Exiled soldiers

A week has passed since Twilight's parents had first talked with the rest of Lone team, and the six were in the med bay.

The reason being was that an hour ago, when they had been in the gym, Twilight had suddenly began to spasm and fall to the floor, yelling that her back was hurting. The med-techs had arrived, and carried her to the medical bay on that deck, where she was then sedated, not having woken up since.

"I wonder what's up," Josh said. "I mean, it's been, what, two or three weeks since her augments, and shit like this usually happens in the first week."

"Two," Elegance said. "And we aren't like you guys with recovery rates."

"Still. You guys should have had worse during the first week during P.T.," Ken said. "It doesn't make sense for this to happen after you get the armor."

"Well, we won't know for sure until the other eggheads finish their checks," Palmer said.

"I think I may be able to help with that," Doctor Halsey said as she walked into the room, the door sliding open, data pad in her arm.

"What do you mean, Doc," Josh asked.

"Simple," Halsey said. "I've been working with the Forerunner A.I. that partnered itself with your team mate, and I think I may know what's causing this. "Spartan Miller, if you would flip Spartan Sparkle-" I an not believe i am saying that, Halsey thought- "onto her back?"

"I hope you know what you're doing, Doc," he said, doing as Halsey instructed. "Now what?"

"Spike?"

"Yeah, Doc," the drake replied.

"Please take your claws, and make a single incision in the back of Twilight's suit along her spine. Your claws are sharp enough to penetrate the material. Elegance, when that's done, I want you to spread the material until we have a view of her shoulder blades."

"Only because your the medical expert here," Spike said, and he and Elegance did as instructed. What was seen upon completion surprised the both of them, got looks of curiosity from Ken, Josh, and Palmer, and a small, barely noticeable smile from Halsey that her plan had worked.

"You guys seeing what I'm seeing," Ken asked.

"You mean the little wing stubs," Josh asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh, yeah," Palmer said.

"You mind explaining this, Doc," Ken asked.

"When I had done genetic scans on her, as well as taking data from Void and Resolution's scans, I discovered there was a missing gene sequence," Halsey said. "With help from a few medical class Armigers, I was able to make an artificial version of the gene, using some guess wok from Forerunner files, and implanted it in the growth stimulation cocktails as well as the gene enhancement ones, with the Armigers using their translocation abilities to implant the gene in the cells. It was a little complicated, but it seems to be working."

"You experimented on her," Josh asked in a near yell.

"Yes, but simply because it was evident something was taken from her, and I gave it back," Halsey replied, calm as ever with an angry Spartan in proximity.

"Well, I'm guessing it has to do with wings," Ken said.

"Indeed it does," Halsey said before projections of Lone team's Ancillas showed up.

"Hey, guys," Ken said.

"Hey, Ken," Emily said.

"So, what are you guys doing here," Josh asked.

"We came here to see how Twilight's doing," Davis, resembling a Spartan-IV in yellow recruit armor, said, his arms crossed. "Starburst especially."

"Well, can you guys tell us what's going on here," Josh asked. "The wings, I mean."

"Not entirely," Barb, indeed, a female version of Spike and wearing the same clothes Spike wore when Palmer and 'Vason found him, said.

"Yeah," Beauty, gray colored with dark red highlights and wearing a simple tracksuit, said.

"So," Palmer said. "What do you guys know?"

Davis shrugged. "Just that, according the the records for her species we have, the most powerful vacuum energy users, also known as magic users, are known as alicorns, which are full Inheritors. They have unicorn horns, pegasus wings, and I am aware of how that sounds to you all, and the strength of earth ponies, which is standard equivalent to the average Spartan-IV."

"And with us helping her," Starburst said, "Halsey was able to put that gene back in."

"Wait a minute," Josh said. "'Back in'. The fuck does that mean?"

"She had the gene removed before you all met her," Beauty said. "With Halsey's genetic experience and the Forerunner tech from the Armigers, it was replaced during her augmentations, but are only now taking effect."

"And how long until it's done," Spike asked, being protective of his adoptive mother.

"Given it took this long to take effect," Halsey said, "and with help from Armigers, a few days at best, a week at worst."

"Any way to accelerate that?"

"Only if you wish to possibly maim and possible disable or kill her," Halsey said. "That is the quickest way to have it done as soon as possible."

"So we'll have to deal with it," Ken asked.

"Yep," Sam replied.

"And how long till Twi wakes up," Elegance asked.

"That is six days, give or take a few hours," Halsey said.

"Well," Josh said. "It'll be an interesting day when she finds out."