What else is up There?

Foreword: Here it is, Phase One of Operation: Reclaim.

This is a big operation; the future of Equestria and the defeat of the Covenant hinges on this operation succeeding.

Let us begin.

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Chapter Fifteen

Operation: Reclaim Phase One

March 29, 2553
Equestrian star system
City of Manehattan
Staff Sergeant Jennifer Williams of Marine Combat Team Fourteen
1:05AM

"Stay quiet and stay alert, Marines. Our mission is simple; infiltrate the city of Manehattan under the cover of darkness and establish a foothold in the city" Staff Sergeant Williams said as she crouched in a dark alley with her squad, the skies covered in a thick layer of clouds and the ground slick from the rain falling from them.

"Our target is city hall, which the Covenant have turned into a headquarters of sorts" Williams told them.

"Now, we're going in with three other Marine Combat Teams; their objectives are to secure the police headquarters, the hospital, and the city's largest church. We will stay in contact with them over the course of this mission."

"Any questions?" the Staff Sergeant asked, hearing nothing from her Marines.

"Good. Equipment check" Williams declared, pulling her new BR55HB-SR over her shoulder and looking it over.

They were told this mission required the utmost in stealth, meaning that all their weapons had suppressors threaded to them or were replaced with specialized variants.

The Staff Sergeant's BR had a sound and flash suppressor and the digital display showing how many rounds had been turned off, as it gave off too bright of a glow in the dark when it was on.

Her M6G/C* magnum sidearm had been replaced with an M6C/SOCOM**, which has an integral silencer and muzzle brake, along with a VnSLS/V 6E smart-linked 4x scope.

Corporal Hughes had traded in his MA5C for an M7 sub-machine gun that had been customized with a sound suppressor and special tritium night sights.

The other Marines had similar equipment.

"Let's go" Williams said, her boots striking the wet pavement as her and the Marines prepared to move out of the alley and into the city, moving under the cover of darkness.

Manehattan was swarming with Covenant; dozens of Wraiths, scores of Ghosts, hundreds of Banshees, and thousands of Brutes patrolled through and above the city, keeping its borders and skies secure from any would-be interlopers.

The Marines proved otherwise.

Marine Combat Team Fourteen stopped in another alley and Williams got on the radio to check in with one of the other Marine squads.

"Marine Combat Team 42, this is MCT 14, come in, over" Williams said while the other Marines kept an eye out for Covenant.

"Roger that, ve read you MCT 14. Vhat's the situation?" the commanding officer of MCT 42, a one Lieutenant Hans Strauss asked in his typical german accent.

"We have started our portion of the mission, and are currently on our way to the rendezvous point" the Staff Sergeant explained.

"Understood. Ve vill be there soon. Lieutenant Strauss out" the Marine said.

"Strauss will make a fine General someday, no?" Private Samuel asked, squatting down with his suppressed MA5C between his legs.

"Yes" Corporal Hughes answered.

"Quiet down, Marines, let's get moving; the longer we stick around the better the chance the Covenant find us" Staff Sergeant Williams stated, stowing the radio and approaching the end of the alley to look out into the street.

It was clear after the Wraith tank on it glided right past the alley.

"Come on" Williams motioned for the Marines to followed her as they stealthily walked down the street, the Wraith tank gliding along some distance ahead of them, completely oblivious to the presence of the humans.

The squad reached an intersection and looked around, making sure the two branching streets were clear before continuing on their way.

Suddenly the Staff Sergeant stopped moving and held up her fist, silently ordering the other Marines to do so as well.

"Look, up there, there's a Jackal sniper" Williams said, pointing up to the roof of a seven-story hotel, on which was the purple glow of a Jackal's sniper mask.

"Avoid or eliminate?" Private Samuel asked.

"Eliminate; Jackals have excellent sight. I'm surprised he hasn't seen us yet" Williams responded, taking aim on the Jackal sniper with her BR.

Letting off a suppressed burst with her rifle that was inaudible over the rainfall Williams eliminated the Jackal sniper, keeping them safe from detection for a little while longer.

The Marines quietly proceeded down the street and before long they reached the rendezvous point where MCT 42, 48, and 77 awaited.

"Took you long enough" the CO of MCT 77, Sergeant Major Frank Williams exclaimed as MCT 14 approached them.

"Sorry, sir. Permission to speak insultingly?" Staff Sergeant Williams inquired jokingly.

"Permission denied, sis" Frank Williams replied, returning the salute the Staff Sergeant was giving him.

Sergeant Major Frank Williams was Staff Sergeant Jennifer Williams' brother.

"Listen up, Marines, I have received valuable intel from the Dawn of the Sun and her recon drones; each of our objectives are heavily guarded and fortified. Vee must break through, however. It is currently 0135 hours, and the invasion starts at 0700. Vee must get to and secure each of our respective objectives before then, ja? Lieutenant Strauss explained.

"What's the plan?" Staff Sergeant Jennifer Williams asked.

"MCT 14 has been ordered by the Captain to take city hall, which leaves the other three open. MCT 48 vill take the police station while MCT 77 takes the church. Vee will take zee hospital. Any questions?" Lieutenant Strauss said.

Nobody said anything.

"Wunderbar. Now, get to it, Marines. Vee don't have much time" Strauss stated, motioning for his Marines to follow him as they exited the alley and stealthily went on their way.

"Take care out there, Jenny" Sergeant Major Williams told his sister.

"Is that an order?" Jennifer inquired.

"It is."

Staff Sergeant Williams saluted her brother as he and the other Marine Combat Team went their separate ways, leaving MCT 14 alone in the alley.

"Let's go" Williams ordered, her Marines following her as they went down the dark alley to make their way to the city hall.

Halfway there they came upon the city center, which was a large courtyard with a pony version of the Statue of Liberty standing in the middle.

The courtyard had been turned into a staging ground of sorts for the Covenant, with dozens of ground vehicles and Brutes milling about, all guarded by several Shade*** stationary plasma turrets and Jackal snipers on the nearby rooftops.

"Damn, what is that all about?" Private Samuel Jenkins asked as he looked at all the Covenant vehicles and soldiers.

"They really like this city. The main invasion force will have a tough time punching through all this" Corporal Hughes said.

"Not to worry; the Elites are going to reinforce all the Marine squads in this city a few hours before the invasion. With the support from the Elites and the foothold we will establish, plus the full force of the invasion, we'll pinch the Covenant between us and eliminate them" Staff Sergeant Williams explained.

"It'll kinda be like the invasion of Berlin during WWII; the reds came in from one side and the allies came in from the other, pinching the nazis in between and killing them all before meeting at the heart of the city."

"Let's keep moving, Marines" Williams said, slinking into the shadows across the street along with her Marines.

They continued through the city, eventually reaching the city hall where they went around to the back door and went inside, silently closing it behind them.

"It's show time" Corporal Hughes commented as they moved through the dark back halls of the city hall, moving quietly lest they be heard by any Brutes.

The building was mostly clear, save for several Brutes that were easily killed by the Marines as they searched for the mayor's office.

Eventually they arrived and cracked the door open, looking in to see a Brute War Chieftain sitting in the chair, watching and listening to the clan Chieftain talking to him.

"Thanatos, clan brother of the great Basilius****, what may I do for you?" the War Chieftain asked, bowing before the hologram of the clan Chieftain.

"That clan leader Brute is the one that tried to kill us when we rescued Twilight" PFC Mallard told them quietly.

"The humans and Sangheili are falling back, running like the cowards they are and abandoning dozens of pony settlements. It's almost as if they're leaving the ponies behind as sacrifices to appease us. The ponies are delicious but what our enemies fail to realize is that we will consume them all" the hologram of the clan Chieftain exclaimed.

"Of course, Chieftain" the Brute in the chair replied.

"We will continue to search the caves we found beneath their capital city, in the meantime you keep searching for those artifacts" Thanatos ordered.

"Yes, Chieftain" the Brute in the chair said, bowing again before turning off the hologram.

The Brute turned his back to the door and looked over some things on his holo-pad, allowing Staff Sergeant Williams to sneak in and slash his throat.

City hall was secure.

"Captain Mitchell, this is Staff Sergeant Williams of MCT 14, we have taken the city hall, over" Williams said over the radio.

"Understood, Staff Sergeant. Keep the building secure until we begin the invasion" the Captain ordered.

"Copy that, Sir. Staff Sergeant Williams out."

"Let's make another round of the building, make sure it's secure, and then we'll all try to get some sleep" Williams told her Marines.

Phase One had been completed and was a total success, it would soon be time for Phase Two.

They could all only hope that it will go well.

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*This is the Halo 3 magnum.
**This is the Halo 3: ODST magnum.
***This is the Halo 3 Shade turret.
****This is the name of the Brute antagonist in Michael Blackburn's Fight For Equestria Halo/MLP parody and is a reference to that story.

Author's Note: There, you happy Blackburn? You finally got your reference.

Operation: Reclaim Phase One is complete. Phase Two: the main assault on the city of Manehattan to free it from the grasp of the Covenant.

Stay tuned for that.

Let's see if anybody actually reads these: I fucking hate writing. I fucking hate all of you. If you actually like my stories then you're an idiot because these stories are so fucking shitty only a dumbass would read them. You all can suck a dick and die. I'm never gonna write another story ever again.

(I'm just kidding, I love you all. Ponies belong to Hasbro. Halo belongs to 343i. Staff Sergeant Williams and other related characters belong to me.)