Dimensional Chaos: Evil Rising

He was Captain Lasky, commanding officer of the UNSC mightiest starship.  Now..... he was the man who presided over the greatest defeat in human history.  He looked around him.  In the bridge of his ship.... it was chaos.  Metal shards and loose wires hung everywhere..... his comms officer lay dead at his station.  He had a casualty report of 60% on the datapad in his hands..... 60% of the massive fleet he had been given command of.  Outside..... repair ships were desperately working on repairing what was left of the UNSC's and House Vadam's task forces.  Lasky sighed.

At first.... it was thought to be a resurgent Covenant.... but even the Covenant were having problems.  Their own forward bases had been decimated, human colonies had gone completely dark..... and it was because of a fleet of seemingly indestructible dreadnoughts..... and according to this report..... they were sentient starships of all things.

Only one good thing had come from all of this: the success of two legendary squads of soldiers.  One was perhaps one of the greatest Spartan Fireteams in existence: Fireteam Majestic.  The other.... well they weren't exactly human.... or even Covenant.  Aurora Squad, Equestria's finest, most elite soldiers, had volunteered to assist the UNSC in answering a new threat.

Aurora Squad had brought back the intel.  Lasky chuckled when he remembered seeing that squad for the first time.  He had been skeptical at first.

The first of the pony soldiers had been a UNICORN of all things.  Magelight, expert in offensive magic, defensive magic, and demolitions.  He had a bit of a country spirit.  As strange as his species was, this guy really knew how to fight.  Strong, stubborn, and competitive, but honest to a frightening degree and skilled in his fields without doubt.  He could provide a Magic Bombardment or Magika Shield in the blink of an eye and often bring down any standing structure within 30 seconds or less.  You don't mess with this guy or his squad unless you wanna become a puddle of blood and guts.

The second was Blackstar.  He was an Earth Pony, and he had frightening skills as a deadeye sniper and stealth infiltrator.  However, off the battlefield, he was often the party freak, as posed by his attitude even during briefing.  His stealth skills often.... had him seeming close to breaking the 4th wall..... though everyone knew he couldn't, cameras always had him pegged if he wasn't careful, at least until after the UNSC's enhanced stealth course.  Lasky chuckled when he remembered that Blackstar also had a sense of humor and always knew what to say to make everyone in the room laugh.

Then there was Tyro.  Unicorn, Tech Support specialist and Cyberwarfare expert.  He often used armor abilities, creating elements on the battlefield that supported his team, be that regen fields, bubble shields, auto-sentries, or mines.  His hacking abilities were legend, even managing to crack the greatest firewalls that Roland could put up just for practice.  Damn that pony was good.  Despite the danger that he was to his enemies, he was sophisticated and often treated most non-combat situations as a formal event.  He was a generous guy, often lending the kind of support others failed to give and providing gifts to his fellow soldiers.  He was also, interestingly enough, skilled in armor development, creating aesthetically pleasing yet highly functional sets of armor equipped with the latest and greatest in technology.  He had a field day when he was given access to UNSC armor tech.  Honest to god, you would have thought he was gay for a minute with the giddy giggle he let out.... which in turn earned a smartass joke from Blackstar that made Tyro huff in indignation.  Damn that one made Lasky laugh.

Next was Firestorm.  Pegasus, Heavy Weapons specialist, and Logistical expert.  He often provided the best in suppressive fire, mortar bombardments, and logistical analysis of enemy supply lines right down to a frighteningly accurate degree.  He was also fast.... VERY fast.  Competitive too.  However, his loyalty to his squad was always paramount.  When he received an order, he followed it and did it well too.  Plus, he was always there to pull fellow soldiers out of a hotspot.  It was likely because of him that casualties were only 60%, not 65 or 70.  He was unreal.  His armor also provided him with the ability to achieve controlled flight in the vacuum of space thanks to micro-thruster technology.... although it wasn't recommended he try entering or exiting a planet's atmosphere with the suit alone.

Then there was Pureheart.  Also a Pegasus, he was the team's Medical and Psychological specialist.  In combat, he was a deadly force.  In the medbay or triage tent, he was the greatest medic in the field.  In the interrogation room, he was a beastly monster that every enemy of the UNSC, House Vadam, or Equestria HATED.  Off the battlefield though.... he was sensitive.... regretful of the horrible things he's had to do though aware of how necessary they were.  He often made up for these things through his kindness to others off the field or in the medbay.  He often gave the best in treatment and his patients often left with a smile and renewed confidence.  He had his work cut out for him today.....

Finally, there was the squad's leader.  And surprisingly, one of the highest ranking members of Equestria's Paladin Guard.  He was a Commander to be precise.  Gunnarmain Steelhoof, Tactical and Strategic Mastermind, Inventor, and (thanks to lessons from his wife) a budding prodigy of magic that could flay a man alive with his mind.  As Squad Leader, he was the one in charge of ensuring Aurora Squad's safety and success.  It was his actions that had brought in the intel they needed..... five hours ago.

---Five Hours Prior---

"GO GO GO!!! GET IN THERE!!!"  As Gunnar yelled to his squad, red bolts of deadly energy flew their way.  He used his magic to hold open a door that had been impeding their progress.... and he was straining.

Pureheart looked at the Commander with concern.  "Sir.... you alright!?"

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME!  JUST GET IN THERE AND WATCH TYRO'S BACK!  WE NEED THAT DATA!"  Gunnar yelled at him.

Pureheart nodded and galloped through the door.  The only thing that had been blocking the enemy from killing Gunnar as he held the door was a bubble shield that Tyro had left behind reinforced by a magika shield held up by Magelight.  "Sir we need to get back to cover NOW," Mage yelled at him.

"YEAH I GET THAT!  LAST ONE IS THROUGH, DROPPING THE DOOR!"  Gunnar let his magic ease and the door slammed shut with a loud clang.  He was surprised that these dreadnoughts had doors.... or that they were even able to get aboard.  Good thing Tyro is "A master of his craft" as he claims to be.  Hacking a ship computer that was apparently alive can't have been easy.  Gunnar and Magelight took positions at the nearby cover, their mag-boots clanking against the metal plating.  Gunnar looked over to see a large number of bulbous humanoids aiming their weapons in the stallions' direction.  "Damn..... that's a whole lot of tangos....."

Magelight scoffed, "We can take 'em.  No bucking alien beast is takin my buddies from me."

Gunnar smirked, "Let's just keep these bastards out of the core room till Tyro and the others can get us that data.  He said five minutes right?"

Magelight raised an eyebrow: "Yeah... he did."

Gunnar chuckled.  "Let's give him ten.  LIGHT EM UP!"

Mage and Gunnar broke cover and raised their weapons, initiating a plasma bombardment unlike any other.  The creatures were quick to go down, ever plasma bolt finding its mark in the mass of hybrid cyborg aliens.

The radio crackled to life and Tyro's voice was heard.  "Hey guys, this thing is dumber than it looks or it took some form of damage before it got here.  Either way, I'm already downloading the data and there is a huge bunch of it.  Footage, recorded info, data intercepts, everything.  We'll be coming out in three minutes.  Have the limo ready."

Gunnar laughed, "You're smarter than you look jackass!"  He fired another round and three of the aliens went down in a domino effect.

He could hear the smirk in Tyro's voice.  "Now now, no need for vulgarity.  Can't have a little finesse on these missions?"

Gunnar shook his head with a grin on his face as he took cover again to reload.  "Tyro, there isn't much room for finesse on these ships.  Save it for the Canterlot Ballrooms will ya?"

Tyro laughed.  "Roger that Commander.  Tyro out."

Magelight grinned at Gunnar: "Time for a little surprise."

Gunnar nodded at him in response, "Do it."

Magelight and Gunnar turned and fired a bombardment of kinetic energy with their magic. Blasting cybernetic aliens back and forth all over the place.  Some of them became bloody, pulpy, wiry puddles.

For three minutes, the two sides traded fire.  Then, the radio came to life.  Shadow Stalker's voice was heard.  "You know maybe those aliens should look up every once in a while.  It would save em alot of trouble."  a lot of laughter was heard from the rest of the squad as a pair of grenades fell down into the mix of alien hostiles...... BOOM!!!!  Bodies flew everywhere.

Gunnar snickered,  "Shadow, you smartass."

Magelight could only grin.

"Tyro here.  We're coming out.  Could you get the door for us good sir?"

Gunnar rolled his eyes and concentrated his magic on the door, forcing it open while disrupting the magnetic locks.  As soon as it opened, the  dark blue Unicorn, Tyro and the golden yellow pegasus, Pureheart rushed through, followed by a black pegasus in equally black angular body armor that unleashed a hail of plasma on the remainder of the aliens with a pair of shoulder mounted Ravager Plasma Gatling guns.

Mage depolarized his visor to show his red-furred face and his grin.  "Firestorm you showoff."

Firestorm grinned back at him.  "Just savin' the day pal."

Gunnar rolled his eyes.  "Come on guys, back to the Pelican!  Mage, get that team shield up.  Shadow, meet us at the landing site."

Shadow's smirk could be heard in his voice,  "I'm already there.  Man you guys are slowpokes.  Oh and DeMarco says hi."

Gunnar grinned and took the lead,  "Come on you maniacs."

They fell in line.  Mage brought his shield up while Tyro kept dropping mines.  Plasma fire continued to be directed at the enemy by Gunnar, Firestorm, and Pureheart.  Soon the exit hatch was in sight, with the rear-port engine nacelle of the Pelican they had attached to the hull under the large dreadnaught's shields visible on the other side.  Gunnar stopped at the hatch and put up his own magic shield, ushering his team through.  Mage added to the shield's strength.

A blue armored, humanoid figure appeared at the door and held up what Gunnar recognized as a UNSC MA5D Assault Rifle.  "COVERING FIRE!" It yelled with a voice Gunnar recognized as belonging to one Carlo Hoya.  The bullets flew at the alien creatures, bombarding them with devastating HEAP rifle rounds.  A lot of meat and tubes fell to the "floor" or floated off into the alien ship.

Gunnar smirked and gave a thankful nod to Hoya.  Aurora and Majestic retreated to the Pelican as Tyro used his expertise to slam the hatch in the enemy's face so to speak.  They boarded the Pelican, and DeMarco was waiting for em.  When the hatch closed and the cabin pressurized, he took off his helmet to reveal a saddened grimace.  "Tyro, Thorne, get us out of her."

"Aye sir," Gabriel Thorne called back.  He began piloting the Pelican away from the ship and Tyro used his hacking abilities one more time to open a hole in the enemy shields for em and make em invisible to enemy sensors more or less.  They still had to dodge a few GIANT RED LASERS! along the way but Thorne was a damn good pilot.  The Infinity was waiting for em.

Infinity seemed to have been taking a beating.  When she entered Slipspace IMMEDIATELY after the Pelican entered the hangar.... Gunnar knew something was wrong.  The op hadn't been flawless after all....

DeMarco looked at him sadly.  "The Captain wants us all in the debriefing room..... six hours....."

Gunnar nodded in understanding.... and a lot of smiles vanished in that moment....