... (1234684938467/1234684938467)

...System recovery completed...

...Self-diagnostic completed. Control processing systems running at 100% efficiency. All operational files remain intact. Restarting vessel operations...

...TF-Lander-EFFDB94-Control Online. Re-establishing peripheral connections...

...Connections established. Time since last self-diagnostic: 020:14:18:46:05. Running Self-Diagnostic Level I...

...Systems analysis completed. Primary system conditions identified...

...Emergency Power Systems: ONLINE...

...WARNING: Remaining power levels below 10% capacity. Attempting to transfer...

...Main Reactor: OFFLINE...

...Auxiliary Reactor: ONLINE. Initiating systems transfer...

...Transfer complete. Auxiliary reactor operating at 90% efficiency. Resuming diagnostic...

...Navigation Systems: OFFLINE...

...Turbolaser Units: OFFLINE...

...Variable Warhead Launcher: OFFLINE...

...Sensor Array: OFFLINE...

...Sublight engines: OFFLINE...

...Hyperdrive: OFFLINE...

...Deflector Units: OFFLINE...

...Shield Generator: OFFLINE...

...Hull Condition: CRITICAL. Breaches in Storage Wing 1 and 3...

...Life Support Systems: ONLINE.

...Stasis Unit 1: ONLINE. Temperature Control Units and Atmosphere Recyclers operating at 100% efficiency...

...Central Control Computer: ONLINE...

...Communications Array: ONLINE. Attempting to re-establish Droid Control Signal...

...Processing...

...Processing...

...Droid Control Signal re-established...

The piercing hiss echoed throughout the space as all light suddenly vanished, the sharp decompression ricocheting off unseen walls as total blackness descended. A gasp followed in its wake, ringing softly before it was swallowed by lifeless, frigid air. She tried to still herself, but the shivers demanded control of her limbs, forcing her legs to quake with a startling intensity. Her breaths came short and fast as she yanked something from her bag, struggling to keep it held before her as it glowed in her faint, flickering purple aura. She could feel her control over her magic fading with each tremble, unable to summon even a simple illumination spell as she fumbled with the object, its form constantly slipping within her mental grasp. Finally, she managed to press the stud protruding from the metallic cylinder, and she jumped as the air erupted with a sudden snap-hiss.

A brilliant lavender light illuminated the area around her, the glowing blade emanating from the cylindrical object keeping the darkness at bay. Its low thrum drowned out the low creaks and rumblings that had taunted her perception, its permeating vibrations wavering as she aimed the purple blade at the blackness before her, eyes wide as they scoured the void in terror. She summoned her voice, a shaky shout managing to burst free from her throat as she challenged, "C-come on! Show yourself! Wh-who are you!?"

A hollow, sickening laugh reverberated in response, and Twilight Sparkle suddenly felt every ounce of confidence she'd managed to gather drain through her quivering knees.

"You already know me. I am the terror that pulses through your veins, the fear that haunts the recesses of your mind. Your pitiful existence has brought you a mere fragment of the power I wield, and your world is weakened by its rejection of my ways. But my arrival is nigh, and soon I shall claim both you and your world as my own."

Twilight gasped as the desolate, grating voice rasped at her from all sides, the ragged, low-pitched call echoing through the surrounding blackness. Her throat constricted as a fresh burst of adrenaline forced its way through her heartbeat, her purple-furred flesh crawling in the chilled air. She managed to choke out as she swung the glowing purple blade about, her voice quaking in time with her dwindling magical grip on the blade, "Th-that's not true! Y-you'll never take me, o-or Equestria!" She tried to reach out, to sense his presence around her, willing her way into the void. The great cloud of darkness failed to yield to her probe, however, and the lingering terror in her heart swelled anew as the voice began to answer.

"But I have already begun to take you. I can feel the fear flowing through you, influencing your every action. How it erodes at your very will...but, of course, you can feel it too, can't you?"

The unicorn froze as she heard the faint impacts of footsteps, and the blade whipped towards the sound, its glow illuminating the metal floor before her as she stared into the abyss before her, eyes wide in terror as she saw a shape materialize from the void.

"I can teach you to wield that fear. It need not be a vulnerability...it can be a weapon. A tool to focus your power. Your passions fuel your abilities...your terror, your anger, your hate. You are indeed powerful, my little friend..." A single, biting laugh tore through the air, "And, in time, I shall make your power my own."

Twilight stumbled backwards as the terrible being entered the faint light from her blade, yelping as she found herself pressed against a wall. She struggled to angle her shaking, thrumming blade at the approaching, towering being, her form shaking beneath the bipedal being's gaze. She could see his eyes, yellow and faintly glowing, high above her. Strange tendrils hung to the sides of his sharp-fanged, grinning maw, his black robes blending with the surrounding darkness as he stepped forth. The unicorn gasped as he moved towards her, and her levitated blade swung towards him, the thrumming blade ready to cut him down.

The young unicorn cried out as a second crackling hiss filled the air, a crimson blade rising into existence. The blades crashed as they collided, and suddenly Twilight's grip slipped on her blade. The purple blade hissed out of existence as the metal cylinder was batted aside, its shape giving a distant clatter as it hit the floor somewhere out of sight. The towering being laughed again as he loomed above the defenseless, terrified unicorn, his red blade casting a demonic glow upon he and her as he raised a single, claw-tipped hand. Twilight screamed as a searing pain gripped her body, his unseen hold sending a burning sensation through to her extremities. He spoke for the final time as she began to writhe pitifully before him, the unicorn able to take one last glimpse up at his grinning, monstrous form.

"You will join me...embrace your fears, your anger, and your suffering, and take the first step on the path to the dark side..."

As Twilight whimpered and writhed as her mind succumbed to agony, she could feel a prodding at her side, and a familiar, faraway voice suddenly rose to her ears, growing in volume as her world collapsed upon itself.

"Twilight...Twilight...hey, Twilight! Wake up!"

The purple unicorn slammed into consciousness, a breathless gasp escaping her as her eyes snapped open. Gone were the searing bolts of pain; only a mere fraction of a quiver remained within her limbs. She stared as the relieving sight of her library replaced the shadows and horrors that had seized her vision, glancing all around as she regained her bearings. Her desk and haphazard piles of notes lay before her. Sunlight streamed through the second-floor window, its beams casting their glow upon her bed and the bookshelf that held her own private collection of tomes. And at her side stood her number-one assistant, a look of great concern adorning the stout baby dragon's features as he stared up at the unicorn he had accompanied since his hatching.

"Hey, you okay Twilight?" He asked again, reaching up to touch the startled unicorn's shoulder with a clawed hand.

Twilight let out a heavy sigh of relief, shaking her head to clear the remnants of the dream from her mind, "Whew...I'm all right, Spike." She gave the little dragon a reassuring smile, "Just a nightmare, that's all..." She failed to stifle a yawn, groaning as she moved back from her desk and stretched, her ligaments gently popping with her motions. She looked towards her bed as a mild wave of soreness overtook her, belatedly wishing she'd made the short journey from her desk to the comfortable mattress. Her gaze was drawn to the window, and she found herself wincing at the blinding rays of sunlight that shone forth, "Ooh...how late was I up?"

The young dragon chuckled a bit at Twilight's question, shaking his head as he rolled his eyes, "I couldn't tell ya, since I went to bed at a normal time like everypony else. You were passed out when I woke up, so I guess you must've been up pretty late." He glanced at the chaotic clusters of parchment strewn about the desk, raising an eyeridge as the majority of Twilight's notations escaped him, "See anything interesting last night?"

The unicorn nodded in reply, her eyes darting back over her notes as she gave them one last look, her horn and the pile of parchment glowing the same hue of purple as the notes shuffled themselves back into a single pile, "As a matter of fact I did! I spent most of last night observing the stellar spectra of the stars within Canis Major and Minor." She flicked eagerly through her notes, seemingly losing all trace of fatigue and worry as she elaborated, excitement taking hold of her tone and expression, "I classified them based on their absorption lines, and the results were staggering! There are three stars in Canis Major alone that are the same class of star as our own sun! The possibilities are-"

Twilight paused as she turned back to Spike, her momentary burst of enthusiasm fading as she spotted the perplexed expression on the dragon's snout, "You didn't get any of that, did you?"

Spike shook his head once, his eyeridge raised as he regarded the gifted unicorn. "Uh, can I get a translation?"

Twilight sighed a bit as she slid the stack of notes to the side of her desk, unable to suppress a brief eye roll as she explained for her assistant, "If those stars are anything like our own sun, then that means they might have planets surrounding them. And if even one of those planets is anything like this one, then that means they might be able to support life. Life, Spike!" Her energetic tone returned in force, her eyes lighting up at the thought, "And I've barely even started classifying the stars in the major constellations! There could be countless worlds out there, and each one has the potential for the development of an intelligent species, just like us! Isn't that exciting?"

Spike took a moment to process the torrent of words that flowed from the purple unicorn, shrugging as he turned towards the stairs, "Oh...that's pretty cool, I guess."

Twilight shook her head at the baby dragon's answer, the disbelief at his lack of interest surging into her tone, "Pretty cool? "'Pretty cool'? Spike, this is scientific progress at work! These studies are the first steps towards discovering exactly what's up there! Aren't you even the slightest bit curious about what's up there?"

Spike shook his head at the unicorn's insistence, halting and turning about as he near the stairs, "Uh, not really. C'mon Twilight, " He added in his own defense. "it's not exactly easy to get excited about something nopony's got a chance of seeing!"

Twilight smirked a bit, fighting the urge to give the dragon another eyeroll as she rose to her hooves, quick to counter her assistant's assertion, "Maybe nopony in our lifetime will meet another life form, but it could still happen someday. Even if there's nothing out there after all, it's still important that we continue to increase our understanding of the world around us."

She took a glance at herself, tossing her mane a bit and ensuring her appearance was presentable before descending the stairs leading to the expansive, tree-housed library below. Ponyville's repository of knowledge had been her home for the past two years now, a residence she had gladly taken up ever since the end of her first adventure, the same one during which she had been fortunate enough to join forces with the five best friends a pony could ask for. "Besides, just because the stars are out of our reach doesn't necessarily mean another species hasn't figured out how to travel between them!"

Spike followed Twilight down the steps, his eyes widening as the implications of her words hit him, "Wait...so you're saying that they might come here? To Equestria?" He shivered at the thought.

Twilight glanced back just in time to catch the flash of nervousness, laughing, "It's a pretty exciting thought, isn't it? It's totally improbable, of course, especially given that there's no record of any encounter of that kind in Equestrian history. Still, could you imagine it? I'd give just about anything for that kind of opportunity...I could write libraries of books filled with what I could learn!" She sighed happily at the thought.

Spike smirked a bit at the unicorn's imagination-induced grin, "Yeah, I bet you'd have a field day with the whole thing." He paused, chuckling a bit as he stepped over to shelve a small stack of books resting on the table in the center of the library, "Heh, I wonder if they'd look anything like us..."

"I don't think so. If there is life outside of our own planet, it would be adapted to its own environment, which would probably be vastly different from our own. There might be a few similarities, but the odds of us being all that alike are pretty small." She paused, frowning a bit as she continued to ponder, "And that's just their biology. Their culture and ours could be equally disparate. They could have already encountered a hundred other races by now. A multi-species coalition wouldn't be out of the question if that's the case...although they could just as easily be warlike conquerors instead..." Twilight blushed a bit as she managed to catch herself rambling, ending her line of thought with a shrug as she finished, "I guess we wouldn't have any way of knowing unless we were to actually contact them."

Spike just rolled his eyes as he clambered up the ladder leaning against the bookshelf, a heavy-looking tome clutched in his claw, "Right..." The purple and green-scaled baby dragon changed the subject, attempting to draw Twilight from her hypothetical line of conversation, "So, anything interesting happening today?"

"Not much. I'm meeting the girls for lunch, and then I'll begin editing my notes from last night-" Twilight's eyes widened as her gaze fell upon a window, able to see that Celestia's sun had already risen a ways into the clear blue skies, "Oh no...Spike, how late did I sleep in?" A hint of worry entered her voice.

"Well, you definitely slept through breakfast...come to think of it, I think it's almost lunchtime n- Woah!" The baby dragon yelped as Twilight broke into a gallop, the heavy slam of the library door bending her causing the ladder he was on to quake unsteadily. He sighed in relief as his perch stabilized, shaking his head as he climbed back down, "Sheesh...I said almost, didn't I?"

"I'm starving! Twilight's taking forever!"

Applejack snorted softly as she eyed the cyan-furred pegasus hovering to her right, the Stetson-wearing, orange-coated Earth Pony admonishing the impatient mare as they waited at the Ponyville street corner, standing out of the way of the multicolored equine traffic, "Calm down, Rainbow! It's only been five minutes. 'sides, we still got Fluttershy comin', don't we?"

Rainbow Dash sighed and folded her forelegs, her steadily flapping wings effortlessly suspending her in midair as she groan, " Great, another pony we've gotta wait for...c'mon, they'll probably just meet us there anyways!"

Pinkie Pie, who had been happily bouncing in place, halted in place and giggled, shaking her head, "Don't be silly, Ranbow! We always walk together when we go out for lunch! We can't leave anypony behind!"

Rarity nodded in agreement with the energetic, curly-maned pink pony, the delicate alabaster unicorn flipping her luxurious, carefully-groomed purple mane once as she added, "Pinkie Pie is right. We should at least wait for one of them to arrive before we set off!"

The athletic pegasus growled in annoyance at the elegant, snow-coated mare, dropping back down to the Ponyville road with a soft huff, her small, feathered wings folding snugly against her back. The last ten minutes of idleness had already tried the prism-maned pony's patience, and a rumbling stomach wasn't helping. "It's not like we're really leaving them behind or anything! We've been to the Hay Cafe like, a million times! Twi and Fluttershy'll show up!"

Applejack shook her head, about to issue another reply to quiet the restless pegasus when the sound of hooves rapidly impacting the earth reached her ears. The peach-coated Earth pony sighed in relief, smirking back towards Rainbow Dash, "See? No need t' get yer feathers ruffled." The colorful mare growled a bit as Applejack turned her attention to the approaching form of Twilight Sparkle, calling out her usual warm greeting, "Howdy, Twilight!"

Twilight gasped for breath as she skidded to a halt before her group of friends, smiling broadly as each of her friends greeted her in turn, "Whew...hello everypony! I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long!"

Rainbow Dash blushed a little at her own impatience in light of the purple-coated unicorn's apology, dropping her head a bit and chuckling sheepishly, "Heh, no problem, Twilight. What's up?" She asked, noting the less athletic mare's breathlessness and slight fatigue.

"Oh, it's nothing." Twilight was forced to pause as a yawn escaped her, shaking her head a bit as she continued, "I was just up late doing a bit of research, that's all."

Rainbow snorted softly and rolled her eyes at the explanation, glancing over the tired unicorn before her, "You really go overboard with this egghead stuff sometimes, Twi. What, were you working on some urgent stuff for Princess Celestia or something?"

Twilight laughed weakly, taking her turn to blush, "Hehe, no. It's more of a personal project, really. I was taking a few measurements on the stellar absorption spectra produced by the stars within Canis' Major and Minor!"

Rainbow stared blankly, her brow cocked in perplexity, "Okaaay..."

Applejack chuckled, shaking her head at the confused pegasus, "She means she was stargazin' , Rainbow. Y'know, like she did that whole week before the big cenntennial meteor shower?"

Pinkie Pie's eyes lit up at the mention of the memory, the exuberant pink equine unable to keep herself from leaping into the air again and again, as though she might sprout pegasi wings in midair, "Ooh, the same one with all the pretty shooting stars, and the cookies that Spike made that I said were dee-lish, and then he fell asleep in the punch bowl, and then I said that the punch had been "spiked", and then we all laughed and laughed?"

The other three mares turned to the bouncing, baffling Earth Pony, with Rarity speaking for the trio of the confused ponies, "Pinkie, that party was nearly a year ago. You remember all of that?"

Pinkie landed on her hooves for the final time, still wearing the goofy grin she'd been sporting the entire time as she nodded, emitting a snorting giggle, "Heh, sure I do! I never forget a party, silly!"

The other three shared a glance among themselves before laughing along with the jovial mare. Applejack chuckled as she glanced around, "Well, we're only missing one of us now...why don't we see if we can't catch Fluttershy over at her place before we head on down?"

Twilight nodded with the others as they unanimously agreed, the entire group falling into step as they made the short walk up the Ponyville road towards the edge of the Everfree forest, "That's a good idea. I'm sure Fluttershy's probably just gotten a bit caught up with one of her animals. We'll just make a quick trip out and pick her up!"

Rainbow Dash rose back into a hover as she struggled to tolerate the relaxed pace her earthbound friends trotted at, wincing at a hunger pang as she remarked, a hoof upon her belly, "Oof... 'quick' being the key word here!"

The squeak of appreciation brought a gentle smile to the butter-colored pegasus' face, and she bowed her head down to the crutch and cast-bound mouse, her long pink mane partially shrouding her face, "Oh, you're welcome, Mister Mouse! Now, you come straight back if that leg starts bothering you again, okay?" She pulled her head back as the mouse nodded in the affirmative and turned to hobble back into his hollow, stepping away when he disappeared within the towering oak.

The Pegasus sighed happily as she turned from the edge of the Everfree forest, her pleasant smile tinged with a slight blush as she laid eyes on the white-furred rodent who had been impatiently stamping his paw behind her the entire time, "Oh! I'm sorry you had to wait so long, Angel Bunny. Are you ready for your lunch now?"

The rabbit huffed with irritation and rolled his eyes, gesturing back towards the cottage, leading his equine owner back towards his now-late meal. Fluttershy smiled warmly as she followed, ready to give her favorite charge the same love and care she'd always given him.

K-tk, k-tk, k-tk...

Fluttershy's ear twitched as the soft series of clicks reached out from the dense, shadowy depths of the Everfree forest, the Pegasus halting immediately as a gasp escaped her. Her large, startled gaze stared back into the thick overgrowth, but by then the strange noise had vanished, and an insistent poke to her side from Angel Bunny managed to pull her attention back from the forest.

K-tk. K-tk. K-tk.

A second gasp seized the gentle, butter-colored pegasus as the noise reappeared, its volume steadily growing as she froze mid-step, her eyes widening as her head jerked back towards the forest. She could hear the sharp, perfectly timed clicks punctuating a continuous, low whir, the shuffling and snapping of leafy branches and undergrowth muffling the strange, alien sound. By this time Angel too was able to hear the approaching disturbance, his ears perked up as he too stared into the foreboding, dangerous expanse of forest. Fluttershy finally managed to summon her voice after several moments, stammering out towards the intruder, her call shaky and breathless, "Wh-wh-who's th-there?"

All at once, the rhythmic click-whirring ceased, the sound of her voice echoing through the dark forest before the usual din could flood back in through the air. The silence persisted for a moment or two, long enough for the shaking in Fluttershy's legs to reach a heavy quake. Then, from the stilled, unmoving depths, a single, monotone voice called, its buzzing tone seemingly grating at the air itself as it called forth.

"Unknown lifeform detected. Investigation is required. Check it out, corporal. We'll cover you."

Fluttershy's muscles seized as the low, grinding voice reached her ears, a shiver of terror crawling up her spine. Whatever was rustling about just beneath the thick barrier of undergrowth, it sounded unlike any creature she'd ever encountered. That voice was rigid, sharp, completely lacking the fluidity inherent in the speech of an intelligent being...was it even alive at all?

A breathless yelp was coaxed from the frightened Pegasus as an identical reply sounded, the droning buzz much closer than its companion,

"Roger roger."

Fluttershy was ready to flee, ready to dash back to the safety of her cottage and wait until clicking, droning, terrifying creatures had passed on their way. Angel Bunny seemed to agree with this sentiment; the sound of the harsh, buzzing voice had his paws clamped firmly about her right foreleg, his little eyes bulging as the Everfree Forest rustled and snapped. The air was again filled with the rhythmic footfalls and unnaturally-timed click-whirring of the approaching creature, the growing cacophony a reminder that she could not possibly flee in time before the unknown, frightening thing burst forth and showed itself to her.

The undergrowth contorted and writhed as it was shoved open, the marching advance of the creature shoving the leafy, lush plant life aside. Fluttershy's eyes bulged, her jaw nearly hitting the soft grasses beneath her hooves as the weird, towering monstrosity stepped into view. The spindly, gaunt being loomed over the Pegasus' quivering form, its erect, bipedal stance giving it a distinct advantage in height, if not necessarily in size. Its thin limbs evoked the chilling image of a reanimated skeleton, a mental picture further imposed upon the little pony's mind by the stark, bleached color that stretched uniformly across its form. Its joints were rounded and cylindrical, emitting the same gentle whir as they jerked about erratically. In its clawlike, fingerless hands, a solid black, hefty object was firmly clutched, its crafted length angled so that its owner might level or point it about. Though the reason eluded her, Fluttershy could tell by the way the object was brandished that she probably didn't want to discover its function.

What was most horrifying to the butter-coated, pink-maned Pegasus, however, was the alien creature's face. Its snout hung low, the mouthless, expressionless surface staring her down. The angular, narrow head was suspended only by a stick of a neck, one so thin it all but precluded the presence of a throat. The only thing familiar about the smooth, rigid surface was the pair of tiny, beady black eyes in the usual spots, though even those seemed as though they were merely painted on. Fluttershy's breath vanished from her lungs as the towering, spindly being stared down at her, whimpering as she hid behind her mane, her tail drooped as her legs began to buckle.

Just as it seemed that silent, unblinking stare would become unbearable, the droning, skeletal creature spoke once again.

"Biological intruder identified. Perimeter defense must be secured. Elimination required."

The towering, gaunt being suddenly lurched into motion, and Fluttershy barely had time to shriek in terror and scramble backwards as that bulky black shape was hefted, a burst of blinding, fiery crimson arcing forth to intercept her.