Chapter Twelve
Divine Wind

February 26th, 2531
Equestrian star system, Cygnus arm
Royal City of Canterlot
Commander Michael Preston of the UNSC Marathon
Mission: eliminate Covenant presence in Equestria
2:13PM

"How has it been for them, Sir?" Private Leroy Jenkins asked Preston as he looked over a report on his datapad with Sergeant Grimesy in Princess Celestia's bedchambers.

Spartan-021 and his team were closeby with the Princesses.

"It's been bad, Marine. All ponies in Appleloosa are dead, and several that we knew personally are gone as well. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Lyra, and Bon-Bon. Rainbow Dash is missing, and Applejack is wounded. I hope no more will die, but I know some will" the Commander answered.

"Wait...Lyra and Bon-Bon are dead?" Jenkins said, turning away in anger and solemn and stepping outside onto the balcony.

Preston left the young Marine alone.

Jenkins rested his elbows on the railing and stared out at the Equestrian landscape, taking in the peace, serenity, and beauty.

Lyra...Bon-Bon...

The Private looked to the left at Ponyville in the distance and saw the Covenant ship encroaching upon a city of clouds.

"Lyra...Bon-Bon" Jenkins whispered angrily, stepping back into the bedchambers and standing before Commander Preston.

"Sir, what is the plan?" the Private asked.

"Board the Supercarrier and leave Equestria after killing all Covenant. We'll be leaving soon, so you better square away your gear" the Commander.

"Sir, request that Sergeant Grimesy and MCT-7 lead the assault on the bridge of the Supercarrier!" Jenkins declared, catching both Preston and Grimesy off guard.

"Granted, Marine."

As Private Jenkins walked towards the door Sergeant Grimesy caught him and asked "what're ya gonna do, Marine?"

"What we're supposed to do, Sir; kill them all" Jenkins answered, the flames of fury in his eyes.

-=-=-=-

Commander Preston entered the medical tent and approached Applejack as she lie on her bed recovering. Her remaining friends were still there, but were all asleep.

"How're you feeling?" Preston asked as he sat down on the bed next to Applejack's, waiting patiently as she sat up.

Tears almost instantly began to flow from Applejack's eyes as she began to talk.

"T-Them legs were ma life, I need them to buck the trees back on the farm. How is a pony supposed ta live when the things she needs for her special talent are taken from 'er?!" the farm mare inquired.

The human shook his head and replied "I don't know."

Applejack broke out into full on crying at Preston's response, and her sobs roused her friends from their sleep.

"Preston...what are you doing down here?" Twilight asked, rubbing her eyes as she tried to come around.

"I came to comfort AJ, she just lost her legs and you've all lost two friends. Plus a third is missing. I promise you we'll find Rainbow Dash before we leave" the Commander explained, a confident and determined tone in his voice.

"Wait...you're leaving?" Twilight said, a sad look in her eyes.

"Afraid so, Twilight. I've worked up a plan to steal the Covenant ship and use it to return home" Commander Preston told her.

Just then Everlasting Fall piped up. "Commander, I have been studying this plan and I must point out the flaws I have discovered" the AI declared.

"I'm listening, Fall."

"No human has ever captured a Covenant ship and detailed information is sketchy; we know not of their internal layout, flight controls, or defense systems. Also capturing a Covenant ship without first sweeping it for tracking devices is in clear violation of Cole Protocol Subsection 7" the AI explained.

"Subsection 7? I've never heard of it."

"I'm not surprised, it covers more of a 'what-if' scenario. No captured Covenant vessels may be brought to human-controlled space without first being exhaustively searched for tracking systems that could lead the Covenant to human bases or colonies" Fall stated.

"So how about we board the ship, activate the self-destruct sequence, and wait out for UNSC rescue. Everyone wins, right?" Preston said, offering his newly revised plan.

"Yes, Commander. This is satisfactory with the guidelines of the protocol."

Twilight was about to protest and say that Thar wouldn't be satisfied with this when she remembered that he was the villain, a fact that she still had not yet gotten over.

He liked and respected us ponies, he practically worshipped the Princess. Why did he suddenly change his mind when he learned humans were here? What is do bad about them? They're nice and and are more or less friendly. Maybe...maybe if I could just talk with Thar I could convince him to stop fighting the humans Twilight thought.

"Commander, can Rarity and I accompany you to the Covenant ship?" the lavender Unicorn stated.

"For what purpose, Twilight?" the human naval officer replied.

"We can protect you with our magic" Sparkle said.

Preston mulled over this for a moment before agreeing. "Permission granted, Twilight" Commander Preston told her, leaving the tent to head back to Celestia's bedchambers, leaving Twilight with Rarity and Applejack.

"About RD... Do ya think we'll ever see her again?" Applejack asked, tears still pouring out of her eyes.

"I don't know where Rainbow Dash is, but I know she's still alive. She's tough" Twilight answered confidently.

Rarity had to agree with this statement. "Yes indeed, it will take a lot more than a couple of ruffians to bring down dear ol' Rainbow Dash."

Applejack nodded and smiled for the first time in several days.

-=-=-=-

February 26th, 2531
Equestrian star system, Cygnus arm
Covenant CSO-class Supercarrier Divine Wind
Shipmaster Thar 'Saramee
Mission: exterminate all life in Equestria
5:01PM

"Arm all plasma cannons and bring us up ten units, heading two-two-zero by three-three-nine" Thar 'Saramee ordered weapons and navigation respectively as they barreled down on the Pegasus home city of Cloudsdale.

"Look there, they're already running like scared whelps!" Rav 'Taramai shouted excitedly, pointing at the display as dozens of Pegasi scattered away.

"Do NOT let any escape!" Thar declared, watching as the weapons officer typed furiously at his holographic keys to arm the point-defense lasers. The lasers were programmed to fire at any Pegasus attempting to escape.

The plasma cannons fired and sent torpedoes of super-heated plasma rocketing across the sky to Cloudsdale, boiling both the city and her inhabitants away.

Seven minutes later naught remained of Cloudsdale besides a few scant clusters of clouds.

Satisfied with the destruction Thar turned and was about to leave the control room when Rav caught his attention, proclaiming "Excellency, damage reports state that the damage to the plasma projector is too severe to fix on our own. The energy coils were severely warped by the kinetic round the human ship fired at us and any attempt to fire the projector will cause an explosion so great it will vaporize the entire front end of the Divine Wind. They will have to be repaired and refitted at a proper station."

Thar grunted in anger and left the control room, heading down to the local brig where a captive pony was being held. The pony in question held up in the air at eye level with the Shipmaster by gravity bands.

For a moment Thar merely looked the captive over, appreciating her sleek body and the powerful muscles underneath her coat. She would never be as naturally strong as a Sangheili or a Jiralhanae but her muscles were still strong and powerful.

She began to wake up.

"Well well well, look at who has awoken" Thar growled menacingly, taking a step back from the mare.

"Salami... Let me go! What do you want from me?!" the mare exclaimed, struggling to move in her bands. Shipmaster 'Saramee had also stretched out her wings and locked them in gravity bands of their own.

"I will not let you go, you inferior and primitive beast" Thar flatly stated as he drew his energy sword and waved it near her outstretched wings.

"Wha-what are you gonna do?" the Pegasus asked in very real fear, an emotion she rarely portrayed.

"Break you."

"No! Please, don't!" the mare pleaded as 'Saramee drew the blade back, the prongs pointing down at the base of her left wing. Electricity arced off the blade and every so often a spark would just barely graze her wing.

"So full of hate were our eyes that none of us could see. Our war would yield countless dead but never victory. So let us cast arms aside and like discard our wrath. Thou, in FAITH, will keep us safe whilst we. Find. The PATH!" Thar bellowed, swinging his sword and slashing both wings off in one deft move.

The Pegasus sobbed and cried and blubbered not at the physical pain, but the mental. She looked down and saw her wings separated from her body by mere centimeters and desperately squirmed and writhed to feel them on her once more.

'Why...? WHY?!" the mare barked out angrily, still sobbing.

"Because I found you" Thar answered coldly as he left the brig, his statement breaking the Pegasus further.

-=-=-=-

"So once we're on the ship we'll have Twilight and Rarity shield us while we clear it out, and then Everlasting Fall will hack the ship's controls and take us up into space. Once we're up there he'll vent all compartments on the ship but the one we're occupying at that time. Fall will then pressurize the ship, we'll clear the bridge, and drop Twilight and Rarity off before activating the self-destruct sequence. Any questions?" Commander Preston said to the Marines assembled in the room, finishing up the briefing.

"What if there are any prisoners on the ship?" Private Jenkins asked.

"Covenant don't take prisoners, boy. Remember?" Sergeant Grimesy retorted.

"Ah, but Sergeant, they don't take human prisoners. They may treat ponies differently."

"Private Jenkins has a point; when we get aboard the ship I'll have Fall sweep for any prisoners" Preston exclaimed.

"Yes, Commander" the AI replied.

"Alright, everyone's dismissed. MCT-7, stand by until everyone else leaves, I've got a request" Preston declared, waiting patiently for the rest of the Marines to leave.

"What's going on, Sir?" Sergeant Grimesy inquired.

"I'm concerned about Twilight Sparkle; she was friends with the Elite captain, Thar 'Saramee. She may not approve us going in to kill him. Just keep an eye on her when we board the ship; I doubt she'd try anything that would compromise the mission but this is just a precaution. If she does anything other than protect and guide us then you restrain her, but DON'T kill her" Commander Preston told them.

"Yes, Sir."

-=-=-=-

Preston braced himself as the Pelican bucked, the pilot moving to dodge a plasma bolt from a Seraph fighter, nearly colliding with another.

Two Pelicans, Mike-416 carrying MCT-7, Spartan-021, and Commander Preston; and Echo-419 carrying MCT-14 lead by a Gunnery Sergeant Jennifer Williams* were streaking across the Equestrian sky towards the Covenant Supercarrier.

Rarity and Twilight were also aboard M416 with the Commander, and both ponies were offering their critiques of the alien vessel.

"Oh my, what elegance and beauty. Look at the way it just flows across the sky; I never realized just how beautiful it is. Much nicer looking than what your deadful vessel looks like" Rarity swooned.

"My ship is currently scattered across the ruins of Appleloosa" the Commander reminded her.

"Well yes but even before then it looked hideous. These Covenant may be brutal ruffians but at least they make their ships look pretty."

"I think it looks more menacing than pretty; the hook-like prow and its sleek shape reminds me of a shark prowling through the dark waters for its next meal" Twilight lamented.

Commander Preston tuned out their ramblings as he ordered the pilot to fire several rockets at the ship as they neared the starboard** side. The rockets would never harm a Supercarrier in a millions years but were instead to be used to see if the shields were up.

When the smoke cleared and several scorch marks could be seen on the hull Preston knew the shields were down and ordered both Pelicans to increase their speed and get them inside before the shields could be brought back up.

They reached the hangar bay and the pilot pulsed the thrusters to slow them down before lowering the dropship to the deck and dropping the ramp.

"Touchdown! Hit it, Marines!"*** the pilot of E419 yelled over the radio as they all disembarked, the Marines of both Pelicans engaging the Covenant clustered in the hangar.

"Stick together, keep moving, and check any corners. We need to clear this ship fast. Fall, what's the verdict?" the Commander asked.

"One moment Sir... Done. Scans indicate that there is only one prisoner contained within this ship. Held in the brig closest to the bridge" Fall answered.

"Hit me."

"The sole prisoner is Rainbow Dash" the AI told them as Preston looked down at Twilight and Rarity.

"Well...that complicates the mission" Commander Preston said as they prepared to move out.

-=-=-=-

Author's Note

*This is the same Jennifer Williams that leads MCT-14 in the sequel, What Else Is Up There. She gets a demotion somewhere in the twenty years between this story and that one.
**This is the right side of the ship.
***This is obviously a reference to the same line yelled by Foehammer in the level Silent Cartographer in Halo: Combat Evolved and the Anniversary remake.

Legal note: Commander Michael Preston, Sergeant Christopher Grimesy, Shipmaster Thar 'Saramee, and all related characters belong to me. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro. Halo belongs to 343i.