What else is up There?

Chapter Eight

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March 23rd, 2553
Equestrian star system
Town of Ponyville
Shipmaster Rala 'Toram of the CCS-class battlecruiser Everlasting Faith; Fleetmaster of the Second Fleet of Unified Clarity

Fleetmaster 'Toram's boots struck ground and the Phantom dropship that brought him down flew off, returning to the Everlasting Faith, which was hovering beside the Royal City of Canterlot.

Talks of an alliance had been going very well between the Shipmaster and the ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia, to the point where the Princess had allowed Rala to return for Ponyville for the time being.

The ponies of the town still feared and hated the Fleetmaster for what Shipmaster 'Saramee did twenty years ago but officially the two species were on the fast track to becoming allies.

Rala opened the door to Ponyville's library and found Captain Mitchell and the Unicorn Twilight Sparkle sitting together on a couch, the human answering questions the Unicorn was putting forth.

"Ah, welcome back, Fleetmaster 'Toram. How'd the talks go with the Princess?" Captain Mitchell asked.

"Fine. She permitted me to return to Ponyville for a short time, and I believe that our two species will soon be allies" Rala answered.

"That's good" the Captain said.

"I'm hesitant to trust you, Fleetmaster, but if the Princess trusts you then I guess I can too" Twilight Sparkle stated.

"No, do not trust one because your leader does, that is the surest path to destruction. Don't ever accept or agree with something because your leader does. Make your own decisions, choose to trust who you want to trust, and like or dislike something or someone for your own reasons" Rala declared.

"What are you suggesting?" Twilight asked, very much confused.

"Question your leader, do not submit to the same blind subservience that the Sangheili did, lest you nearly suffer the same fate at the hands of your leader" the Fleetmaster answered.

Twilight immediately defended her mentor. "Captain Mitchell told me more about your split from the Covenant and the Princess would never do to us what the Hierarchs did to you."

"I once thought the same thing for my people" Fleetmaster 'Toram stated darkly before turning and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" both Twilight and Mitchell asked in unison.

"I wish to visit the one you call Applejack, I believe she hates us with a passion" Rala responded.

"What do you think, Captain? Can we trust him to go to Applejack's alone?" Twilight asked, turning to the human.

"Absolutely" the Captain said.

"Very well then, you may go, Fleetmaster" Sparkle exclaimed.

"I was not asking for permission" 'Toram growled at them before exiting the library, slamming the door shut behind him.

The Sangheili proceeded across town to the apple farm known as Sweet Apple Acres and knocked on the door to the barnhouse, stepping back and patiently waiting for one of the inhabitants to open the door.

When it did happen Rala 'Toram looked down into the face of an orange female pony with blonde hair and what the humans called a 'cowboy hat.'

She immediately tried to attack the Sangheili.

"We will have none of that!" Rala exclaimed, putting the mare down into a neutral position.

"What are y'all doing here?" the mare demanded.

"We have come to build a diplomatic relationship with your people. I have come here to make peace with you, for I know you hate my people and all ill feelings must be worked out before a true alliance can be formed" Rala explained.

"What?" the mare asked, greatly confused.

"I have come asking for forgiveness for the past actions of my people" the Fleetmaster said in simpler terms.

"Ah don't think so; one of your kind cost me ma legs, and the rest killed hundreds of ponies, including a few of ma friends. There ain't no way we're gonna be friends!" the mare stated.

"Are you really so stubborn? Can you not forgive my people for something that happened twenty years ago?" Rala asked.

"No! Ah can not!" the orange female screamed.

"Fine. So be it" the Fleetmaster declared, releasing the mare and stepping away.

The mare got back into position in the doorway, staring at the Fleetmaster in unbridled anger and malice.

"Yew and I will never be friends; ya got that?" the orange mare inquired.

"Absolutely" Rala answered, turning and walking away.

"And don't ever come around here again!" the mare yelled after him, earning a huff of acknowledgement from the Sangheili Fleetmaster.

Can not say I didn't try the Fleetmaster thought as he re-entered the town proper, earning the usual menacing and fearful looks from the townsponies.

As Rala entered the town square where a structure known as a 'town hall' resided he accidentally bumped into a Pegasus pony who was floating along, knocking her to the ground hard.

"Get out of my way" Rala demanded as the gray Pegasus looked up at him, fear immediately filling her eyes which were both aligned in different directions.

The Pegasus scrambled away a few inches and yelled "get away!" earning the attention of several nearby ponies who immediately came over to save their friend from the Sangheili.

"Get away from her you split-mouth freak!" one of the ponies demanded, angering the Fleetmaster who had to physically restrain himself from killing her and the other ponies.

"Yeah! Why don't you get back on your big floaty thing and leave us all alone!" one other pony demanded; the commotion was starting to draw a crowd, all of them interested in harassing the seven foot tall alien.

"Nopony wants your kind here!"

"Our foals are constantly in danger! I had to pull my little filly out of school to keep her safe at home!"

"The Princess should forbid you from being here!"

"Get out of our town, you freak!"

The ponies were beginning to surround the Fleetmaster, much to his mild disapproval as they were of no real threat to him.

Suddenly there was a loud ping as a rock bounced off the Fleetmaster's helmet, having been thrown by a nearby pony.

The move provoked the Fleetmaster to whip around and draw his energy sword, activating it with a single flick which caused the blade to ignite into existence and eliciting frightened screams from the crowd as they backed off a few steps.

"Who threw that?" the Fleetmaster demanded, looking around the crowd for any ponies who looked guilty.

Another rock pinged off Rala's helmet and he whipped around again, seeing a brown male pony finish putting his hoof back on the ground.

The pony knew he was screwed.

Rala 'Toram stalked toward the brown stallion, shoving aside multiple ponies as the offender tried to escape, failing to do so as the Fleetmaster snatched him up by the throat.

"Gaaahhh!" the stallion exclaimed as the Sangheili Fleetmaster shoved him against the wall of a nearby structure, raising his energy sword to kill the individual.

Before he could strike, however, the stallion spat directly into his face, causing the Fleetmaster to growl; first in anger, then in anticipation.

Rala deactivated his energy sword and stowed it, making a reminder that he'd have to find a way to restore his honor later as he had drawn a weapon and not used it.

"I'm not allowed to kill you, but that won't stop me from hurting you" Rala exclaimed, pulling his mandibles into a smile.

"You don't scare me" the stallion stated.

"I will" 'Toram replied.

"Rala! Stop!" the Fleetmaster heard Captain James Mitchell's voice call out, looking to the left to see the human approaching.

Fleetmaster 'Toram growled in frustration as the stallion in his claws smirked smugly.

"Can't do anything to me now, freak" the brown stallion declared, completely igniting Rala 'Toram's anger.

The Fleetmaster pulled his arm back drove his fist forward into the stallion's stomach, completely snapping several bones and severely bruising a few organs.

"RALA!" Captain Mitchell shouted, sprinting for the Fleetmaster to stop him from hurting the pony further.

He wouldn't have to, however, as Fleetmaster Rala 'Toram was finished when he grabbed the pony by one of his front legs and tossed him through a window, glass shattering and spraying everywhere, slicing along the brown stallion and causing only a few deep lacerations.

"Let that be a lesson to all of you" Rala declared before being confronted by Captain James Mitchell, who pulled him aside into an alleyway.

"Why did you do that, Rala?" the human demanded to know.

"I don't have to answer anything human" the Fleetmaster replied.

"What has gotten into you, Rala?" Captain Mitchell inquired, very confused by his friend's recent behavior.

"I hate these ponies. They are all filthy, primitive, savages and don't deserve civilization. Much less intelligence. Makes me wish I had taken the opportunity to join the Divine Wind so I could've aided Shipmaster 'Saramee in his campaign against them twenty years ago…they do NOT deserve to live" Rala explained.

James rubbed at his temples and knew that an act like this wouldn't go unpunished. "The Princess will not be happy about this."

"Allow me to deal with that" Rala 'Toram said, calling for one of his dropships to come down to take him to Canterlot.

Once the Fleetmaster had left Captain Mitchell made sure the brown stallion was going to receive proper medical care before heading back to the library.

The Captain had almost reached the library when he realized he didn't ask Rala how the meeting with Applejack went.

*-*-*

Author's note: sounds like Fleetmaster Rala 'Toram is having some trouble with the ponies in the town. Let us hope that doesn't become a problem, yes?

Dick: Fleetmaster Rala 'Toram, Captain James Mitchell, and all related characters belong to me. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Princess Celestia, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro. Halo belongs to 343 Industries(unfortunately.)