyed or crippled leaving the remaining ships sitting ducks as the White Star and 'Foxfire'  surged through their respective jump point and blew apart the remaining ships.

The few surviving ships quickly turned tail and ran, fleeing back through escape hyperspace windows.
The six ships quickly disabled the remaining ships that still were fighting and mopped up the last of the of the enemy fighters before returning to the station to regroup.

The 'Goliath' had taken heavy damage when a few Ha'taks had managed to punch a hole in their shields and score a few direct hits along her hull, some of which was alight. The 'Excalibur' Had not escaped unscathed as it had been hit directly on her sensors and also one of her engines. The other ships had minor damage but apart from that they had emerged from the engagement almost unscathed.

The battle had left the small group of ships with a kill tally of 34 between them and the station and disabling another 26 with the reminder escaping. They had beaten back a massive attack with relatively few losses, now they needed to plan their next move.

_________________________________________________________________

"We lost 12 fighters" Carter said sadly. They had gathered in the 'Excalibur's' T.P.C to discuss the results of the battle "And our sensors were damaged so we can't risk jumping untill they're fixed"

"One of my ships was severely damaged in the attack and will need much repairs" Teal'c said in agreement "Perhaps this Starswirl will have the supply's necessary for repairs on our ships"

"He may alow that" Twilight said "But we must leave as soon as possible" she explained.
"Starswirl said they we must head to Earth quickly" Lucy clarified.

"Well I'm sorry but the 'Excalibur' Will not be able to leave until repairs are complete" Carter told them sadly "And your own ship took a few hits during the fight"

"Saki said that by the time we get back aboard the White Star will be almost fully repaired" Twilight said "I'm still amazed by how fast that ship heals"
"And the 'Foxfire' was barely touched so we could accompany the Princesa and Ms Santiago on their journey to Earth" Colonel Naomi told the other Colonel "Thou I would like to take a few of your fighters with us just in case we run into trouble"

With a reluctant sigh the Colonel agreed "Granted, if what that Stallion said is correct then we need to get this key and Lock if we are to stop a massive invasion of our universe" She turned to her old friend"Teal'c could you and your ships stay with us to keep an eye on the disabled ships untill reinforcements arrive?"
"Indeed Colonel" the jaffa replied with a smile and a bow "Maybe we can learn of the locations of the rest of the ships that were hidden"

"That would be a blessing" Carter said before she returned her attention to Twilight, Lucy and her fellow Colonel "Your three had better get going before we get anymore surprises. Colonel I'm giving you half of Omega Squadron, go as soon as their aboard"
The short meeting broke up quickly as each of them went to do each of their appointed tasks"

_________________________________________________________________

Three weeks earlier, Earth...

Celestia studied the artifact before her, Lucy Santiago had left a day ago taking with her Applejack and her student with her, Maria had asked for Applejack to accompany Lucy  because she had wanted to have somepony she knew to watch over the wolfgirl. Celestia had agreed thinking that the young Apple could use a change from the infected filled streets of earth, the princess had also sent her student along to both get her to learn about the new human warship and to het her out of her mane.

Once again the artifact was singing to her, it had disturbed her at first when they had brought it back from the lab they had found it in, it's song that only she could hear and after a while she had found the song almost soothing and then... Slowly at first, she had began to listen to it.

Celestia heard the door open and  her sister Luna to enter, the night princess looked upon her sister with worry. "Sister the 'Deadlus' is waiting to return us to Equestria". "We cannot leave yet Luna" Celestia told her sister without looking back "I have finaly figured out  this relic".

"Sister the safety of our subjects is more important then that silly lump of stone!" Luna snapped at Celesita, who spun around with fury in her eyes "Do not call it a lump of rock!" she shouted making the younger sister cringe in fear "The Artifact has shown me many things Luna and I no longer care for the ponies of Equestria!" Celestia said menacingly.

"C-Celestia.... What are you saying?" Luna asked as she backed up as her sister advanced upon her, a strange dark glow.
"I am no longer the weakling Celestia..." as she said this black flames engulfed Luna's sister and when they subsided Luna nearly screamed.
Celestia now wore similar armour that Luna had worn when she was Nightmare Moon, but it was gold, Celestia's mane had turned from its normal rainbow colour into a blazing red and gold that seemed ablaze with black fire.

"I am NIGHTMARE SUN!" the dark goddess declared to her now cowering sister "An I live only to serve my dark masters now!" she grinned evilly at Luna "And soon all in this fort shall serve me and the Vorsoth!"
> Chapter 17 A furry Situation  (Due too be re-Written at story's end)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A single jump point opens and the Foxfire and the White Star emerged just beside the moon.
The first thing that was noticed was the Deadalus still in orbit above the planet, Both ships tried to contact the cruiser and when failing that the settlement on the surface. Neither replied.

As they approached they found the debris of the Scabbard drifting and the Deadalus with everything except life-support and Artifical Gravity offline. Scans of the settlement find that a golden barrier has formed around Novas and they are unable to get any messages through it.

Colonel Naomi orders a team of techs backed up by a squad of Marines, Lucy, Twilight, Applejack and Solar Flare to board the derelict vessel and retrieve the ships last log entry's and determine what happened.

Both Twilight and Lucy have bad feelings about the mission.

_________________________________________________________________

A bright light filled the bridge of the Deadalus as the team beamed onto the vessel. The Marines quickly set out to secure the bridge while the techs attempt to get power to the ships powerless databanks.

Lucy had her Scythe out while Twilight had her newly acquired shadow Shards floating around her horn, both were feeling out through the shadows in the hallways outside the bridge for any sign of the crew but neither managing to get more then a few meters out.
Applejack was standing behind one of the techs with a shotgun held in her fore hooves.

One thing that Lucy noticed was a strong smell that the others couldn't smell, it may have been just her but the entire ship smelt like.... Wet dog...

Lucy turned on her radio "Were in, securing files now". "Careful over there you lot, we have no idea what happens over their"

Lucy's attention was grabbed by one of the techs "We're not " he said "I'm going down with some marines to see if I can't get some juice flowing up here"

"Ok but be careful, I'm getting a bad feeling about this place" She the tech while griping her scythe tighter "Watch yourselves"

"Yes mam" Naomi had granted Lucy and Twilight command of the mission, Twilight Lucy had understood but her? Giving command of a mission into a potentially dangerous situation to a 18 Year old didn't seem like a very good idea, but Lucy went with it.

A few minutes after their departure the remaining marines and Lucy had set up a barricade on either side of the hallway to give them a more defendable defensive position in case of attack, in this time Lucy was feeling increasingly more nervous on the supposedly abandoned ship with a feeling of forbidding that was only relieved as the consoles lit up and the voice of the marines she had sent with the techs called her name over the radio "Ms Santiago, we just transferred power over to you, lets get these files and get off this ship.... It's creeping me and my men out" "Got it Major, I'll get the techs working on downloading the Logs" "One more thing... On the way down here we found claw marks along the walls and floor, you had better keep your guard up" the Major cut his link as one of the techs rushed over and judging from his face it was bad news.

"You've got to see this Ms, we retrieved one of the logs and.... Its bad..." the man led Lucy over to one of the the nearest console where Twilight, Flare and Applejack were already hunched around, Lucy stood next to them and waited for the tech to start the log.

[Log entry 1]
This is Colonel Conwell of the Deadalus... Fort Novas has been overrun with some unknown wolf like creatures and something has happened to Princess Celestia, she has gone through a transformation that one of the pony survivors has told me Princess Luna has gone through before and is now calling herself, Nightmare Sun... She captured Luna and began infecting everyone with this Lycanthrope virus and put a barrier around the Fort... We are trying to find a way past it now but right now we are more focused on the wounded we have onboard the Scabbard.

[Log entry 2]
Dear god what have I done..... All the injured were infected by the Lycanthrope Virus and took the scabbard and were about to use the  beaming Asguard transporter to get aboard.... I ordered us to fire upon the Scabbard and destroy it...... This decision is going to haunt me for the rest of my life.....

[Log entry 3]
They are on board!
One of the survivors that were in the hangers was infected and held out longer then the others... He infected the entire bay and they are now spreading across the ship, we had set up bulwarks one all the way's leading up to the bridge... But we lost contact with the last one a minute ago. Listen if the Crew of the Excalibur finds this message then we may still have a chance at fixing this, the artifact that Celestia Brough back to Novas is the cause of all this and my also be the key to curing not just the Lycanthropes but all the infected on the planet and maybe Princess Celestia too. We have left all the data we gathered... I hope you do better then us. (Gunshots, growls and screaming) Oh God their here! Please if you are on this ship, get out now, they already my know you are there. Just get out and- [Log ends]

Lucy was trembling when the log ended and a sideways glance showed that everyone else was too. 
With all haste Lucy brought up her radio and called the team in engineering "Major get back up here now we're getting out of here now!" Static "Major!? Dam it get ahold of the Foxfire, tell them we need immediate extraction!"
"Maaaam! We've got movement!" one of the marines that were holding the ends of the hallway leading to the bridge. "All teams get back to the Bridge for extraction!" Lucy called into her radio just as the team that had contacted her radioed back in a panic "WE'VE GOT HOSTILES! THEIR TEARING US APART!" the marine franticly cried "WHAT ARE THESE THINGS! GHAAAAA!" the line went dead and soon after that, growls could be heard from the hallway. Lucy readyed her scythe and shadow powers as did Twilight, the Alicorn mare summoning her Shadow shards that attacked the to base of her horn, multiple clicks or weapons being readyed and safety's being clicked off "Twilight help me block the door" Lucy said as she made a wall of shadows cover the doorway, Twilight wordlessly compiled and added her own shadows to the wall.

"Foxfire to Boarding party" Colonel Naomi called over Lucy's radio "Lucy what's going on over there?" "The ships infested with wolf like creatures that use to be the crew, they just took out half the team" Lucy said while trying to keep the panic out of her voice "We need extraction"
"We need a few minutes, that barrier just emitted and a burst of interference and scrambled our sensors" Naomi explained as more holes, barks a growls were heard outside "The White Star was unaffected so we're trying to tie our  sensors into hers so we can use them. Just hold out for a few minutes a d we'll get you out of there" "Dam it!" Lucy growled as the line was cut.

The remaining marines took defensive positions behind the command consoles and kept their guns trained on the door, Applejack and Flare put themselves between the unarmed Techs and what lay behind the wall of shadow intent on protecting them.

Lucy had also drawn her Particle Magnum that she had kept from the White Star's hold and held it in her left hand and her Scythe in her right, she knew that the bridge was too small to rely on her scythe and was which in itself was large and required allot of space to swing so Lucy could only use the spear end.

Something barged into the Shadow Wall casing both Twilight and Lucy to wince in effort, then it happend again... Then again and then again until after a few more tries the wall of shadow collapsed and the first of the Lycanthrope's surged in. The closest thing Lucy could compare the wolf creatures to were Werewolves but unlike the mythological monsters these things didn't need to be hit with silver to be killed. That said though..... They soaked up allot of damage with fire from two marines needed to take one down and three shots from Lucy's Magnum set to incinerate.
Magic and magically conjured fire seemed to do the trick just as well, Solar Flare who no longer had to hold back for fear of losing control was going all out and reducing Lycanthrope after Lycanthrope to a pile of ashes, Twilight who's Rose was both enhancing her magic and giving her new combat spells to use was also holding her own with powerful blasts of purple magic and grabbing lycanthropes and throwing them at their fellow pack mates.

They held out well at first but the Lycanthropes out numbered them 100 to 6 and they seemed unconcerned about the loss of their own and swarmed the boarding party, the marines succumbed first, then the rest if them were drawn into a fierce melee with Lucy jabing and slashing, for the most part she managed to use shadows to keep the creatures at a distance or block and attack but one or two got lucky and scored a hit on her, mostly shallow scratches though. She had lost sight of the others but the whooshes of magic and flames gave assured her that her friends were alright.

As suddenly as it began, the attack stopped... The Lycanthropes just suddenly up and ran away leaving them all battered and bruised, but alive, even the marines who were in a bad way, looking at Twilight, Flare and Applejack they all had scratches but other then that they were fine. "Uhhhh... You lot alright?" Lucy asked while reaching down to pick up her fallen Magnum. "I'm alright!" "Anypony get the number of the thing that hit me..." "Ah feel dizzy..." everyone looked at Applejack who was swaying left and right with a drunk look on her face "Ah think ah'm gona stop standan up now..." the Mare fell to the floor in a comical fashion and proceeded to snore loudly making Twilight face hoof and Lucy and Flare burst out laughing, dispute the situation.
"Foxfire to Santiago, prepare for transport!" Lucy stopped herself laughing and picked up her radio "Confirmed, You might want to warn Sickbay that they about to get a few patients"
"You got it"

_________________________________________________________________

-"and that's pretty much what happened" Lucy finished "They just stopped and ran just before you beamed us out of there" they were seated in Naomi's quarters which was quite spacious considering' they were on a militarily warship.
"Were you able to find the rest of the team?" Twilight asked, the Alicorn had healed fast thanks to the new resident unicorn medic's magic as had Lucy and Flare, but the others that had been with them on the bridge were hurt more then the three of them and were still ether out or needed more time to heal.
Naomi shook her head solemnly"No... We can't distinguish  their bio signatures from the Lycanthropes on the ship" Lucy clenched her fist and frustration "I know what your thinking Santiago, there was nothing you could have done" Naomi told her "The things didn't show up on scans until you called for extraction, it's not your fault" the speakers above the room suddenly came to life "Colonel Naomi, Princess Sparkle, Ms Santiago and Solar Flare, please report to Sickbay... Its urgent" They didn't waste time  with words and quickly made their way to Sickbay, the tone that the word Urgent had been spoken with had rung alarm bells.

Arriving at sickbay they were surprised to find that it was empty with no sign of the patients that had occupied it minutes ago, Solar Flare arrived just as they did and was greeted by the chief medical officer Doctor Elric "Good your here, we have a problem" the man said tensely. "What's wrong Elric?" Naomi asked as the doctor lead them to a testing station on the far side of the room "Where are the patients?"

"Their conditions worsened while you were gone and we had to move them to quarantine..... We found a.
.. pathogen in all your blood samples" They looked startled "It's alright you three's body's have fought off the Pathogen and eradicated it completely, but the rest of your team was not so lucky..." the man pushed a button and a blast shield raised in front of them to reveal reinforced glass and a large room beyond it, inside were six of the creatures and it didn't take them long to figure it out "I-Is that the team?" Twilight asked frightfully as she spotted an orange coated Lycanthrope"Oh Celestia!.... Applejack..." "Is the Pathogen airborne?" Naomi asked quickly. "No it's transmitted by the Lycanthropes claws and teeth in the form of a venom"

"That's why they left us alone when you were about to beam us out.... They had infected us and were going to use us to infect the ship.... Clever Bastards" A though suddenly came to Lucy just as it came to Flare as well "Why were we able to fight the pathogen off"

"Ah... Well I believe that it has to do with the fact that your all hybrids, Alicorns are a fusion of all three pony types, while Ms Santiago is part wolf, the pathogen wasn't designed for your like and wasn't able to adapt"
"B-But Solar Flare isn't a hybrid... She's a regular unicorn" Twilight looked back to find Flare shuffling nervously and Lucy taking a unusual interest in her boots "She is normal... Right?"
"Sorry princess.... Celestia didn't want ponies to find out... But I was going to tell you after the mission!" Flare added quickly.
"You see princess..." Lucy started seeing Flare was having trouble telling Twilight her secret "Solar Flare's family is part dragon, Celestia didn't want anyone to know because her family has a problem that when they over use their powers they turning a massive pony/dragon hybrid and go on a rampage" "But I won't have that problem anymore" Flare told them before they said anything "Lucy's Rose somehow fixed that so me and any foals I have won't have that problem anymore" she said happily. "She can also switch between her pony form and Dragon form without going crazy" Lucy said as well.

"Twilight looked between the two to make sure they went kidding, Flare started to take off her cloak "Well since I don't need this thing anymore..." she threw it to the floor and shook her black coat.

"We still need to figure out how to help them" Naomi announced bringing everyone back on topic "Did the files from the Deadalus reveal anything that might help here?" "I read abit of the info we got but I need a little more time to read all of it, I'd say by this time tommorow" Twilight looked distraught over this "Princess I know Ms Applejack is a friend, but we need to be sure we have a sure fire way of helping them and the others on the Deadalus and at Novas" the Doctor told her.

"Doctor Elric is right, we'll meet tomorrow to in the briefing room to descus this, if you have any ideas... For now you all had better get some rest and I will context Colonel Carter on the Excalibur, she had a reputation of doing the impossible and may be able to help" the Colonel nodded to each of them and left, Lucy and Flare made to leave too but Lucy saw Twilight staring teary eyed at Applejack "Twilight... We should go..."
"It's my fault. I should never have let her come on the mission." Twilight said "I should have told her to stay on the White Star where it was safe"
"Twilight this isn't your fault" Lucy told her "Applejack would have just come anyway dispute what you said, If anyone is to blame it's me, I smelt the Lycanthropes and thought it was nothing" she put a hand on Twilight's back "If your going to blame anyone blame me"
Twilight didn't say anything for the longest time and just stared at her friend through the armour glass with empty eyes "Maria is at Novas.... Isn't she?" The question surprised Lucy, she had been trying not to think about that so she could focus on the task at hand but one though always came back to her.... Is my sister ok? "Yes.... She was working closely with Celestia and Luna. She was meant to go with her to Equestria last I was here"

Twilight sighed and turned to Lucy with determined eyes "Come on... Lets see if we can't figure out a way to fix this" The princess spared a quick glance at her friend "We'll find a way to help you AJ..." they left the Sickbay and it's occupants alone.

_________________________________________________________________

A day later the command staff of the Foxfire as Lucy, Solar Flare and Twilight were gathered in the ships briefing room. It had been a stressful night with telling the rest of Twilight and Applejack's friends about what had befallen their orange friend, needless to say they were distraught and had asked to see her but were convinced by the three of them not to. It would only hurt them to see what Applejack had become. The rest of the night had been spent thinking up a plan along with Lilly who had dropped a real bomb shell about the artifact that would supposedly fix everything on the planet and in it's orbit.

"-We know that the artifact that corrupted Celestia is also the key to fixing everything including the zombie outbreak all over the planet" Doctor Elric was saying as he stood before a large screen showing pictured of the Artifact "From the data from the Deadalus all one would need to do is touch the Artifact and think about healing the entire planet. The Artifact will do the rest" this got a few collect murmurs from the group.
"How are we supposed to get to it?" one man asked "We can't get past that barrier and even if we do we'll get swarmed by the things down there and get infected in a heart beat"

"That's the big question people!" Naomi announced as she stepped up next to the Doctor "We already have found a way to get past the shield, the Foxfire and the fighters onboard will attack the Barrier from different points to stretch it so that the center is weak enough for a small team to beam down. As for how to ensure the team doesn't just get infected as soon as making ground fall...." she shrugged "We still have no idea... That is why we need suggestions"

Lucy and the two ponies next to her looked between each other, time to announce their idea "Colonel.... Send us" everyone in the room turned their heads and looked at them in disbelief "We're the only one's who can't get infected and also the only one's who stand a chance against Nightmare Sun" "If Nightmare Sun is anything like Nightmare Moon was, then she'll be too powerful to fight by conventional means" Allot of murmurs "I'm the Princess of Magic so even with my magic lowered on Earth between the three of us we should be enough to deal with Nightmare"

The Colonel looked unconvinced "And how are you going to fight the Princess if your being attacked by Lycanthropes?" she asked. "That's were I come in" Solar Flare said before saying her part in the plan "I go full Dragon mode and give the wolfies a big target to focus on while Lucy and Princess Twilight go and deal with Nightmare Sun and activate the Artifact"

"There is also one more thing..." Lucy started "I was talking to Lilly last night and she identified the Artifact.... It's the Key!" more murmuring "She thinks that the Vorsoth found it and tampered with it so that when the princess touched it, she was corrupted and let lose this outbreak. Me or Twilight can touch it to restore it and the entire planet" "I know it's not much of a plan..." Twilight admitted "But it is one, but it's up to you Colonel"

The Colonel pondered the plan presented to her over in her mind "Any other ideas?" she asked, looking at each and every person in the room only to be met with shrugs and blank faces "Dammit.... Ok you three you have a go, take what you need from the armoury and be at the transporter room by 1300 hours on the dot" she Turned her attention back to the others in the room "As for the rest of you, I want everything to be in top condition for this attempt, we've got one shot at this and I'll be dammed if I'm going to let a malfunctioning system ruin our chances. DISMISSED!"

_________________________________________________________________

Two hour later the Foxfire and White Star as well as the Omega Squadron Thunderbolts were all in position ready for attack, the Foxfire fired from orbit at the Barrier dome's 6 while Omega squadron approached the Dome's 2 and bombed that side of the barrier, The White Star which everyone had been surprised yo find had the ability to operate in a planets atmosphere just as well as in space, attacked the Barrier's 10 with it's primary gun and Twin Fusion cannons. The combined fire of the three stretched the Barrier until a tiny gap appeared dead center of the dome, wasting no time the Foxfire transported it's package through the gap and at once, all ships ceased firing with their work done.

Down on the surface three bright lights appeared and subsided to reveal two battle-ready ponies and Lucy who quickly summons her Scythe as she realised where in Novas they had been transported to "Somebody Done goofed up!" she commented as every Lycanthrope in the Forts Central plaza noticed their presence "Looks like we're doing this the hard way"
> Chapter 18..... Wat?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(WARNING! THIS CHAPTER IS MEANT TO BE COMPLETELY RANDOM AMD STUPID AND IS IN NO WAY MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THAT BEING SAID, ENJOY)

Slowly the Lycanthropes crawled closer they readyed them selves for a fight with Solar Flare changing into her dragon form with her teeth bared. It looked as if they were about to be drawn into a brutal battle... But then the most stupid... Most unbelievable thing happens...

HONK HONK! "SSSSPPPPRIGGS!!!!!" BOOM! A Red Centurion armour waring person drove in between the three and the pack of Lycanthropes on a quad bike honking randomly, this Spriggs was followed by another man wearing yellow Centurion armour firing a rocket launcher at Spriggs.... Without reloading.... At all...
"Dammit Sprighs, why... won't... You... DIE!" HONK HONK! Every rocket fired ended up killing a bunch of Lycanthropes.

Both the three of them and the Lycanthropes watched the two disappear around the corner in complete silence. "Well.... That happened" the Lycanthropes with the distraction gone turned back to the three intruders an-

"AHHHHHH! THEIR GONA KIIIILL MEEEEE!" a Green Centurion cried as he ran by with a blue one in tow "KILL YOU!? KILL ME MORE LIKE!" both were followed by a M1 Abrams battle tanks with a purple pony on the 50 cal gun and another grey one holding on to the side with a shoulder mounted laser "KILL THE TRIPLE M!" the purple on shouted while firing at the fleeing humans bit missing at hitting the Lycanthropes instead "HI HO, HI HO! IT'S OFF TO KILL WE GO!" the other one and the ones in the tank was singing "WITH HAND GRENADES AND RAZOR BLADES HI HO HI HO HI HOOOO!" the tank left a trail of destruction behind it with a large kill count of Lycanthropes, "HEY GUYS.... WAIT FOR ME!" a while pony ran after the tank frantically as as this lot disappeared around the corner the Lycanthrope pack was left significantly smaller then before and dispute this turned their att-

"Spriggs Slow down 'pant pant' Your driving too fast for me to kill you !" (Oh come on!) Spriggs and the green ones came back again with the Spriggs one driving a jeep this time and the green still missing every shot if his seemingly unlimited ammo Rocket Launcher.
"Come on Spriggs give a guy a break will ya-" Spriggs suddenly stopped and the Green guy ran full speed into the back of the jeep and fall back dazed. Spriggs leaned out the window and saw him on the ground and put the jeep in reverse. CRACK "Oh MY MAN JEWELS" Spriggs revved forward "OH I NEED THOSE!" CRACK "OH HOHA! THAT SMARTS!" Spriggs jumped out of the Jeep and proceeded to hit and teabag the unfortunate man "OH *Wack* Is *Smack* this *Clang* really *Crack* Necessary!?" Spriggs then stopped, got back in the jeep and drove off "Ohhh... That felt good for some reason!" Willy said, defying logic by seeming to be in no pain "THE WILLY WILL RISE AGAIN!"

"HI HO! HI HI! ITS OFF YO KILL WE GO!" the tank with the ponies in it came back and didn't see the green guy on the floor "Oh no..." CRACK! Squelch! "Ohhhh.... The Willy will not be rising anytime soon...."

Twilight by now was barely holding on to sanity at this insanity and Solar Flare had kept the same hilarious look on her face, Lucy was unsure what to think and the Lycanthropes were literally curled up in little balls and sucking their thumbs or jittering messes on the floor. The madness continued as two more jeeps surged ahead from opposite sides in a deadly game of chicken, both stopped just in front of each other and their occupants stepped out. The armoured occupants of the left jeep were all the colours of the rainbow while the ones from the right one were all pink.

"Heey, what's the big ideeeaa?" the lead pink guy complained.... This guy sounded like he was so far in the closet that he missed the turn to Narnia....

"We're here to kick your ass!" the black armoured leader of the rainbow guys shouted as he pulled out a light saber along with the rest of the rainbow guys.

"Oh yea? PINKS! ASSEMBLE!" the pink team lined up behind their leader.... As well as the rainbow team's pink.... "Hey, what are you doing?" the pink guy next to the pink woman asked.
"He said Pinks assemble and here I am silly"......

"I can hear the wind tunnel..." Lucy commented.
"Yea I can feel my IQ dropping by being in proximity to her" Twilight agreed as she face hoofed.

The two teams went at it quickly while shouting completely random things such as "Taste the Rainbow" or other completely idiotic things. And to add to the insanity that the situation had become, the tank ponies came back and just started blasting at anything in the Lycanthropes direction with the two men they were chasing badly taking cover behind one if the jeeps, Spriggs was back on the quad bike and was running over random things and to defy all logic, Willy got up and started chasing the red bike driver with his rocket Launcher.

By this time Lucy, Twilight and Solar Flare had snuck away from the madness and were hastily making their way to where Nightmare Sun was keeping the artifact.

"Hey Princess?" "Hmm?" "Discord was still in Cantralot when you left right?" Twilight Laughed "Flare.... Even Discord would find that crazy"
> Chapter 19 - Operation Fallen Goddess part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the completely random and stupid display they had watched, the trio had left quickly to proceed with their objective while running into limited resistance along the way which didn't really surprise Twilight who deducted that almost all the Lycanthropes had gone to the Central plaza to discover the source of the commotion, poor things.
Even dispute the lack of Lycanthropes on the streets the three kept to the alleyways so they had very little contact with any of the hairy monsters and even when they did, the unsuspecting Lycanthrope was quickly and quietly dispatched and its body hidden. Lucy had not really explored the fort when she had last been there since she stayed indoors mostly due to the stares and whispers of the locals about her Wolfish appearance and golden eyes, the entire fort consisting of rusted shacks and tents was built around an old military base and was protected by a large wall that surrounded the Fort which itself was surrounded by a magic sound bubble that kept the noise of the Fort from attracting any large hordes of infected.

Lacy had dismissed her Scythe back into the Rose and had her magnum out and set to incinerate, Twilight kept her shards out and attached to her horn so she wouldn't be affected by the Magic dampening traits of Earth, Solar Flare didn't seem bothered by the effects and had herself roasted one or more Lycanthropes that got too close, they were all painfully aware that they were killing completely innocent victims who would never have the chance to be cured but with stunning them was impossible and out of the question when left them with only one option.... Kill or be killed and Lucy had no intention on dying untill she had personally kicked every Vorsoth bastard out of her new home universe and locked the door behind them. "Well..." Lucy thought to herself "After maybe causing allot of bodily harm along the way"

Lucy was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she didn't notice the Lycanthrope untill it was upon her and had to be tackled to the ground by Flare before her head was knocked off by the thing's claws, Both of them rolled onto their backs with Lucy bringing up her Magnum and firing three shots to bring it down. Twilight was letting off blasts of magic down the alleyway as Lycanthropes filled the confined space.

Lucy began to back up to the other end of the ally while firing shot after shot aimed at each of the approaching thing's heads "Flare, Light em up!" the red and black unicorn nodded with a grin and cast a torrent of fire down the ally and setting alight anything caught before the radiating yellow flames, a wall of fire blocked the Lycanthropes from their prey but Lucy doubted that they would stay dissuaded for long "Come on. This way!" just as they were about yo exit the ally, all three were knocked to the ground by a very large Lycanthrope who blocked their way out.

Lucy tried to strike out with the shadows in the ally but she was still dazed by the hit that she wasn't able to hit the thing very hard, it didn't even flinch and raised it's claws up above it's hunched back and was about to bring it down on Lucy when something dropped down onto it's back.

"Oh no you don't!" it was another Centurion armour waring person who was wrestling the Lycanthrope to the floor and stabbing it repeatedly with a gleaming blade untill it stopped moving "She ain't dying while I'm still around" their armour clad saviour hopped off the body and stood before them "Bout bloody time you got here sis" the armour clad woman removed her helmet to reveal the smiling face of...
"Maria!" Lucy bounded into her sister and hugged her with the eldest sibling returning it in kind "Your Ok!"
"Of corse I'm ok" Maria said jokingly "It would take more then a fort full of werewolves and lunatics to kill me!" she  Lucy with a grin, but frowning as she saw Twilight "Princess? What are you doing here?"

Twilight looked back at the wall of flames that were getting dimmer and dimmer "It's a long story and I think we should wait till we are somewhere safe before I tell it" Maria gave the young princess a curt nod "Your right, follow me!" she replaced her helmet "I'll lead the way" 

The SG Major through the maze of side streets while having to dispatch a few Lycanthropes along the way, Along the way Maria explained what had transpired while they had been gone "Well everything seemed alright for a few days after you left, but then Celestia attacked a few people and imprisoned her sister" She told them just as a un-aware Lycanthrope came round the corner in front of them "One sec..." Maria sprinted into the monster and grabbed it's head and used it to swing herself onto its back and drive her knife into the base of it's skull and rolling off as it crumpled to the floor.

Maria dusted herself off and mentioned them to continue running "after that she started calling herself Nightmare Sun and whoever she attacked turned into one of those things, it was about that time that they found a few Centurion armour sets including this one" she thumped her breastplate "When the bitch went crazy I grabbed this and set up a little base in one of the armoury's, the Wolves tend to leave me alone, I've been waiting for help since then while getting what Intel I could and being a thorn in Nightmare's Flank when I could- Ah, here we are" Maria stopped in front of a small armoured hatch and after some effort and help from Lucy and Twilight opened it up and lead them inside.

The room was surprisingly big, half the Size of the White Star's bridge with a small bunk, a few tables and a table with maps and notes strewn across it and wall racks brimming with arms of different size and calibre, Maria closed the door behind them and turned on some very dim lights "Sorry about the lights" she apologized "Since everything went to shit it's been hard to get any power down here" she pulled a chair over and sat down "So... What did I miss?"

The next hour was spent taking turns at bringing the woman up to speed with the events after leaving on the Excalibur and the return on the Foxfire and what they had learned on the Deadalus as well as Applejack's condition. By the end of this Maria's face a mask of Shock, disbelief and concern.

"So I send you away to be safe, only for you to find out you and Twilight are part important parts in saving the universe AND the very artifact that could cure the entire planet is the very same one that turned Celestia into Nightmare Sun and the only way to save her, Applejack and everyone on Earth and the Deadalus is to fight a crazed Goddess so we can use the artifact and hope that it don't turn us crazy too.... Alright am I missing anything?"

Twilight, Lucy and Flare shared a look before nodding together "Ennope" "Sounds about right" "Well that and I can turn into a dragon" Twilight and Lucy gave Flare a dead look "What? I'm just making sure that she's fully informed" Solar Flare defended herself.

Maria nodded with an arched eyebrow "Ok.... Girls I have a plan!" Maria announced while getting up and picking up a folded up map from the table. "You came up with a plan in the space of an hour?" Twilight asked "No, I came up with a plan two days ago and you three just helped me modify it into something better" Maria said as a matter of factly "Look, Right now Twilight and Lucy are the only two who might have a chance of keeping Celestia busy while someone sneaks by her and grabs the artifact meets with the rest to use it to fix this mess" she unfolded the map and spread it across the table while knocking off a few notes and asking them to gather around her "Now this is where Nightmare is keeping the Artifact and using as a throne room-" Maria picked up a red marker and circled a large warehouse in red "It's empty except for the artifact and Nightmare Sun's small throne so it gives you lots of room to manoeuvre, but that won't matter if the wolves are still guarding the building so we need a diversion" she circled another building the other side of the fort "Princess Luna is being kept here, this is where you come in Flare" she pointed at the the mare "Since you can turn into a dragon you would be perfect to free Luna and then with her help keep the Wolves distracted long enough for us to get the job done" 

"And where do we meet after getting the Artifact?" Twilight asked Seeing merit in the plan. "Here, we all known where it is and Nightmare Sun doesn't, Your teleportation spell only works when you've seen where your going before right?" "Yes" "Well while you and my sis distract Nightmare I'll sneak by and grab the thing and them meet you outside and you can teleport us here and you guys can do whatever it is that you need to do it get it to work"

Twilight thought the plan over to see of there were any flaws "How are you going to get by the Nightmare?" she asked "Even with me and your sister distracting her she will be able to sense her surroundings, she'd get you before you could reach the artifact" Twilight told Maria who just smiled.

"That's why when I make my move I need you two to use these" Maria reached behind her and picked up two canister like objects "These'll keep her disorientated long enough to get the job done" Maria explained and handed her sister and the Princess the Flashbangs "I've already tested them on Nightmare already, just make sure you cover your eyes when you throw them so you don't get blinded, I wish I could give you some ear plugs for the sound but they don't make em for pony or wolf ears so there's nothing I can do about that" Maria apologised.

Twilight thought this over and then nodded "I guess it will work, but I know a sound dampening spell that I can cast on the three of us" Twilight told them "But without Solar Flare our chances won't be good" Twilight pointed out.

"I know this isn't a very good plan and if we had time to think of a better one then I would gladly go with that one" Maria admitted "But, It's the only one we have and we are short on time. Nightmare is getting ready for something big.... Something to do with the Vorsoth" Lucy's ears stood on end at the mention of the monsters that had destroyed one of her lives and were trying to do so again "What gives you that idea sis?"
"Nightmare Sun had been rambling on about then since she turned, Hell she's even set up a shrine to them!"

Twilight looked at the map with a distant look which Lucy guessed ment she was thinking over their opinions, finaly she sighed unhappily and nodded "Looks like we've got no choice.... We commence Operation Fallen Goddess   at Twilight!"

_______________________________________________________________

Luna sat in her cell silently as streams of moonlight flowed through her cell's bared window, she had screamed and lashed out against the cell door and walls with her bare hooves as her magic had been suppressed by a anti-magic ring clasped on her horn, she had done so for a full three days, then she had sobbed and wailed for a further a week untill her voice had becomes horse and her eyes had turned red and puffy, then she had just sat or laid there silently, only moving to eat the food Nightmare Sun's Wolfen had brought her to eat.

When she heard the sounds of struggling from outside her window Luna put it down the Wolfen brawling again, but then she heard the distinctive Whoosh of a jet of fire followed by wines of pain.

Luna's instincts warned her to take cover and she promptly obeyed as she flipped the bunk on it's side and ducked behind it just as the windowed wall blew in words showering the inside of the cell in debris.
"Princess Luna? You alright?" Luna recognised that voice and started to sweep away the dust cloud "*Chough! Chough!* Yes, Solar Flare is that you?!"

When the dust settled Luna had expected to see a black and red cloaked unicorn mare but instead was greeted by the sight of a large red and black furry dragon with a gleaming sliver horn.

Luna backpedalled at the sight at the creature before her "It's ok Princess its really me!" the dagon said in Solar Flare's voice "I'm not under Nightmare Sun's control, look I'll explain everything later but right now I need you to listen"
The lunar sovereign nodded shakily "O-Ok" "Good, now I'm  going to remove your ring and give you back your magic, I need your help to keep the Wolves distracted while Twilight, Lucy and her sister deal with Nightmare Sun" the dragon claiming to be Solar Flare lowered her horn and with a quick upwards motion broke the ring in half, Luna felt her magic rush back into her after weeks of imprisonment and suddenly felt fully revitalised and well rested.

"What do you need me to do?" Luna asked as her voice regained it's regel tone.
Solar Flare shot her Princess a toothy grin "Simple, keep hitting untill they do" Both Solar Flare and Luna's ears stood up straight as they heard padded footsteps on stone "Here they come, Remember Luna these guys were humans and ponies so if you can don't kill them, just knock then out" "You know, Its funny- Luna started with a grin "I'm the Princess and yet you are the one telling me what to do" "Don't worry Princess its just a one off thing" Flare assured her "Now lets grill some hounds"

As the first of the Lycanthropes rushed around the corners they were met by a maelstrom of fire and magic.

_______________________________________________________________

Lucy with Twilight sat on a roof overlooking the  warehouse that Nightmare Sun was using as a throne room, Maria had taken residents on the far left roof to wait for their signal.

"Hey... Lucy..." Lucy looked at the purple alicorn "Yes Princess?"
"Do you think we can stop them? The Vorsoth, I mean they seem so powerful... Enough so to wipe out entire universes... Do you really think we have a chance against them?"
Lucy thought this over, She was probably the only one in this universe who had experienced what the Voraoth did to their conquered Universes, but Lucy felt hope "You already know my story Princess so I guess I'm the best one to say this..." Lucy stared the pony in her eyes "But I believe we will throw those assholes out of this universe and fix everything they've wrought on us all... I believe this because I still have something that the Vorsoth tried so hard to take away from me"
"And what was that?"
"Hope"

There was a distant explosion from behind them followed by roars and other explosions, looking behind them they saw great plume of smoke and fire rising from the other side of the fort, the diversion had begun.

Standing up Lucy summoned her scythe and drew her magnum, Besides her Twilight summoned her shards which circled around her neck like a living necklace.
"Come on them two legs" Twilight taunted nervously"We've got a world to save" Lucy nodded in agreement and they both jumped down towards the battle that lay ahead of them.

Completely unaware that by the  end of the night, someone was not walking out again....
> Chapter 20 - Operation Fallen Goddess part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nightmare Sun sat upon her golden throne with a bored expression and staring off into space, her masters were set to arrive soon and then they would reward her taking control of all the remaining humans left on Earth, of course there was still Maria Santiago who insisted on being a thorn in her side, while still human the annoying woman still was part witch and could not be infected by Nightmare Sun's lovely beasts.
It had been surprising what Celestia had kept locked up in her head so much deadly knowledge that Nightmare Sun could give to her dark masters, and this body truly was an upgrade from that cursed Major and her brat of a sister, Immortal, Powerful and with so much knowledge on forbidden magic!

Nightmare Sun was roused from her thoughts by a large explosion, frowning she reached out with her magic to see what had caused it.
She felt a strong surge of magic belonging to Luna, she was not surprised to see a large furry dragon fighting her army of Lycans, after all her hounds had reported that three intruders had made it into her fort, which ment that this was a distraction to draw away her forces.
Let them have their way, Nightmare Thought unconcerned and sent her two Guards to join their fellows rushing towards the prison, I will only crush them when they get here.

Nightmare didn't have to wait long as the doors were blown off their hinges and landed at the foot of Nightmare's throne, two figures stepped through, one Human, the other Equestrian. Nightmare Sun sneered at the human as her eyes fell upon the black wolf ears and tail, it was the Brat herself.
The equestrian Nightmare recognised from Celestia's memories as Princess Twilight Sparkle and The dark mare felt her jaw twitch with slight worry, She knew that the other alicorn was more powerful in the magic department then Her but where Twilight had only a short time to master her new power, Nightmare had thousands of years of Celestia's experience to fall back on.

*NO TWILIGHT YOU MUST RUN, YOU AREN'T A MATCH FOR HER*

Oh quite down the pompous windbag she can't hear you

Letting her worry die down Nightmare got her her hooves and watched the two approach "Well Well Well, what do we have here?" Nightmare said in a mocking tone "Two insects waiting to be stomped under hoof"

"Yea well we will see about that!" the Brat said as she gathered the shadows around her and created her black scythe "Why don't you come down from your high horse and face us"

"Princess please!" Twilight pleaded "You can still stop this, just let us have that artifact and we can help you!"

Nightmare reached out and patted the artifact affectionately on its golden podium "And why would I do that?" Nightmare said smugly as she descended the steps of her throne "How about a counter offer? You get down on your knees and I will make your death quick..... Well except you Brat, your death will be slow and painful"

"Well at least she's honest" the Brat muttered to Twilight who ignored her and continued to watch Nightmare "Celestia I know your still In there, please let us help you"

Nightmare Sun laughed in the purple mare's face "oh she can hear you alright.... But there's jack all she can do about it" Nightmare told them "This is not the first body I have taken over, out of the three of us I have taken of one other person here" she flashed a toothy grin as she saw a look of horror and anger fall on the Brat's face "You've realised haven't you? Perhaps your not as dimwitted as I thought"

Pure fiery rage filled the Brat's golden eyes "Witch" she snarled savagely "why aren't you dead"
Nightmare Sun looked at the brat with faked hurt "Why I'm hurt Brat, you'd think after everything we've been through you would be glad to see your old friend"
"Your no friend of mine Witch" the Brat growled "and don't dodge the question Witch!"

Nightmare pouted "Ohhh Spoil Sport, if you must know I took over the essence of the Tank within dear old Applejack, when you 'killed' me I mearly took over that lesser essence and escaped to my dear trophy here" Nightmare patted the artifact again "All I had to do was wait for another host to take over and then I could take my revenge against you and your sister, I couldn't have asked for a better host with dear old Celestia here"

*I hope you rot it tartarus you deamon!*

Nightmare ignored the outburst and instead focused on the reactions of the two before her, both were visibly furious.
"How dare you.... How. Dare. YOU!" the purple alicorn shouted.
"Sorry about this" The brat said to Nightmare confusing her.
"Sorry for what?"
*She wasn't talking to you.*
While Celestia's voice had her distracted both her opponents sent thick tendrils of shadows into Nightmare Sun knocking her back into a wall cratering it.

The two didn't hesitate as they charged sending a barrage of shadows and bolts of magic at Nightmare, the corrupt mare was hit by three of four before she teleported out of the way and gritted her teeth, she was going to tear these two into shreds.
Charging Nightmare fired off powerful golden magic blasts at the two simultaneously, Twilight reacted by putting up a shield around herself while The Brat used her shadows to bat away Nightmare's attacks. Realising that she needed to surprize them if she was to win Nightmare summoned a fog that engulfed the room and obstructing view to all but herself.

"Shit where is she?!" Right behind you, Nightmare thought savagely as she snuck up behind the Brat and spun around and bucked her in the back hard, Nightmare would have paralysed the girl if she had not noticed Nightmare and used her shadows to protect herself. Still though she was sent flying into Twilight who was sent sprawling on the ground.
Twilight got up a second later and charged a spell that summoned a gust of wind that blew away Nightmare Sun's fog."Enough tricks Nightmare, fight us fair or not at all!"

"Tut tut tut Twilight, don't you know?" Nightmare Teleported right into Twilight's face and punched her "There's no thing as playing dirty in a fight!"

"I couldn't agree more!" Nightmare cried out in pain as she felt the Brat's Scythe cut into her side where her armour didn't protect before being knocked aside by a hard shadow strike.
Nightmare was sent crashing into some crates that she had neglected to remove sending splinters and wood everywhere.

Nightmare groaned in both pain and annoyance as she saw both Twilight and the Brat throwing odd canisters at her while covering their faces. Before Nightmare could question this she was both blinded and defended by a loud BANG and a  bright flash, screaming in more pain and rage she thrashed around.

It was then she felt her.... Trying to sneak by while she was incapacitated, concentrating Nightmare wretched her up and smashed her hard against the wall three times then let her drop.

Maria Santiago hit the ground like a dead weight.

____________________________________________________________________
Twilight watched as Maria was taken off her feet and slammed into the wall before flopping to the ground like a rock, Lucy was already racing over to her screaming her name, Twilight reached their fallen comrade first by teleporting.
Maria didn't look to be in a good way, her leg and arm was bent and twisted in a way that no limbs should ever be twisted she her breathing was laboured and shallow. Lucy skidded to a stop and lifted Maria's head up "Maria! Come on don't die on me sis!" 

Maria grimaced and opened her eyes to slits to look at her younger sister "H-Hey.... l-little sis.... Looks like I-I screwed up huh? "
"Don't speak like that, it'll be alright you'll see, once we fix all this then you'll be good as new" Lucy said.
"Heh, d-don't make a girl a promise... You know you can't keep..."

"Awwww! How touching..." They looked back to see Nightmare Sun getting up with two spectral gold blades floating infront of her "What are you going to do now hmmm? Kiss? Tell each other how much you believe in one another?"

Twilight felt her hatred for the being that that taken over her former teacher's body growing by the second and she could physically see Lucy shaking with rage.

"D-Do me a favor.... Kick. Her. Ass" Lucy nodded and lay her sister down and stood up, the knuckles of her hand holding her scythe bone white as she marched towards the monster who had made her life a living nightmare.

"Ohhh are you angry now?" Nightmare asked in a mocking voice   as Twilight joined Lucy preparing her shards to fly at the dark goddess, She would apologies to Celestia when she was free but right now this Bitch needed to die.

When she was halfway to Nightmare Lucy let out a savage scream and raced at Nightmare who simply crossed her blades to defend herself. Not having any of that shit Twilight sent her shards in a whipping motion and forced Nightmare's left sword down leaving her only one blade to block with. Lucy took this chance and launched herself into the air by using the shadows as a springboard and bringing her scythe down intending to take tear through the mare's armour and to tear into the flesh, Nightmare saw this and struck the scythe hard and made the now savage Wolf-girl miss and roll balc onto her feet.
Twilight using this as a distraction cast a few ballistic spells at Nightmare and sent a few tendrils of shadows as well but all were blocked as Nightmare put up a golden directional shield to defend herself. Nightmare dropped her shield and sent her own spells at Twilight who had to raise a shield and then dodge out of the way when it collapsed five hits later, Nightmare then brought her blades down to sever Lucy's head but met only dead air as the girl had launched herself into the air again and landed on Nightmare's back digging in the spear end of her Scythe onto the mare through armour and flesh. 
Nightmare screamed and tried to dislodge the girl from her back but to no avail as Lucy pulled her particle Magnum and set it to kill, Twilight knew that an alicorn like Celestia, Especially since she had been corrupted by Witch into Nightmare Sun, could withstand about maybe 12 shots from a P-Magnum set to kill and so did Lucy who shot Nightmare in the back 5 times. Twilight took this opportunity to fire off magic blasts into Nightmare's chest while she thrashed and screamed.

Eventually Nightmare managed to get Lucy off her back and Lucy used her shadows to cushion her landing and meet us with Twilight. Now Nightmare was not just angry but it looked like she had lost what little sanity she had to begin with as she began to radiate pure corrupt magic.
"Why....... Won't...... DIE!!!!" 

Both Twilight and Lucy were driven to their knees by a massive shockwave of uncontrolled magic as Nightmare started to lose control of her power as the area around her was turned into a maelstrom of un-bridled magic. Both Twilight and Lucy were in great pain by this but though this they both heard a both extremely ancient and powerful voice of Kosh in their minds.

*Use the roses... Use them... NOW*

Twilight who was in too much pain to argue reached inside herself to find her connection to her Crimson Rose and was surprised to find how similar to her connection to the Element of Magic had been, just like the Element of Magic Twilight could feel Lucy doing the same and decided to take the lead, tapping into both roses and felt the power building up through both roses, surprisingly the power didn't feel dark or cold, but instead like a war summers day in the warmth of the sunshine. Twilight didn't really need to do anything else after that... She just needed to focuse on the two Roses intended target.

Around the necks of both girls the roses flowed hot white and a brigtht beam of white light surged out of the Crimson Rose and flew towards Nightmare who's eyes dilated in fear as the white light washed over her..... It was over in seconds.

When the light and the maelstrom subsided slaying completely without a mark on her was Princess Celestia. Twilight quickly rushed over to to her former mentor to see if she was alrigth.

Twilight gasped when she got a good look at her, she was now below Twilight in height standing a hoof below her and where her mane and tail had once been a flowing rainbow of colours, it now was just plain pink. But this all paled in comparison to Celestia's most notable change.

Celestia's eyes cracked open slowly as she looked up at Twilight, smiling weakly the Princess tried to rise but nearly fell back down and would have have hit her head had it not been for Twilight who catches her before.
"Twilight.... I am once again.... In your debt.... My former student"

"Celestia.... Your horn! It's gone!" Twilight exclaimed as she pointed at Celestia's forehead, sure enough where a horn should have sat proudly there was now just empty space.
Celestia reached up a hoof shakily and felt for herself, her eyes widened as she confirmed.
"Oh no!"
"It's Ok Celestia we'll fix this, i-" Celestia shook her head to show Twilight That she had mistaken what she ment "Witch left me just before the roses power struck us nd she took my magic to her new host!"

"MARIA!"

Twilight's head snapped back to where the fallen woman had been laying to find her standing perfectly even though it should have been imposable with the injury's she had sustained, Twilight's confusion was turned to horror as she saw a white horn protruding from Maria's head and that her eyes were glowing in a harsh menacing red.

"Well this is a development" the sickening voice of Witch emerged form Maria's mouth "It seems we have come full circle my dear Brat"

Twilight got to her hooves and prepared to use the Crimson Roses power again.
"Uh Uh Uhhhhh If I see one of you charging up one for that attack again then I will incinerate poor Maria here" Witch said menacingly "It doesn't matter to me if She dies... I'll just find another host to take over"

"Twilight... Don't" Twilight looked to see Lucy dismissing her scythe and P-Magnum "She's not bluffing" Twilight contemplated if Lucy had was thinking of a plan or some way to trick Witch into giving them time to use the Roses. But a look into her eyes showed that she had no such ideas, sighing Twilight did the same with her shards and dismissed them.

"Good, Now your going to all just stand there while I- LIKE HELL!" Twilight and Lucy looked at the Witch in shock, that outburst hadn't been in Witch's voice.
Composing herself again Witch started again "While I Ki- What! Why can't I move!"
"Because I'm In control now Bitch" Maria's voice came from her mouth.
"No.. No this is my body now!"
"Like hell it is, who do you think I am!"

Maria's face suddenly contorted on pain and she dropped to her knees, when her eyes opened again they were Maria's normal Ruby red eyes.
"Gagh! I... Can't... Hold her for long... Lucy GAGH!!" Maria's face grimaces in pain again "Y-You have to.... F-finish this...."

"Ok, we'll do what we did to Celestia!" Lucy said.

"NO!" Maria's answer shocked everyone in the room "I-If you do that... s-s-she'll only get away again... This has to end with me!"

"Maria.. What are you saying Celestia asked as she shakily got to her hooves.

"I'm saying- " Maria looked at Lucy "Lucy I want youn to put a hole through my head.... k-kill us both!"

Lucy shook her head violently "No I won't do that, I wont lose another sister!" she looked to Twilight and Celestia "Isn't there a way to kill Witch without killing Maria?"
"Possibly..." Twilight said "But it would take too long to research"
"And I don't think I can hold GAGH!! For much longer!" Maria looked at Lucy with pleading eyes "Please Lucy, I don't want to have to ask you.... This but the AHHHH! T-The need of the many.... Out way the needs of the few... Or the one..."

Lucy was in tears now, her sister was asking her to kill her only sister... Twilight didn't envy the poor girl.

"What do you think your doing!" Witch cried "You'll kill us both!"

"Oh Karma, thou a ar cruel Bitch" Maria said half amused, half in pain before turning her attention back to Lucy "Look sis,Earth and Equestria have been good to me... Time to return the favor... Don't deny me this..."

Lucy nodded slowly as she slowly reached down and picked up her gun and walked over to Maria, she pressed the muzzle of the gun onto Maria's forehead just below her new horn, all the while Maria kept a brave and forgiving face as she stared her sister in the eyes.

"I love you" was the last thing she said as her eyes flashed red as Witch Screamed "NOOOOOOOOO!"

BLAM
With that heart wrenching sound it was over, Major Maria Santiago, was dead, and so too was the daemon known as Witch.

Twilight watched as the gun fell from Lucy hand as she slid to her knees and wept over the body of another dead sister.
Twilight slowed the girl her time to grieve and walked over to the artifact that still sat upon it's pedestal, she still had one more thing to doe before she could grive.

Twilight looked the object over, it looked like an over sized stone key with a large indent of a rose, An Idea striking her Twilight took off her Crimson Rose and placed it into the indent, for a moment nothing happened and Twilight feared that maybe Witch had somehow broken the artifact.

But seconds later the rook was engulfed in white as a large white wave spread outwords through the fort all the equestrian to Luna and Solar Flare who were still fighting the Lycanthropes, as the wave passed through the lycanthropes they were instantly returned to their human and pony selves (With cloths thankfully) leaving both equestrians surprized.

The wave didn't stop there as it shattered the barrier around the fort and spread out across the planet returning Infected to their original selves, after years of being in the throws of the infection billions of people looked up at the rising sun with human eyes for the first time in a very long time.

Up in the Foxfire's Med-bay Applejack and rest of the marines infected by the Lycanthrope virus found themselves back to normal to the surprise of the doctor.
The same happened on the Deadalus l.

Back down on the surface the light had dissipated giving back Twilight's robbed sight.

"Foxfire to Princess Twilight, Solar Flare, Santiago is anyone reading me" Twilight turned on her earwig radio and answered Princess Twilight Sparkle here"

"Did you manage to activate the artifact, all infected life signs on the Earth have changes to Human, same for the Lycanthropes, I'm glad to report that Ms Applejack has recovered to"

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief before returning to the business at hand "We managed to activate the artifact, Princess Celestia has been purged aswel... I am sad to report that air force Major Maria Santiago... Has been killed in action"

The line went silent as everyone on the line tried to make sense of this new information.
"Twilight... What happened?" Luna'a voice came over the radio.

Twilight sighed "The Witch that took over both Lucy and Maria was the one who corrupted Celestia, Me and Lucy forced her out but she stole Celestia's horn and magic and took over Maria-" Twilight licked her lips which she noticed were really dry "Maria was able to control herself and trap Witch within her.... And then she sacrificed herself so that Witch wouldn't take over someone else and use the stolen magic to harm anyone else" Twilight left out that it was Lucy who shot Maria at her own request, that would only prompt questions for the poor girl and right now, Celestia was trying to calm down the weeping girl.

"R-Roger that Princess.... We'll inform Colonel Carter and General O'Neill of the situation, advise you return to the White Star"

"Not yet Colonel" Lucy said over her radio as she dried her tears away.

"Lucy...."

"I want to give her a proper send off first" Lucy told everyone.

Nobody Disagreed.
> Our story is over. but their's has only just begun
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maria Santiago was buried two hours later. The Excalibur. Had arrived and hour before so both Colonel Carter Naomi and Cromwell attended the funeral along with Applejack, everyone aboard the White Star and the entire population of Fort Novas.
Words were said in Maria's honour as well as everyone who had died during the conflict, a piece of hull was brought down from the remains of the Scabbard and the names of the fallen were added to it once it was placed at the head of Maria's grave.

After the ceremonies were finished Lucy took a woman by the Name of Caroline Santiago off to the side to talk, what they talked about to this day is still not known.

A week after that the Hyperion and Apollo arrived badly damaged full of Equestrians including Princess Candace, the Vorsoth had attacked Equestria and most of the planets population had ether escaped on the small fleet of human and Jaffa Ships that escaped or through the Stargate.... The Sun'Tzu was lost buying time for the other ships to get to safety though before it was destroyed I confirmed it..... Equestria was now nothing but a field of asteroids now.
Twilight's brother Shining Armour was unable to escape and was killed along with all that remained on world, Twilight is distraught.
This marked the first strike in the Vorsoth War.

Months later the races of not just the Milky Way galaxy, but the Pegasus, Ori and Ida galaxy's band together under the banner of the Inter Galactic Alliance and make preparations for war.

The survivors of the fall of Equestria (Now marked on the New Equestria date 0000AE) make a colony for themselves named New Equestria, the colony now houses Ponies, Griffins, Diamond Dogs and all the remaining races of Equestria.

Two years later Twilight gives birth to a Unicorn filly named Wild Fire.
A year later Aldara Santiago is born.

Two and a half Decades pass....


______________________________________________________________________

Kosh stared out into the forest out his window as he always did.

*Now it falls to the younger generation* Kosh said without looking to his two companions.

The Shadow nodded *To finish the work of the older ones*

The third nodded human nodded and slowly removed her hood.

"We have done all we can..." Lucy Santiago said gravely "Now it is all up to them"