What else is up There?

Foreword: here it is, Phase Two of Operation: Reclaim. Phase Two is assault the city of Manehattan to liberate it from the Covenant.

Enjoy.

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Chapter Sixteen

Operation: Reclaim Phase Two

March 29th, 2553
Equestrian star system
Skies above Equestria, edge of the city of Manehattan
Shipmaster Rala 'Toram of the CCS-class battlecruiser Everlasting Faith; Fleetmaster of the Second Fleet of Unified Clarity.
7:00AM

"Fire the MAC cannon!" Fleetmaster 'Toram heard Captain Mitchell order as the UNSC Dawn of the Sun floated steadily toward the Covenant Destroyer hovering above Manehattan.

The Destroyer's shields had already been broken by the Everlasting Faith, leaving the destruction of the ship up to the humans.

The Dawn's MAC thundered and a 600-ton slug lanced out across the sky, smashing through the side of the Destroyer, crippling the ship heavily and opening it up for the follow-up attack, which was all the Archer missiles from pods A1 to A7.

Over a hundred Archer missiles rocketed out of their pods and streaked straight for the Covenant Destroyer, impacting near the engines and causing the ship to dip down as it lost power.

Suddenly a needle-thin beam lanced out to the left of the Dawn as the Everlasting Faith fired its plasma projector, the deadly beam impacting and immediately slicing into the Destroyer, starting a chain reaction that obliterated the vessel.

With the Covenant Destroyer gone the only air support the Brutes would have were their Banshees, which would be easily dealt with by the point-defense turrets of both the Dawn of the Sun and the Everlasting Faith.

The two ships proceeded to destroy any Banshees or Seraphs they saw, easily obliterating the comparatively small vehicles.

The Marines on the ground moved from building to building, clearing them of any Covenant forces that were hiding inside.

"This is going well, no?" Captain Mitchell asked Fleetmaster 'Toram via the comm link.

"It is, human. Soon we will reclaim this city and then free all of Equestria from the Jiralhanae" Rala responded.

"Indeed, Fleetmaster" the Captain stated, looking out the viewport at Manehattan as the battles on the ground raged.

Suddenly the ground-to-ship radio crackled to life and the voice of Staff Sergeant Jennifer Williams came through.

"Captain we've got some kind of Brute cannon down here firing at us! Can we get some support?" the Staff Sergeant asked.

Fleetmaster 'Toram looked down and saw the cannon in question sitting at the top of a T-shaped intersection, blasting its plasma at any human or Sangheili unit it saw.

"I don't believe I've ever seen that design before" Captain Mitchell declared.

The Covenant cannon was larger than a Wraith but smaller than a Phantom dropship and was supported by four legs, the plasma turret swiveling around on top of the base.

"It's a Type 95 'Widow'* anti-air artillery designed for maximum stealth with minimum power sacrifice. Not very effective against ships but it will incinerate your warriors, Captain" Rala explained.

"Yeah well let's take care of it" Captain Mitchell told him. "Arm Archer missile pod A8 and fire on that Covenant plasma cannon."

The missiles streaked out of their tubes and rocketed straight for the plasma cannon, impacting on it and obliterating the weapon.

"Thank you, sir. We owe you one" Staff Sergeant Williams said over the radio.

"Everlasting Faith, this is UNSC Dawn of the Sun; move up, we need to continue assisting our soldiers on the ground" Captain Mitchell said on the comm.

The battle had only just begun.

"Longsword battle squadron 7, launch and commence bomb run on grid 1994" Captain Mitchell ordered over his comm to the pilots waiting on standby down in hangar 14.

"Roger that, Sir. We're on the move."

"Launch Seraphs to assist the humans and arm four of our plasma turrets to engage Phantom gunships" Rala ordered his bridge officers while watching the battle on the ground unfold as the humans and his Sangheili valiantly pushed against the Jiralhanae.

"Captain we're gonna need support down here!" Staff Sergeant Williams requested.

"Understood. We'll section off a Pelican gunship to assist you" the human captain responded.

"Notify Gamma six-six, tell them to prep a full assault load" Captain Mitchell ordered.

It was time to truly assist the humans.

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"Marine Combat Team Fourteen this is Gamma 6-6, callsign 'Warhorse', we are OpCon to you and are ready to engage targets. Just paint 'em and we'll waste 'em" the pilot of the Pelican gunship stated over the radio.

The Pelican had been heavily customized with increased armor and a black paintjob. The chin-gun was a standard 70mm single-barrel and the wings had been fitted with Anvil-III missile pods stretching all the way to the tips of the wings. In addition to these weapons the rear hatch had a slot cut into it for a 40mm grenade launcher.

It truly was a warhorse.

"Copy that, Gamma 6-6. Stand by for targets" the commanding officer of MCT 14 replied over the radio.

"Set scan range. Ready all weapons and keep an eye out for Seraphs and Banshees" the pilot ordered a gunner, a Lieutenant by the name of Preston Marlowe**.

"Gamma 6-6, this is MCT 14, we've got three Wraiths down the street. Permission to engage" Staff Sergeant Williams said.

"Copy that, MCT 14. Stand by for fire."

The Pelican soared over the street and the gunner took aim with the 70mm chain gun, which was slaved to his helmet; when his head turned the gun turned with it.

"Fire" the pilot ordered.

25 rounds of 70mm ammunition streaked out of the barrel and impacted on their targets, ripping the Wraiths open and disintegrating the Brute pilots within.

"Thanks Gamma 6-6, we owe you one" Staff Sergeant williams declared.

"Reset scan range" the pilot said as the Pelican continued to follow MCT 14 while they proceeded into a large hotel and casino.

"Gamma 6-6, this is MCT 14, we've got Brute snipers in the wing across the courtyard. Engage" Williams ordered.

Looking down Lieutenant Marlowe could see carbine shots racing out across a courtyard in the center of the hotel and casino and the yellow streaks of battle rifle rounds as the Marines returned fire.

"Uhh, negative, MCT 14. Orders are to not engage the buildings. The Captain thinks there may still be Ponies inside" the pilot replied.

"There aren't any ponies in there! Just fucking Brutes! Enga- SHIT! Corporal Hughes is down!" Staff Sergeant Williams yelled.

"I'M OK!"

"Captain, this is Gamma 6-6, MCT 14 is requesting fire on the north-east wing of the Lunar Mane Hotel and Casino. Do we have permission to engage?" the Pelican pilot inquired, with silence as her only response for a few seconds before Captain Mitchell came back on.

"Copy that, Gamma 6-6. Permission granted."

"Copy that. Gamma 6-6, engaging" the pilot replied.

Lieutenant Marlowe took aim and fired seven Anvil-III missiles into where the carbine fire was coming from, obliterating the front of the wall and incinerating the Brutes standing at the windows.

"Thank you, Gamma 6-6" Staff Sergeant Williams exclaimed.

"Reset the scan range and stand by for more targets" the pilot ordered, with Lieutenant Marlowe complying.

"Gamma 6-6, this is MCT 14, we're moving to the city center with MCT 77. Stand by for targets, over" Williams said.

"Understood, MCT 14, standing by for fire order."

The Marines and Elites were making their final push into the heart of Manehattan.

It would all be over soon.

*-*-*

Princess Celestia had never been so worried for her kingdom before in her entire time as its leader as she was right now.

The Covenant had returned to her planet, and were trying to finish what they started twenty years ago.

Of course back then it had been Thar 'Saramee and the Sangheili, now it was a fellow by the name of Thanatos and the Jiralhanae, who were apparently the greatest enemy of the Sangheili.

Celestia had been reluctant to trust the Sangheili given what they had been responsible for twenty years ago, but all those Sangheili that had been under the command of Thar were dead, killed when the Shipmaster self-destructed his ship.

Princess Celestia never understood why he destroyed his own ship and killed all under his command, including himself.

He did seem surprised when he took a look at my chest-piece. Perhaps he saw the Forerunner glyphs on it and realized his mistakes the Princess thought.

It seemed like the most likely explanation.

Celestia shook her head and looked down at her beloved student, Twilight Sparkle, who was unconscious on one of the many beds in the Dawn of the Sun's med-bay.

Twilight, you are the closest thing I've ever had to a daughter. I love you, and I never want to lose you Celestia mused as she nuzzled against Twilight's cheek.

I love you.

Suddenly Twilight awoke with a gasp, prompting Celestia to jerk her head back in surprise as she stared down at her student with concern.

"Twilight, I'm so glad you're-" the Princess started before being cut off by her student.

"Where's Captain Mitchell?" Twilight demanded.

"Twilight, I-" Celestia said before being cut off again.

"WHERE IS HE?" Twilight yelled with increased fervor.

"He's on the bridge, I believe. Why?" Celestia asked, looking down at Sparkle in curiousity.

"They know... They know!" Twilight whispered, pure fear in her eyes.

Before Celestia could ask what she meant the Dawn's A.I. came on over the ship-wide comm.

"Alert! FTL*** ruptures detected! Fourteen Covenant capital ships have entered the area and are now descending upon Manehattan. Advise immediate evasion."

Suddenly Captain Mitchell's voice thundered through the speakers. "Jesus fuck, they're everywhere! EVASIVE MANEUVERS! Arm the MAC cannon and ALL Archer missile pods! Ready a Shiva nuclear warhead!"

"Alert! Covenant ships have opened fire and are preparing to glass the city" the A.I. declared.

"Order all forces to retreat! SHUT UP, RALA! IF WE DON'T RETREAT NOW WE'RE ALL GONNA FUCKING DIE!" Captain Mitchell bellowed. Celestia swore she could hear Rala 'Toram yelling something about 'cowards' while Mitchell was yelling.

Suddenly the Dawn of the Sun bucked, throwing Celestia to the floor as the ship began to dip down.

"We've been hit! Power to the engines has been lost! All hands, brace for impact!" the Captain screamed as the Dawn shook with a terrifying intensity, items and equipment around the room falling over while sparks shot off from the lights as they shorted out, plunging the room into total darkness.

As she fell over Princess Celestia's head struck the metal inhibitor bars on the side of the bed, knocking her cold.

The last thing she heard before she blacked out was her student, her star pupil, her daughter, yelling "PRINCESS!"

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*This is an original creation.
**This is a reference to Battlefield: Bad Company.
***Slipspace travel is not possible in atmosphere due to magnetic interference, so the Covenant were forced to use conventional faster-than-light travel.

The shit's really hit the fan for the UNSC and Sangheili, and by extension the ponies of Equestria. Will they survive the surprise attack from the Covenant? And will they still be able to defeat the Covenant? Only time will tell.

"No, no, they'll just send in some lawyer douchebags with pussy-ass lawsuits in their hands instead of us"(Corporal Legal Note, Disclaimer Company, Codename: One private army Special Activities Devision.): Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. Staff Sergeant Williams, Captain James Mitchell, and all related characters belong to me. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro. Halo belongs to 343 Industries.

Review this chapter or Haggard will single-handedly invade a neutral country(your house) and kill everything whilst yelling "LEEEROOY JEEENKINS!"