First Roy, then Gwen and Nolan and then Octavia. It had only been seven hours since they touched down on the ship and since Roy was killed it just kept going downhill. They hadn't encountered a single survivor thus far and began to believe there weren't any. Once they made it to the oil rig they began climbing silently taking out any infected they came across to avoid drawing the attention of another horde, reaching the first level they took shelter in a locker room. They moved the lockers to block the windows and used the benches to bar the doors giving them a chance to rest while the storm continued to rage outside.

They tried to make a call, but the rig's transmitter must have been damaged leaving them with no signal. Deciding it would be best to rest and try and wait out the storm Nebula took the first watch telling Brawnz she would wake him in a few hours. None of them thought they would be able to sleep after everything that had happened, but with the adrenaline gone came the crash and one by one they closed their eyes, until only Nebula remained awake.

The leader of NDGO slowly paced around the room, keeping her movements and sounds limited in case something outside managed to hear her. Their current space wasn't completely safe, but it would allow them time to rest as long as they weren't discovered and with night approaching and the storm still going it would be best to sit and wait. Nebula checked her scroll, keeping the backlight dim, 10:37PM the clock displayed, roughly nine hours until sunrise and another half hour until she woke Brawnz to take over.

Thunder roared outside again and on reflex Nebula raised her sword still on edge after everything. The storm had slowed since it hit them deciding to stop right on top of them as if it was also trying to kill them. She looked at her scroll again, a picture of her and her team, what would she tell Gwen's mother? Would she even be able to face her and tell her that she wasn't able to save her daughter? Another roar of thunder and Nebula flinched squeezing her eyes shut, wishing she could trade places with them, not just the members of her team, but Roy and Nolan as well.

Seeing light appear under the closed door May checked her scroll, 7:59AM, the sun was up and from the sound of it the storm was finally gone. Waking the others they gathered in the middle of the room to check their supplies and rations, May's ammunition was below half and they were down to their last few dust crystals. It didn't leave them with high spirits, who knew how many infected and possibly grimm they would encounter on the rig while they waited for rescue, would the supplies even last until they were rescued?

Dew looked at Nebula, "So what's the plan? Sounds like the storm is over, should we check the radio transmitter and see if we can get a signal out?"

Nebula checked her scroll, a signal, "I've got a bar" she said swiftly standing up and dialing the number to their school, "Come on, please" she pleaded as it began ringing.

The headmaster answered, "Neb..a" interference, "How is...assign...Have you….any...hello?"

"Headmaster" Nebula said, "Headmaster can you hear me?"

"..bula?" the headmaster replies, "I'm...interference...is eve...hing...your team status?"

Nebula panicking raised her voice, "Professor, we need extraction, half our group is dead, you need to get us out of here, please."

Static, "Please repea….ast...Nebula…"

"We need help!" Nebula screamed tears threatening to overwhelm her.

More static and the call drops causing Nebula to hang her head gripping the scroll so tightly its screen cracks.

Dew grabbed her spear from the floor, "We'll make it out of here. We just have to keep moving, we get to the radio room and see if we can find a way to boost our signal or even use the radios here. We can do this."

Nebula turned hurling her scroll towards the lockers that barricaded the windows, the device soaring over them and breaking through the glass. Sinking to her knees Nebula covered her face and began crying, it was too much, their situation, their losses, it was all too much she just wanted it to be over. Dew kneeled next to her wrapping her arms around her leader, but before she could try and comfort her the windows shattered again and the lockers were knocked over forcing the two girls back to their feet.

A beowolf was wandering the outside when Nebula threw her scroll, her yelling and crying attracting its attention. Knocking over the lockers it roared and in response the echoing calls of the infected from every direction. The beowolf lunged tackling Brawnz knocking him down and sinking its jaws into his shoulder thankfully his aura protected him, but before the girls could save him the beowolf jumped out of the room through the window dragging him kicking and screaming with it his yells attracting the infected that began pouring into the room.

Nebula, Dew and May grabbed their weapons jumping out from the broken window and began fighting their way through the crowd to reach Brawnz they could still see him, he managed to fight off the beowolf, but he was being swarmed by the infected. He turned and swung as much as he could, but with so many around him his movements were becoming more and more restricted until he was unable to move. Infected fell over each other trying to reach him and the ones behind him seized hold and began pulling him toward them eventually he fell over on and was being dragged deeper into their numbers, and with so many attacking him at once his aura was unable to hold up. He screamed for the girls to help him before the infected tore his shirt and ripped apart his skin tearing open his stomach and digging in, the last thing the girls seeing were Brawnz's eyes rolling back and the spraying blood before the monsters covered him completely.

May cried his name only for Dew to grab both her and Nebula dragging them back yelling for them to flee. Fighting their way through the few infected between them and the door the three girls ran not stopping until they reached the next level and Dew using her spear and one of their dust crystals collapsed the staircase to prevent their pursuers from following them. No longer running, but unable to stop they continued to climb going higher in their search for the radio room so they could call for help fighting infected along the way.

When they finally found the radio room Nebula once again tried to call for help, but no matter what channel she tried they received no response. Swearing loudly she slammed her fists against the table asking what any of them did to deserve this, to deserve being in this situation. Again Dew grabs her shoulder attempting to calm her, pointing out of the window to the antenna, it was still standing, but some of the wires had come loose and there was a body hanging from it likely someone who tried to fix it before dying.

Dew squeezed Nebula's shoulder, "See? All we have to do is take that down and it should clear up the signal then we can call for extraction."

Taking a breath Nebula hung her head and nodded trying her best to stay calm, "How do we get to it?" she asked, "It looks like we'd have to climb up to it."

"I can do it" May said said wiping her tears with the end of her beanie, "I can climb faster than most, it would give me a view of the area as well."

Dew turned to her, "We'll come with you" May shook her head.

"No" she said slinging her rifle over her shoulder, securing its strap, "You stay here and keep an eye on each other. I'll move faster on my own, it's not that far so you can spot me from here."

Dew argued, "We can't split up now."

May countered, "Once I make it up there I'll be safe, you two will still be here. You not only need to make the call, but watch each other's backs in case those things make it in here. I'll be able to cover you from there and adjust the antenna as needed."

May noted their expressions, "It's the only way" she told them, "If we don't do it then we're stuck here until they send someone to look for us."

Dew looked out the window into the endless sea that surrounded them, "Depending on where the storm went and how bad it is it should only be another couple of hours before the airship comes back."

May agreed, "Yes, but since the only transmission they've gotten from us was unclear they don't know what our situation is. They might not be coming with backup, we need to get that message out and order an immediate extraction. I won't be long, just stay close to each other."

Checking the pistol Nebula gave her May counted how many rounds she had before leaving the room closing the door behind her. She was quick to move, the few infected she wasn't able to avoid were quickly dealt with, some were dispatched with a heavy blow to the head others were flung over the railing into the ocean below. By the time she made it to the antenna's platform she set the safety on the gun and slid it into her jacket before she began climbing, Dew and Nebula watching from the window impressed by how quickly May climbed the beams that supported the platform for the antenna. She jumped from one to the next using her weapon as a climbing axe for extra reach or to swing from one beam to the next, once in place she turned and waved, signaling the two that she was ready.

Turning to the antenna she climbed it reaching the body that hooked itself around the beams before he died at least that's what she thought. When she unfastened the straps that held it in place and prepared to push it away it groaned and turned its head to her. May only had enough time to bring her aura up as it snarled and lunged at her grabbing hold its weight pulling both of them down to the base of the platform. Nebula and Dew watched as May fell, it was only a twelve foot drop, but the infected was on top of her.

Thankfully May's aura held up against the landing further protecting her from her attacker's feral swings until she pushed him off. Getting to her feet May reached for her dropped weapon only for the infected to grab her foot preventing her from reaching it. With uninhibited strength the infected pulled her foot close to its mouth ready to bite her until May pulled her foot free kicking it in the head and then bringing her boot down slamming its head into the steel floor. Wanting to make sure it was dead and to release her own frustrations May stomped on its head again and again continuing until the skull gave way and was crushed under her heel.

With the infected dead May began climbing again to reconnect the wires, Dew checked May's aura level on her scroll thankful to see that it was still holding up after the fall. It had been twenty-three hours since they left Shade, almost an entire day and five of their eight members were dead. Even though they weren't able to find any survivors their investigation did reveal what happened, sabotage. Someone had loaded containers filled with grimm and infected onto the ship, but as for the oil rig they still didn't know. The radio buzzed to life when the wires were reconnected and Nebula opened the channel to Shade frantically begging for anyone to answer.

"Ms. Violette?" their headmaster answered, "I've been trying to reach you, what's your mission status?"

"Headmaster" Nebula gasped unable to hold her tears back, "I...we…" she began sobbing as she explained what happened, that half of their group was killed.

"I see" the headmaster answered, "Where on the ship are you? Are you somewhere where you can hold out?"

Dew answered, "We're on the oil rig sir. The ship was too overrun, there's nowhere we can really set up a defensible position, we need extraction ASAP."

"Understood" their headmaster replied, "I sent out the bullhead when I got your first call, I'll contact the pilot and tell him to hurry. Just hold out until he gets there. I'm sorry I put you in this, but I'll get you home."

Contacting May through her scroll Dew relayed the message, their evac was coming. Heaving a relieved sigh May leaded her forehead against the frame of the antenna, closing her eyes she whispered a thank you to no one in particular. Opening her eyes again she looked around, she could see the landing platform from where she was, a space for an airship to land, telling Dew and Nebula she said it would best to head there now since the sound of the bullhead's engines would draw attention when it arrived. Agreeing the two girls grabbed their weapons and left the radio room to head there with May climbing down from the antenna, but staying on the beams and rafters to keep her vantage point.

Dew and Nebula didn't encounter any threats on their way to the landing pad and while thankful they remained cautious and alert, slowly going around each corner in case they ran into more infected or grimm. It wasn't until the air split with the sound of May's rifle being fired that they located the infected, their screams answering the sound of the gunshot as it woke them from their stupor. May was preparing to climb another beam when she was ambushed, unable to fight off the thing pinning her and unable to reach for the sidearm in her jacket she was forced to use her rifle. Shifting the barrel under it she pulled the trigger the high powered round tearing through the soft tissue immediately causing enough physical trauma to kill the infected, then came the screams.

Returning to her feet May began climbing, she wasn't suited or equipped for close quarters combat so she had to get higher. She spotted Nebula and Dew as she climbed, they were being surrounded and cut off from the landing pad. Raising her rifle she fired, her shot penetrating through one infected and into the one behind it killing both in a single shot, she yelled for Dew and Nebula to keep moving before turning her attention to the ground below her, the infected were beginning to climb up after her.

Aiming her rifle again she fired killing one that had grabbed Nebula, "Eight" she said before retrieving the sidearm in her jacket and aiming at the ones climbing after her shooting one in the head, "Six."

Looking through her scope again she fired another shot, "Seven" her shot hit a barrel causing it to explode killing a number of pursuing infected and those that survived quickly burned to death when they tried to run through.

Checking below her May fired her pistol again, "Five, left" she said to herself keeping track of her remaining shots.

Dew and Nebula were close to the landing pad, but they were cut off by an alpha beowolf. Dew charged in first thrusting her spear at the grimm, but it jumped to the side avoiding her attack and swiping at her knocked her back before turning its attention to Nebula. May set her crosshairs on the monster's head and pulled the trigger only for one of the infected to grab her foot as she did causing her shot to sail wide hitting Nebula in the leg stunning her long enough for the monster to pounce and pinned her to the floor. Dew charged the grimm once more driving her spear through its back before it could bite Nebula, killing it.

Hearing another gunshot their attention was drawn to May's position as she struggled to free herself from the infected that held her, managing to shoot it and kick it away only for another to grab her followed by a third. Their collective weight pulling her down May hooked her arm around the beam and aimed down only for her arm to be grabbed as well. Dew and Nebula watched as May unable to hold on fell, the climbing infected jumping after her.

Rushing to her side Dew and Nebula frantically cut their way through the large swarm, only to reach May too late. Between having her leg bitten and clawed at, the ten meter fall and being swarmed her aura wasn't able to hold up. By the time they killed the last one and reached her she already had multiple deep bites and pieces of flesh missing, blood soaking her clothes.

"No" Nebula gasped falling to her knees next to May, "No, no!" she cried scooping May into her arms, "I'm sorry. May I'm sorry."

May groaned, "It's not your fault" her voice was weak, "I put myself in that position" she began coughing as she struggled to breathe, "Just make it home."

Hearing the roar of an engine Dew grabbed Nebula's shoulder, "Neb, we need to go."

"We can't leave her here" Nebula cried.

"You have to" May coughed, "If I don't die I'll just end up turning into one of them. Just leave me here" she cupped her blood soaked hand against Nebula's cheek, "Go" she painfully exhaled letting her hand drop from Nebula's cheek.

Pulling Nebula to her feet Dew ran with her to the landing pad as the bullhead landed, looking back just in time to see May crawl to retrieve her pistol and press the barrel against her head, choosing death instead of the chance of becoming one of those monsters. The airship took off, the oil rig and the cargo ship quickly shrinking in the distance, but the nightmare of the previous day would never disappear. Setting Nebula in a chair Dew told her leader to rest while she went to the cockpit sitting in the co-pilot's seat and burying her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry" the pilot said, "I never should have left you all out here. I should have stayed."

"It wouldn't have mattered" Dew told him, "We didn't start encountering them until we were deep inside the ship. Even if the storm didn't take down the bullhead we'd still end up like this."

The pilot asked, "What the hell happened? How did the ship get overrun?"

"Sabotage" Dew told him, "Someone trapped the infected and grimm into some containers that were loaded on the ship, then they got loose. We weren't able to find out what happened to the crew of the oil rig."

The pilot shook his head in defeat, "Go ahead and get some rest, I'll get you and your friend back home."

In the compartment behind the cockpit Nebula had closed her eyes, but the voices of her teammate and the pilot stirred her. Slowly she got up, her breathing ragged as her body twitched with each step toward the cockpit. Her eyes were drawn to the pilot as he shook his head, telling Dew to get some rest. She turned to the pilot and leaned forward her arms outstretched before she lunged forward and bit him.

The pilot's scream started Dew. Turning in her seat she saw Nebula leaning over the pilot as he screamed his flailing causing the bullhead to turn and begin climbing throwing Nebula into the back compartment. The pilot struggled to get the bullhead under control using one hand to keep pressure on the open wound in his neck. Dew moved to the rear compartment watching as Nebula stood up and looked at her with empty glazed over eyes and a blood and flesh stained mouth as her skin began turning a ghastly white.

Dew shook her head, "No, not you to" she took a step back as Nebula moved toward her, "Nebula please" she begged, "Don't come any closer."

Unable to comprehend her words and driven by the primal instinct to feed Nebula shuffled closer as Dew reached for her spear grabbing it with a trembling hand.

"Don't make me do this" she begged again tears flooding from her eyes.

Left with no choice Dew ran her spear through her leader's chest pushing her back as it pierced her heart, sobbing an apology as Nebula took her final breath before falling still.

Dropping to her knees Dew continued to cry until the pilot walked back to her, "You need to get up there" he groaned, "It's on autopilot, it will fly itself back to Shade, someone there can talk you through landing safely" he began coughing up blood, "There's a red switch above the doorway. It's an emergency lock, it will keep the door from opening. Lock it behind you so I can't get in."

The pilot lowered himself into one of the seats strapping himself in so he wouldn't be able to move once he turned and watching the young woman close the door behind her. Checking the bullhead's instruments she confirmed the autopilot system was active and her current heading, she would be back at Shade in just under two hours. Collapsing into the co-pilot's seat her mind replayed everything since they left the academy, Roy, Gwen, Nolan, Octavia, Brawnz, May and then Nebula, leaving only her. She closed her eyes, crying herself to sleep knowing that even though the assignment was over the nightmare would never end.