ODST in Equestria

Chapters

Combat Drop
Chapter One: Strange Lands
Chapter Two: Old Faces

Combat Drop

“Keep your head down or get it blown off, Storm!” I heard a voice over my headset implanted in my helmet.

I peeked up from my low wall of cover to scan the battlegrounds, seeing other ODSTs waging paint warfare on each other. This was only a training session of course, but if that paint hits you, you’re in for a world of pain. I vaulted over the wall with my M7S Caseless SMG at the ready, checking for hostiles. I sprinted up a stairwell, moving onto the catwalk. On the catwalk was an enemy ODST, my SMG couldn’t do jack from the range, so I switched to my M6S ‘automag’ pistol and looked down the iron sights.

I steadied my breathing, because of it being heavy, my aim went all over the place. I inhaled and took the shot, shooting the ODST in the his weapon arm and leaving crystallised pink fluorescent paint on his arm. He turned to me with his MA5C drawn when the buzzer sounded.

Saved by the bell, never thought this day would come.

I holstered my automag and the other ODST walked up to me and said “Good shot, Storm, but they’re ain’t going to be no bell in the field.” He said, taking off his helmet.

I nodded in agreement, standing idly and looking over the catwalk parapet.

“So what do you think of this New Mombasa mission they’re sending us into?” Dutch asked.

I turned back towards Dutch “Same shit, different day, Dutch.”

“Sergeant Lucas and Corporal Taylor Miles to report to Gunnery Sergeant Buck immediately.” A loudspeaker boomed.

“That’s our cue, Storm.” Dutch said.

“Indeed it is, Dutch.” I replied.

We quickly ran into the staging area where Buck and the rest of The Squad were debating over a holo-table. I noticed Rookie sleeping in his pod. Dutch was already talking with the rest of The Squad, while I headed over the weaponry rack and scanned its contents.

There’s more guns here than a NRA meeting.

“How about you show some respect, Romeo.” Dutch said, putting his helmet on the table.

“Just saying, Dutch. They missed one.” Romeo replied, pointing at the Covenant carrier that was displayed on the holo-table.

“No, they left it for us.” Dutch said as a orange light flickered and a buzzer sounded.

Buck and Veronica Dare emerged from the open doorway.

“You heard the music, time to dance.” Buck said, making the other ODSTs turn around to his voice.

“Hello, beautiful!” Romeo said smartly, glancing at Dare.

“Pods, now!” Buck said with sudden anger in his voice.

The ODSTs departed from the table to their pods, Romeo snatching his helmet off the ground. Buck walked up the stairs with Dare looking at him with concern.

“Replacements?” She asked.

Buck glanced over his shoulder and said “This many years into the war, who isn’t?”

“At least they listen.” Dare replied.

Buck hastily turned back to Dare, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, “To me, and they’re not going to like what they here!”

“Orders are orders.”

“C’mon, Veronica. What could be more important than that carrier?”

“My orders,” She poked a finger against Buck’s chest piece. “And Buck, call me Captain. I’ll pass on that dance, but you can show me where to sit.”

She walked up the stairs and into the main room.

You just got burned, Buck. Badly burned.

Rookie had his head slumped over, sleeping in his pod. Dutch, Mickey and Romeo and I were at the small armoury.

“What kind of armour was she wearing?” Mickey asked.

“Don’t know, Mickey. I wasn’t looking at her gear.” Romeo replied and slugged him in the shoulder pad.

You’re sick, Romeo. Mentally sick. I don’t think Buck would let you steal his girl like that.

Dutch was holding an M7S Caseless SMG and Romeo snorted and said “Seriously?”

“Well, got to be close-quarters.”

Romeo picked up a shotgun and held in front of Dutch. “Exactly!” Dutch pushed the shotgun away before they looked to where Buck and Dare were.

“Second to last, right next to mine.”

Romeo turned to Dutch and said “Cosy.”

You really do have the hots for Dare, don’t you Romeo?

Buck heard this comment and snatched the shotgun off of Romeo.

“You gonna tell us her name, Gunney.” Romeo asked.

“Oh, brother.” Mickey said under his breath.

“Miss Naval Intelligence, our new boss. Now check your mouths, find your chairs and get set for a combat drop!” Buck said angrily, shoving a sniper rifle into Romeo’s hands.

“The hell am I supposed to do with this inside a covenant ship?” Romeo asked sarcastically and moved towards Rookie sleeping in his pod.

Don’t tell me you’re going to do what I think you’re going to do.

Romeo swung the butt of his sniper rifle and hit Rookie in the face, waking him up abruptly. Rookie grunted from the blow and was shaken to his senses.

“Wake up, buttercup.” Romeo said before getting shoved by Dutch.

“Relax, Rookie. He don’t mean nothing, besides now’s one of those times, it pays to be the strong, silent type.” Dutch said, giving Rookie a M7S Caseless SMG, Rookie then placing the SMG into a weapon slot.

Buck noticed me still at the weapon rack and said “Sergeant Lucas, I believe?”

I turned to face Buck and nodded in acknowledgment.

“Welcome to the team, hopefully you’ve met everyone.”

“Not properly, sir. But I know enough, Rookie’s a little quiet though…”

“Don’t worry about him, he’s always like that.”

I took a battle rifle and spare magazines for it from the rack and hung onto them.

“Where’s my pod at?” I asked, turning back to Buck.

“Beside Dutch’s. You nervous?” He asked.

“Counting the fact that my pod could malfunction and possibly kill me? I’m may not be green, Buck. But I’m not exactly major experienced either.” I replied.

“Don’t worry, princess. I’ll hold your hand.” Romeo snorted.

“Keep it up, Romeo and I’ll jam this gun up your ass!” I shouted back.

“Pain in the ass, isn’t he?” I asked, looking at Buck.

“You can say that again, but a team’s a team.” He said.

“Hope you live to survive the experience, Sergeant. Heard you’ve been through a lot.” He continued.

“Wow, someone actually read my profile?” I asked in surprise.

“C’mon, Storm. My trigger finger is itching for some covenant blood.” Dutch said impatiently.

“I agree, lets kill us some covies.” I said, walking back to my pod and setting the weapons in their slots.

I got into my pod and it closed with a slam, the pod rotated from the room and turned to the outside, then rotating down outside of the pod bay. I could see Earth below us and I looked straight ahead, spotting dozens upon dozens of ODST pods at the ready. Two small screens at opposites ends of the hatch door blazed to life, showing Buck’s and Dare’s helmeted faces.

“Latest intel reports that Covenant are massing beneath the carrier.” Dare said over the pod radio.

“They’re pulling back, why?” Buck asked.

“We’re not gonna find out way up here.” Dare replied.

Dare’s and Buck’s helmet visors changed to regular plating instead of showing their faces.

“Troopers, we are green and very, very mean!” Buck shouted, rallying our spirits.

All of the other ODST pods shot off from the carrier bays, blazing blue smoke and light from the tops of them. Simultaneously, The Squad’s and I shot off too, propelling us down into the atmosphere. The down force of kinetic energy cause me to lift my arms but I gripped the two joysticks in my hands and stabilized the pod.

“I take it back, Navy got it’s butt kicked!” Romeo said.

“Hey, Romeo remember when I told you to shut your mouth?” Buck asked.

“Yeah?” Romeo replied.

“Consider that a standing order.” Buck said.

All was quiet afterwards, except for the humming of the pods and I stared down through my pod hatch window. Hundreds of pods were shooting through the atmosphere at extreme speeds, with nothing but silence coming from the pod radios due to Buck’s orders and there wasn’t anything to talk about. We got through the cloudline and the carrier was in sight.

“Standby to adjust trajectory,” Dare said. “On my mark…”

“What’d she just say?” Dutch said over the radio.

“And mark!” Dare said.

All of our pods shifted trajectory to aim for the Covenant carrier.

“We’re way off course!” Mickey said.

“We’re heading exactly to where I need to go.” Dare replied.

“We’re gonna miss the carrier.” Micked replied back.

I noticed a large blue flash emanate outside the carrier, I was stunned from the sudden event. I quickly picked myself and spoke into the radio “Did anyone just see that?”

“Radiation!” Dutch said.

“Covenant just set off a nuke?” Mickey asked as the blue flash turned into an orb and grew in size in front of the carrier.

“No, the carrier is going to jump!” Dare said with a tone of fear in her voice.

Looks like the shit just hit the proverbial fan.

“It’s a slipspace rupture.” She added.

“EMP!” said Mickey.

“Then pop your chutes, we’re going in hard!” I heard a crash over the radio.

I noticed Rookie’s and Mickey’s pods collided, Rookie pried at the controls to keep his pod stable. Out of nowhere, Dare’s pod hit mine and cracked the glass on my pod door. A warning sign grew bright red and I held onto my pod hatch handle to stop it from tearing off and sending me out of it. Blue light shone in on the pod and I kept one hand on the joystick to stabilise the pod. Panic grew within my head and I’m sure it did for the fest of the squad.

End of Chapter One

Chapter One: Strange Lands

“Ugh, my head…” I said, regaining consciousness from the crash. I suddenly panicked as to whether my team was alive or not. I threw my weight against the door but it wouldn’t budge.

“Is anyone there? Squad, this is a priority one hail, respond if you receive.” I heard over the radio, crackling because of the reception.

“This is Sgt. Lucas, I’m here. What happened?” I said over the radio.

“Lucas, this is Buck. Did you see anyone crash near you?” He asked.

“I don’t know yet, this damn hatch won’t budge. I think the emergency open levers are fried. Comms must have fried in the crash, too.”

“Send me your co-ordinates and I’ll come get you.” The comms crackled.

I looked down to my tac-pad on my wrist and centred my location and sent them to Buck. I tried once more to open the hatch but failed, slumping angrily back into my seat.

“Co-ordinates received, expect me to find you in a minute or two.” Buck said after receiving my co-ordinates.

“It’s not like I can complain, Buck.”

Several minutes later…

“You in there, Lucas?” I heard Buck say from outside the pod.

“Yeah, help me with this.” I said, pushing against the hatch door.

Buck pulled against the seals and grunted, eventually pulling off the hatch and I stepped out.

“I know the rest of the team isn’t dead, they’re signal is just probably dead.” Buck said and sighed.

“I know they‘re not dead, but I think Romeo was putting the moves on your girl.” I said, pulling out my M7S Caseless SMG and BR55 Battle Rifle from the weapon slots and putting one on my backplate, it magnetically attaching to it. I held onto my SMG though.

“Although I have respect for you, stay out of my business.”

“Fair enough, Gunney.” I turned to face outside of the pod when I caught sight of an odd, multi-coloured horse.

“Gunney?”

“Yeah?”

“Turn around and tell me that I’m not high right now.”

Buck turned around and saw the same sight I did: a multi-coloured horse, only smaller than us. It’s height was about up to our shins.

“You sure we’re not really dead and this is some fantasy death dream?” I asked, turning to Buck.

“I’m pretty sure we’re not dead, and don’t pinch me.”

“Wasn’t thinking about it, Gunney.”

“Now where in Carmen Santiago are we?” I said, looking around and seeing a colourful world, full of life, unlike our manufactured and glassed worlds.

Another horse that was about our size escorted by slightly smaller horses wearing medieval armour now stood in front of us. I tapped Buck on the shoulder and he turned around to see what I needed him for.

“Another one, I bet those spears aren’t just for show. If they attack, shoot everything.” Buck said.

“Heh, that’s my job description, sir. No need to remind.” I replied.

A purple horse with a horn appeared next to the taller white one, staring at us, probably because of our appearance.

“I’ve got no time to be stared down by horses, our team is still out there!” Buck said.

“Agreed, it’s not like they can speak English.” I said, looking at my tac-pad and trying to make sense of why my GPS wasn’t working.

“Princess, they can speak Equestrian!” A feminine voice said.

“Twilight Sparkle, stay back until I can find out what these things want.” I heard another say.

A cyan pegasus tackled me in my helmet, it’s hooves standing on my breastplate.

“Who are you and what do you want?” It aggressively said.

“I suggest you get off my VISR before I start cracking skulls.” I threatened.

“And I suggest you stop threatening my little ponies or I shall retaliate without hesitation.” The taller one said.

I grabbed the cyan pegasus by the back leg and forcibly pried her off my helmet visor, lightly tossing her on the ground.

If it’s a fight this thing wants, then it’s a fight it’ll get…

I pulled up my M7S SMG and pointed it at her, saying “Come at me, bro”

“Lucas, stand down.” Buck said.

“Blue thingy here attacks me and this other thing threatens to as well. What do you expect me to do, throw them a party?” I argued, turning to Buck and lowering my SMG.

“DID SOMEONE SAY PARTY?” A girly voice shouted, coming from a pink horse.

“Calm down, Lucas. Don’t let your trigger finger get the best of you.” Buck said.

“Fair enough, didn’t feel like fighting anything,” I shrugged, then looking back to the tall horse. “Hear that? You’re lucky…”

But again, the pegasus took it’s chances and attacked me again and failed miserably due to my armour blunting it’s attack. I looked down to it, almost sorry for it’s feeble attempt to brutalise me.

“Do you have a death wish, or just really ignorant that you can’t hurt me?” I asked.

It looked into my visor, defiant to stop trying to hurt me.

“Rainbow Dash, unhand him at this instant!” The tall one said.

“Yes, Princess Celestia.” Rainbow Dash said, backing off and getting off my breastplate.

“I’m sorry about anything that I or my friend here has caused, you see that is all a misunderstanding.” Buck apologised.

“A misunderstanding, how so?” Princess Celestia was intrigued.

“You’re not seriously going to explain the whole Human-Covenant war to them? They wouldn’t understand, Buck.” I said.

“You are humans? But you look different…” Twilight asked.

“It’s the armour.” I said, sighing and sitting down against my pod and activating the signal beacon.

Buck explained the whole situation about the Human-Covenant war, usually getting gasps of horror due to the blood spilled and lives lost. My radio crackled to life and was met with Dare’s voice.

“Buck, Mickey, anyone. I’m violently wounded. I need assistance, ASAP.” She said.

“Dare, this is Lucas and I’ve got Buck with me, we’re on our way.” I responded, getting off the ground.

“Buck, finish the story later. Dare is hurt, like real bad.” I said, quickly running into the direction of Dare’s pod.

“We’ll be back, one of our friends is hurt.” Buck said before catching up with me.

“Plenty of shit has happened on most of my drops, but not this, this is just bizarre…” I said, still running through the wetlands.

“We’ll get to that later, Storm. But first, we have to save Veronica.”

Fucked beyond recognition was Dare’s pod, with the hatch door stricken through a tree. A small blood splatter trail led us right to Dare, who had a shrapnel piece embedded in her shin and was limping.

“Veronica!” Buck shouted, making a mad dash for Dare.

I casually walked over to the two and Veronica slung her arm around my and Buck’s necks. We walked her slowly back to my drop pod and she noticed all of the horses near it.

“Don’t mean to skip our introductory speech, but where’s a hospital we can use?” I asked, grabbed my reserve medical bag.

“I’ll escort you there.” Princess Celestia said and led us to the nearest hospital and I cleared a bed for Dare while Buck laid her down.

I opened the medical bag and pulled an assortment of bandages, needles and pliers. I quickly got to work, injecting a tranquillizer needle into Dare’s shrapnel filled leg, prying out the shrapnel then bandaging the wounds. It was a messy process but it needed to be done.

“Done, I’m no doctor but that’s the best I can do, Dare.” I said, putting the excess equipment back into the bag.

“Thanks.” She looked at the both of us.

“No problem.” Buck said, helping her off the bed.

I simply nodded and slung the medical bag over my back. We walked back to my dropsite and Buck rested Dare inside my pod.

“I’m assuming you are stuck here?” Twilight asked.

“What makes you think we can’t just get back into our pods and leave?”

“Your transport of choice seems only for landing.”

“You’re smart, and I’ll give you that.” I said.

“Four left.” Buck said.

“What?” I asked in confusion.

“Dare, you and I are here. That only leaves Mickey, Dutch, Romeo and Rookie.”

“Which their pods must have scattered all over the place since the plan wasn’t exactly sound.” I added.

“I am still trying to comprehend why you and another alien species slaughter each other…” Princess Celestia said.

“Long story short; they attack us, we fight back. Simple.” I said, answering her suspicions.

“But the killing of another being sounds so horrid, how can you stand it?” She continued.

“Kill or be killed, you obviously don’t know what it feels like to get your hands- er, hooves dirty.” I replied back.

“You make it sound like it’s a good thing.”

“I know it sounds that way, but most of our people fight for our survival. We are on the brink of annihilation; we have to fight because it is necessary.”

“I did not understand your race’s complications with the Covenant you speak of.”

“Its fine, you didn’t know.” I said, sitting against a tree.

“I still don’t understand how you speak; your face doesn’t have a mouth, only a strange indentation where your face should be.” Twilight wondered.

“That’s easily answered.” I said, taking off my helmet and resting it on my knee.

“That explains a lot more then; you looked strange for a human when we first met.” She said.

I felt a tugging at my shoulder strap, then a clatter of metal on the ground within earshot behind me. I turned my head to see Rainbow Dash tugging at my Battle Rifle that was magnetized to my backplate.

“What are you doing?” I asked, confused to why she was trying to pull my gun off my back.

“Stupid thing won’t come off!” She said, using all her strength to pry of the weapon off my back.

“Best of luck, that thing’s stuck for good.” I laughed.

“Can’t you get it off?” She asked.

“It’s magnetized so it doesn’t come off by accident.” I explained.

A sudden bright light pierced the sky and revealed four drop pods shooting down from the sky and landing to the east, making a loud bang.

“You stay with Dare; I think it’s the rest of the team.” I said, getting off the ground and putting on my helmet.

“Affirmative.” Buck responded as I took off sprinting to the east.

I ran through town at my quickest pace, ignoring the ponies that stared at me. A cyan blur streaked through the air in front of me, I ignored it and kept running, coming across four metal pods that ought to contain the rest of The Squad. Four hatches flew off the pods and out stepped four familiar ODST.

“You guys alright, anyone get cooked on the ride in?” I asked, grabbing their attention.

“This isn’t any Covenant ship…” Mickey said, looking around his surroundings.

“Yeah, Storm. We’re good.” Dutch and Romeo said, grabbing their weapons out of the pods.

“What about you, Rookie?” I asked, turning to the quiet ODST.

He simply nodded and took his weapons from the pod too.

He doesn’t talk much, does he?

“Buck, found the rest of the team. We’re heading back to your position.” I said in the helmet comms, gesturing to the team to follow me by throwing my head back into the direction of my crash site.

“Affirmative.” Buck said back.

“So, uh where are we?” Mickey asked.

“Don’t know, the carrier jumped, we crash here. We’ll find out more from the local monarchy.” I replied, still walking.

“Everything looks strange.” Dutch said, looking at the brightly coloured houses.

“And there are tiny horses everywhere.” Romeo added.

“This your team, Storm?” Rainbow Dash asked out of nowhere, not revealing herself yet.

“Yeah, the rest of it. You can come out now, they won’t shoot, I hope.” I said, seeming like I was talking to nobody.

Rainbow Dash came down from a cloud and stood on the ground, about my shin height. The other four looked at her in surprise, mouths wide open but you couldn’t see that. (Their helmets are on so it was hard to tell.)

“Did that horse just talk?” Mickey asked.

“Yeah, what of it?” Rainbow Dash said, growling slightly.

“Apparently ponies talk in this place, I’d suggest you get used to it.” I replied.

Rookie didn’t seem phased and remained quiet, crouching down and looking the cyan pegasus in the eye. He mussed her mane with his fingerless glove, smiling behind his cloaked visor. Romeo saw this and mocked “You alright there, Rookie?”

Rookie stood up and looked at Romeo with a look of disappointment, we headed back for my drop pod and met up with Dare and Buck, who were idling around waiting.

“Celestia said we need a place to stay until we solve this problem.” Dare said.

“Why? We can stay in our pods, they provide shelter, right?” Dutch asked.

“Horrible creatures come out at night, you must stay within the town at night.” Princess Celestia said.

“Right, and we got these guns for no reason at all.” Mickey said sarcastically, waving his Spartan Laser around.

“I insist that you stay within the town.” Princess Celestia repeated, more insistent now.

“Your call, Buck. What do you want to do?” Dutch asked.

“I think we’ll take Celestia’s advice.” Buck said.

We took our belongings and followed Celestia into a house made from a tree, noticing that the roof wasn’t so low. We set off our stuff in the house and sat down somewhere with six ponies including Twilight and Rainbow Dash sitting near us.

“So who are you exactly?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“We’re elite soldiers that fight for the UNSC against the Covenant. Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or ODST for short.” Dutch said.

“Orbital-what-now?” She asked in confusion.

“Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, we are shot from one of our carriers in one man pods from space into the Earth. The pods get extremely hot on the course down to Earth, hence the nickname ‘Helljumpers’.” I said, Rainbow Dash looking at me.

“You mean those things that you crashed in…” She said.

“Yeah.”

“Do you have roles or anything?” Twilight asked.

“I’m Captain Dare, an Office of Naval Intelligence operative.” Dare said.

“Gunnery Sergeant Buck, SNCO of the Marine Corps.” Buck said.

“Dutch, Heavy Weapons Specialist.” Dutch said.

“Mickey, explosive ordnance expert and unofficial pilot.”

“Name’s Romeo, squad marksman.”

“Also a smartass…” I said under my breath.

Romeo got up hastily and made his way to me.

“Problem?” I asked.

“You called me a smartass!” He replied, now angry.

“Only ‘cause it’s true.” I replied.

Romeo sat back down again, not wanting to fight, he was too tired to anyways.

“I’m Sergeant Lucas, CQC specialist, Rookie and I are new additions to this fine squad.” I said.

“What about you?” Rainbow Dash asked, now in front of Rookie, who was minding his own business.

He lifted his head to catch sight of her and then sunk back down again, doing his own thing.

“Is he alright?” She asked.

“That’s Rookie, doesn’t talk much. Self-explanatory.” I replied.

I got up and sat back down against the bookcase, looking up back to see my team and the six ponies inquiring us about where we came from, what we do and so on. I didn’t speak unless I was asked anything, so for the most part I just sat there and rested for a moment or two, I was still shaken up from the jump. Rookie was doing the same, his helmeted head slumped against his shoulder. I eventually fell asleep, my head against the bookcase. I was exhausted and confused.

End of Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Old Faces

I woke up and felt something on my body; I looked down to see Rainbow Dash happily sleeping on my lap. She must have dozed off after the conversation last night, so she camped on me to feel comfortable. I looked up to the room and saw the rest of my squad still sleeping. I carefully picked up Rainbow Dash and placed her on the rug, trying not to disturb her sleep, and walking out the door. I heard her yawn and she stretched her legs, looking up to see me walking out the door.

“Hey, Storm. Where you going so early?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“For my regular morning walk, you gonna come?” I asked.

“Sure, I’m up for a bit of exercise.” She said, finally waking up.

We walked out the door and walked along the east path of Ponyville, finally stopping at Sweet Apple Acres.

“So can you fly?” She asked.

“Do you see wings?” I asked sarcastically, turning around to show her that I didn’t have wings.

“Doesn’t the UNSC have things to do that though?” She asked.

“Wings, no. Jetpacks are more our thing.” I said.

“Jetpacks?” She wondered.

I activated the jetpack positioned on my back and twin thrusters emerged from the pack and shot me up into the air, then hovering above the ground by a couple metres. The new jetpacks were much more efficient to non-Spartan troops because marines or ODST didn’t wear suits weighing 1000 kilos, so they lifted us easier and were more fuelled because of the advance from the prototype, letting us stay up in the air for prolonged times.

“That’s so awesome!” She nearly squeed, shooting up into the air with her own wings and hovering in front of me.

“The rest of your team told us lots of what we asked, even what you guys have been through. You’ve been in a lot of wars, right?” She asked.

“Insurrection, the Covenant, the Flood, you name it. As long as we have hope, we fight for our planet.” I said, remembering all the moments when humanity was at war, seeing fellow soldiers being cut down in my memories.

“Dare, as she calls herself said you guys were on a mission to New Mombasa, then didn’t continue after that, said it was classified.” She said, laying on a cloud near me.

“Yeah, ONI likes to keep things classified most of the time. Dare seems to know what she’s doing.” I said, snorting at the fact that ONI is so classified.

“So how did you get here?” She asked.

“Mission was to destroy the Covenant carrier from the inside, we intended to do just that, then the carrier decides to jump into slipspace and the explosion must have knocked our pod power offline and we end up here.” I explained the situation.

“Rainbow, what’re you doing up there?” Came a southern sounding voice.

“Talking to my ODST friend, why?” She said, pointing at the figure across from her.

I shut off my jetpack and fell to the ground, landing on my feet and turning to the orange pony sporting a fedora (I don’t know what the actual hat was called, okay?).

“Be careful there, don’t want you to break your legs, Storm.” Rainbow Dash commented on my sudden jump.

“I’ve been shot from a cruiser into the earth at top speed in a pod about 50 times, so I think I can handle a few metres on my legs, Dash.” I said, looking at the cyan pegasus descending from the air.

“Whoa, where’s y’er face at?” The orange pony said, tapping on my visor where my face should be.

“It got abducted… by aliens,” I dramatically said, then bursting into laughter. “Nah, my face is behind this visor on my helmet.” I added.

“Ah remember you, you were with that other guy that looked exactly like you. Are you all clones or something?” She asked.

“No, we simply wear the same (badass) armour, with a few distinctions on our modules.” I said.

“Wanna race?” Rainbow Dash asked out of nowhere.

“Where to?” I replied.

“To the Everfree forest and Twilight’s house.”

“Okay, where’s the Everfree?”

She pointed in the direction of the Everfree forest, getting ready for the race. I steeled myself, I knew Rainbow could probably be quicker than me in air and the ground. But I had acceleration modules for enhanced movement speed should I need it.

“Go!” Rainbow Dash said, taking off to the sky in the direction of the Everfree.

I ran and broke into a sprint, keeping up pace. I activated my movement module and ran at extreme speed, passing Rainbow Dash while I reached the Everfree forest and spinning around, breaking a tree root and sprinting back towards the town, Rainbow Dash still equal speeds with me. Sooner or later, the module would overheat and I’d lose the race. The module coolers kicked in and cooled down my sweating body.
We both were performing at maximum efficiency and reached Twilight’s house, then diving for the wall of it at the same time. Dust was kicked up and blinded us both, her eyes and my visor. She opened her eyes and looked up, noticing she had me pinned against the wall with her hooves, a strange thought creeping through her head.

“I think I won that, Helljumper.” She said with a devious grin, still pinning me against the wall.

“Bullshit, I made it here first.” I said, the dust clearing from my visor. I noticed the compromising position she had me in.

“No way, I know where this is going.” I said, pushing her hooves off me and getting back up, dusting off my armour.

A flash of blue light knocked me to my senses, looking up at the source. It was a Type-52 Troop Carrier or a Phantom, hovering high above the atmosphere.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6-EP_OdtzQ&feature=channel&list=UL) < Listen to this for full effect

“What is that thing?” Rainbow Dash asked.

I didn’t answer and turned on my helmet com, hoping the rest of my team had them on too.

“I’ve spotted a Type-52 Troop Carrier high above the atmosphere, I think it’s going to land and drop it’s troops on us.” I said into the com.

“Covenant here? Did they follow us?” Mickey responded.

“I don’t think so, but we better not find out what they want.” Dutch said.

The Phantom was slowly lowering itself into the atmosphere, preparing to invade this place I think.

“Everyone regroup on Lucas’ location, we need to take this thing down before it does any structural or physical damage to the natives.” Buck said.

I looked down at Rainbow Dash, who was curious about the Phantom floating in the sky.

“I need you to go Celestia and get her to round up all the civilians in town before that thing lands.” I said.

“What for?” She asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Just trust me, if you do this, you or anybody in this town won’t be hurt. Just go.” I said seriously.

She shot off quicker than the speed of light, heading towards the palace to warn Celestia of the danger that was approaching fat. Several minutes passed and the rest of my squad cam to my position. They found me looking up at the Phantom, then realised that it wasn’t here yet. Celestia had everyone inside the palace, except herself and her sister plus a battalion of guards.

“What is this about?” Celestia asked as the Phantom lower even more, closing the distance.

“Covenant.” Dare said plainly, drawing her MA5C Assault Rifle.

Everyone drew their weapons and readied themselves for a fight, Dutch pulled out a large weapon that rested on his shoulder, the Spartan Laser.

“Is everyone safe?” I asked, glancing at Celestia and Luna.

“They are safe from harm inside of the palace, but I do not see why the ‘Covenant’ pose a threat, maybe they are friendly.” Luna said.

“They aren’t friendly.” Mickey said.
The Covenant carrier hovered above the ground, its bay doors opening to drop troops off. Several Covenant jumped off the carrier, being peppered with gunfire as they did. Several Elite Ultras returned fire, spraying plasma bolts in our direction. Our ODST squad rolled to evade the plasma fire, taking Celestia and Luna into cover with us.
I replaced my M7S SMG and drew my M45 Tactical Shotgun, then sprinting into the battle, shooting an Elite on the chest, dropping his shields instantly and killing him. The Phantom shot plasma bolts at the tightly packed ODST squad, making them disperse and return fire at the vehicle, but to no avail, the armour on it was resistant to small arms fire.

“Dutch, use the Laser!” I shouted before killing a Grunt.

Dutch aimed his oversized weapon at the vehicle and charged it, the red light flickering and designating the target. After a good three seconds, the weapon shot an elegant blood red beam at the Phantom, making it spark and shoot plasma splatters. The Phantom glowed and exploded, killing the unlucky Covenant that stood under it with debris. An Elite with an energy sword charged at me, swinging the blade and slicing my armour, singing it and blood spilling from the wound. I retaliated by shooting a shotgun shell at the Elite and dropped its shields, in the rage of being killed it tackled me into the dirt. I punched the thing right in the face, making it roar at me with its mandibles and preparing to stab me with its Energy Sword again, but it was stopped by Dare shooting it with her automag and kicking it off me. It scooted across the ground, trying to retreat from the attack. I picked up my fallen shotgun and approached the Elite slowly, aiming at its head pulling the trigger, the result having the Elite’s head exploded and replaced by indigo blood and me being coated in the indigo blood as well.

“All hostiles eliminated, you can come out now, Princesses.” I said, loading shells into the chamber of my shotgun.
Celestia and Luna heard this, coming out from their hiding place and seeing that seven ODST stand in the midst of a battalion of dead Covenant, the ground painted in indigo blood. I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder and remembered being slashed by that Elite. I grasped the wound, covering it from blood loss.

“I’ve been hit, biofoam might be of need.” I said, still covering the wound. The laceration from that sword pained me badly.

Rookie pulled out a canister that contained biofoam from his rucksack and headed toward me. I uncovered the wound and he moved the spout over the cut on my shoulder, spraying a white foam into the wound that pained me at first, it felt like thousands of tiny knives stabbing me at once. The pain from the foam then numbed as the intended process kicked in, disinfecting my skin, bone and muscle from the plasma burn. The wound sealed but is left with a red mark on my unarmoured shoulder.

I ran my hand over my breastplate, my fingers collecting indigo blood in the process, I wiped my hands on my breastplate, wiping off the blood that had spilled on me when I exploded that Elite’s head.

“Great, I’m covered in blood that isn’t mine.” I commented.

“Buck, this Elite had something on it.” Dutch said, crouching over the dead Elite and holding a datapad.

End of Part 3