Halo: Equestria (Version 2.0)

UNSC Frigate Juniper System: Unknown, Planet: Unknown Ship Status: Wrecked

Sparks flew from the nearby console. Lights flickered overhead, some broken or dangling as the light struggled to maintain itself. On the floor, single bullets were scattered about the floor. Spilled rifle magazines littered the floor along with their weapon counterparts. Along with the weapons laid the bodies of five, fully armored Spartans. For a while, only the sounds of crackling sparks and the buzzing of the damaged lights. Then, a groan was heard, followed by the shifting of armor on the metal floor. Antony sat up and shook his helmeted head. He had to put a gloved hand to his visor to make sure it wasn't his head moving around, making him dizzy. Slowly, the room stopped spinning and he pulled up the vitals of his teammates. All were alive, but knocked out cold. Standing up, Antony surveyed the rest of the room, observing the condition of the room.

The three technicians that assisted the Spartans were all dead, either impaled on a piece of broken metal, or suffered internal damage during the crash. Picking up his MA37 Assault Rifle, checked the magazine, and proceeded to open up communications with the Bridge.

"Is anyone on the Bridge alive? This is Spartan A098." Silence came from the other end. Antony tried again. "Is anyone up there? This is Spartan A098, Commander of Gypsy Squad. Anyone?" Again, silence responded, then a faint crackle on he other end was heard.

"This is the shipboard A.I. Codename: Rose. I read you Gypsy." Came a feminine voice.

"What happened?" Antony asked simply.

"We've crashed on an unknown planet. It's not coming up on any known planets." Rose responded.

"What caused the crash? Were we attacked by Covenant?" Antony pressed on.

"Negative Gypsy. Our slip-space drive began to fail, causing the field to collapse around the ship." Rose explained briefly.

"That doesn't make sense. We'd all be dead right now. Not alive and crashed." Antony said a bit confused.

"Listen, I could explain to you the chances of getting out of a collapsing slip-space field, but we don't have all night." Rose shot back. This took Antony off guard. Usually A.I. were always prim and proper.

"Alright Rose. What do we do?" Antony asked.

"I need you to retrieve me Gypsy." Rose said simply.

"Sounds easy enough. Answer me this Rose." Antony replied. "How's the rest of the crew?"

Rose was silent for a few moments.

"Rose?"

"They're all dead. Your squad is the only one left alive." She said back, her tone grim. Antony hung his head down and gave a moment of silence to the seven-hundred seventy-seven people that had passed. Picking up his head, Antony spoke again.

"Alright Rose. My squad and I are on the way to retrieve you. Stay put." Antony said closing communications. After a few seconds, the rest of his squad began to stir. Jane sat up and put a hand to her exposed head, groaning as she did.

"Ugh...what happened...?"

"The Juniper had technical issues during flight and crash laded on an unknown planet. Gypsy is the only squad alive now, and we're going to retrieve the ships' AI. After that, I have no clue." Antony explained helping her up.

"Sounds easy. Am I bleeding at all?" Jane asked. Antony looked her over and gave a thumbs up. "Alright, good. Wake up people!" She yelled putting on her EOD helmet.

"No need to yell..." Derek groaned as he emerged from a pile of metal and ammo. Ghost stood up right away, brushing some dust off his shoulder pad. "You alright Ghost?" Derek asked from behind his Grenadier helmet. Ghost gave a silent nod and picked up a SRS99-AM Sniper Rifle. Another groan was heard, this time from Kathy, who was bent over a nearby console. She picked herself up and popped her back.

"Good God almighty. Is everyone alright?" She asked. They all gave nods or thumbs up. "Good enough for me." She answered back picking up her M392 DMR. "So, what's the plan?" She asked Antony.

"Go to the Bridge, grab the ships' AI, then find out where the hell we are." He said quickly.

"Then let's go guys." Jane said grabbing dual M6C Magnums and holstering them. Derek walked past Jane quickly o the door.

"Allow me." He simply said. With a forceful kick, Derek forced the pair of sliding doors out of their slotting, sending them clattering to the floor.

"Very effective Derek." Antony noted. Derek chuckled and entered the hall outside, a M319 Grenade Launcher raised up to his shoulder.

"Alright Gypsy. Let's go grab that AI." Antony said leading the rest of them out of the room.

*     *     *

Twilight was leading the charge. On her back sat Spike, attempting to hold onto her as she ran. Over head flew Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Behind Twilight was Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, all running after their friend.

"Mind tellin' us what it was ya'll saw Twi?" Applejack called to her friend.

"No time! Keep running, we're almost there!" Twilight replied to the farmpony.

"Geez Twilight, just tell us!" Rainbow Dash called from above.

"You'll see when we get there!" Twilight yelled out in frustration. The others decided to drop the subject right away as the trees began to become more spaced apart. The air became filled with the smell of burnt wood as they drew closer to a massive skid mark that ran right up to the massive behemoth that sat before them. Gasping, Twilight stopped right away and pointed at the monstrosity.

"What is that thing?" She asked, horror and fear filling her voice.

"Does it look like any of us know, Twi?" Applejack asked, a deadpanned expression on her face.

"Come on, let's go check it out!" Rainbow said rushing towards the massive object.

"Whoa there Rainbow! Are you serious? We have no clue what that is!" Twilight said using her magic to grab the tip of Rainbows' tail. Rainbow glared back at the purple unicorn.

"We're not gonna figure out what it is by standing around, are we?" Rainbow asked deadpanned. Twilight sighed in defeat.

"You're right. Let's go, but we stay close, got it?" She asked the others. They all nodded in silence and they began their investigation.

*     *     *

The pair of sliding doors that lead to the Bridge began to creak open, a pair of gloved hands prying the twin doors apart with a grunt. Immediately, the power surged through and the doors opened up, showing the Spartans of Gypsy Squad standing in the door way. immediately they filed in and looked about the wrecked Bridge.

"Captain's dead." Derek grunted closing Jacobs' lifeless eyes with a gloved hand.

"Along with the rest of the crew, smart ass." Jane snapped.

"Hey, hey! No need for hostility. Where's that A.I.?" Antony asked. As if on que, a cough was heard from the direction of the Captains' Chair.

"I'm right here Gypsy." She said sitting on her haunches. The Spartans approached her and looked down at the A.I. pony.

"A pony? Seriously?" Kathy asked unimpressed. Roses' eyes went downcast at this remark.

"Hey, A.I. come in various forms." Jane snapped to the other Spartan.

"I know, but still. Seems kinda, childish, don't you think?" Kathy asked. Rose only slunk lover and had covered her face with her holographic hooves.

"Knock it off Kathy. Look at Rose. She's not liking your tone. Don't worry Rose, you're coming with me." Antony said pulling Roses' chip and installing it into the rear slot of his helmet.

"Thank you Commander." Rose said as she uploaded into his suits' systems. "Alright Gypsy. What's the plan?" She asked with a happy tone.

"Well, I guess the only thing now is to leave the ship in a Transport Warthog and recon the area." Derek suggested.

"Seems like that's the only reasonable thing to do. Alright, Gypsy, to the Vehicle Bay." Antony ordered. The other Spartans nodded and the squad proceeded to leave the bridge.

*     *     *

The ponies had been milling about the large wreck for a couple of hours now, investigating it and what it could be. Currently, Applejack was standing next to the massive mountain of metal, tapping it with a hoof.

"Well, it's metal. Whole lot of it though." She said casting her gaze up to the massive white insignia of a white eagle with the letters 'UNSC' under it. "What do ya'll think UNSC stands fer?" She added looking to the others.

"Beats me AJ." Rainbow said landing next to her. "But I can tell you this thing is huge! It's almost going over the edge of the cliff!"

"Yuck! This color is absolutely disgusting! If anything is going to be made of metal, it should be bright and vibrant, with curves! Not brown and bulky!" Rarity said giving a disgusted look at the metal behemoth.

"Rarity, we're encountering alien life and all you can think of is its' appearance?" Twilight asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh. My. Gosh guys! I could put all of PonyVille in this thing and throw the biggest party ever!" Pinkie Pie said bouncing around what looked like a massive door.

"How do we enter this thing?" Twilight asked herself aloud looking around for an entrance of sorts. Suddenly, a massive groan was hear and movement was seen. The ponies all looked to the opening black maw in the back of the behemoth. A ramp of sorts lowered onto the ground and multiple white eyes shinned from the darkness inside. The ponies gasped as a roar was heard from inside along with the lights.

*     *     *

It took almost two hours for the five Spartans of Gypsy Squad to navigate the twisted metal halls of the Juniper down to the Vehicle Bay. Upon arrival, it took about ten minutes to find a working Transport 'Hog and get it onto its' wheels and for all of them to climb in.

"Alright Rose, open the Bay Door." Antony ordered.

"Establishing connection to the mechanics now. Door is opening." Rose said tonelessly. The metal groaned and the hydraulic pumps hissed in effort to open the large Vehicle Bay door with little power. Once the door became a ramp, Antony started up the Warthog. The lights flared to life and he revved the engine, causing the Warthog to roar with its' familiar sound.

"And we're rolling!" Derek said with a chuckle. The Warthog lurched forward and proceeded out of the Vehicle Bay. Suddenly, Rose gasped.

"Commander! Stop! NOW!" She yelled. The Warthog flew out of the Vehicle Bay, but Antony had to slam on the brakes at Roses' sudden terror.

"What is it Rose? Contacts?" Antony asked.

"You...you could say that..." She replied a bit warily. "Look out in front of the Hog..." She added. Antony sat up a bit in the driver seat. He turned on the Warthogs' All-Terrain lights, illuminating the ground before them, illuminating six colorful objects.

"What the..."

On the ground sat six ponies, all shaking in terror, looking to the Warthog and its passengers, their eyes full of fear and curiosity.