Onyx Guard Academy Halvo Bay, Sera

Abby's POV

... A few moments earlier...

I had just left Starlight and the 'JACK' bot called 'Bill' in the Armadillo to open the workshops main doors. I couldn't believe the luck of scored a working JACK. They had been starting to become very few within the COG after the first year of the war. Mainly reserved for the commando teams that go on high risked missions or higher ranked squads that like fighting on the front lines. So having one for themselves like this with a bot that has multiple functions for multiple situations is just plain awesome. Sure the lack of the long-range comms antenna that all the other JACKs have is a little letdown. But something like that could be installed when they reach Jacinto.

Walking to the side of the door that held the doors switch, I hit it to get them open. Nothing happened, "Shit, power must be out."

Following the power cable that's connected to the switch. Led to what I was looking for in the form of a small running generator. Taking a moment, I looked it over and saw that the plug that led to the door controls was loose and not in all the way. Pulling out the plug, I angled it correctly before placing it back in. "Alright, let's try those controls again."

Backtracking to the door once more, I reached out and pressed the button to open the door again. The door squeaks from the rust but opens to the outside. Taking a few steps out, I instantly regretted opening it. For right there in front of me stood a Locust Drone that was looking right back at her.

My expression from seeing the Drone must have told me that it too was surprised to see me just I was shocked to see it. Acting first, I let the years of instinct take over, activating the chainsaw on my Lancer. I swung it over and down on the Drone's collar resulting in a brutal display of rippling teeth meeting solid muscle. The Lancer did its job as it shredded the screaming Locust to pieces.

Before I could celebrate my first grub kill in months, a bullet grazed my helmet to the point that her head to jerk back at the force. Looking back outside was a bunch of other drones huddling under varies overhangs, protecting themselves from the razor hail. 'But that won't hold them back forever. We need to get out of here,' I thought quickly. Taking cover by the door, more Locust fire peppered the wall I hid behind. Looking back at the Armadillo that we found I knew what had to come next.

Jumping through the open hatch, I saw Starlight in the left side turret and Bill floating towards the cubby for 'JACK's.' "Star, strap in and hold tight!" I ordered before jumping into the driver's seat. I looked around and found the ramp controls and the ignition.

Starlight leaned over to look at me, "Whats going on out there, whats shooting at us?!" Starlight pleaded, her voice slightly muffled to her from the Locust rounds hitting the Armadillo.

"Locust patrol, a big one and they were right outside!"

"How many?"

"Too many to fight ourselves, strap in and hold tight. It's about to be ugly!" I announced before flipping the control switch to close the open hatch. I then slammed down on the accelerator, giving the ABC a bunch of gas. The Armadillo drifted a little before it's tier's gripped the ground sending us off. Turning the wheel, the APC rushed out the workshop and into the elements. The Locust could only continue to fire their weapons at them as they ride around in the open. "What do I do?!" Yelled a panicking Starlight.

"You're in a gun turret, shoot back?!"

That got Starlight to look at where she was at, but I was paying more attention to the courtyard they were now. From my observation, there were only drones in this group. No Boomers that I could point out with all the hail of gunfire that was coming at us. The sound of a muffled machine-gun started going off, 'Guess Starlight didn't need help how to fire the weapons on that thing.' I thought with a small smile on my face as I looked for a way out and saw a few Drones going down. After making another turn, I saw the remains of an Iron gate leading to another bridge that existed to the city.

"Hang on!" I said.

I drove the Armadillo forward, smacking into an overhang that sheltered a trio of Drones. The sound of the Armadillos tires made a deep squishing sound as they made their 'intentions' to the Drones. A few bumps later we crashed through the iron gate and made our way towards the city that use to be Halvo Bay.

I had to drive at a below average speed to see through the hail storm and avoid the abandon cars that littered the road. Even without taking my eyes off the road the damage to the once proud city broke my heart. Halvo Bay use to be the home to many, and almost a second home to her for a time. Now the former military themed town was a crumbling ruin, with all its former glory. The sound of heavy breathing made its way to her ears over the roar of a running engine.

"How are you doing over there Star, you still with me?" I asked her friend.

"I-I don't know?" Starlight replied with a shaky breath. "T-that just happen so fast I,"

"Take a breather Star; it's just nerves. You've seen me fight the Changelings back in Equestria, but you never had to lift your hoof in the fighting. Now that you're in the middle of it, your body is trying to make up for the lack of reaction with adrenalin. Now take a deep breath, count to five, exhale count to five. Repeat if necessary." I told the former pony. "I'm sorry your first engagement with the Locust turned out to be such a surprise like that. I was kinda hoping it to be us doing an ambush on a small Locust patrol. Not... Whatever we just did."

"It's alright, Abby" Starlight replied. "So, those were Locust? They don't seem so terrible; you even drove over a few of them, and I got to shoot at one of them."

"Did you kill it?" Abby asked.

"Yes, maybe. They fell back when I shot it," Starlight replied.

"Well, if he wasn't moving afterward then congrats on getting your cherry popped then. If not then theirs always next time." I said trying to lighten the mood with a bit. I didn't hear a reply instantly but could imagine the blushing face her friend having. To avoid any further embarrassment, I decided a change of topic was in order. "So did Twilight send any messages through the magic book thingy yet?" I asked.

Driving around a massive tanker wreck and some destroyed Centar tanks she turned onto the exit ramp leading West, A sign on the highway read what she wanted to see.

'Endeavor Shipyards 15 miles.'

I internally sighed in relief at that, with luck maybe we could find a working boat to take back to Jacinto instead of having to drive over seven hundred miles around mountains and deserts to reach the outskirts of Jacinto Plateau.

Thinking back, the old shipyards should also had one of the COG's comms array for this regen. If the comms array is still functional and just turned off, we could find it and just call Jacinto command for an EVAC chopper, then that would be even better! Rather be up in a KR than some stupid boat anyway.

"No, Twilight hasn't written anything yet. You would think that she would, with how much that mare likes to check up on ponies." Starlight replied. "But it's part of her charm I guess, might as well write her just to ease both her mind and mine.

"That probably be best. Tell Twilight and them I said hi, will you?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, but be quick on the letter. I'm going to need your eyes up, on our surroundings. We are still in unknown territory right now, and we don't know what will pop up." I told her.

"Alright, it will just be quick." Starlight assured.

Focusing on the road ahead my eyes widen at the site in front of me and instantly hit the breaks of the Armadillo and stared out in front with a neutral expression at the new situation we were about to walk into. Starlights voice soon reached me in a questioning voice. "Why are we stopping, we can't already be there already?"

"Nope," I replied. "But we got company," I told her, not taking her eyes off the pair of humans that stood in front of her not fifty feet in front of me.

"Put away the book, for now, Star, you can contact home later," I said as I looked closely at the two soldiers in front of her. Both were giving me mixed reactions. The one on the right looked the like the older of the two. He was very intimidating looking, with his big built and heavily scared look he had. If that wasn't enough, then the old set of UIR combat armor that he wore sure did. Not much like what Gears wore, it was heavily armored from the bottom up. He didn't wear a helmet, so I got a good look at his face. No doubt he was old judging from the silver hair he had for the buzz cut he had. He even carried a Markeza in his arms. Haven't seen many of those over the years, even from the Gorasni's that formed the last of the UIR remnants that the COG rescued didn't have many of them. Choosing to use the surplus equipment that the COG gives them rather than be short-handed.

The other sparked a more significant reaction out of me. The other stood a woman in a similar set of armor to my own. She was just a little Shorter than her male counterpart by a few inches. Her most noteworthy feature is the dark copper red hair that showed on her head. It was familiar to me but couldn't place it. She was also wearing the summer set armor version of her armor, and that it was Onyx too was also not comforting in the least. Her arms were crossed, that showed authority over everything, meaning she was mostly leading this fiasco.

Looking at the location they were in wasn't very desirable for them. They were right under an overpass on the highway. Looking around I spotted multiple five-story building not far away that could be a perfect setup for a sniper's nest. Also, wouldn't pass up the chance for not throwing a few grenades over down on us on the overpass either. "We are about to be ambushed Star, and this is a perfect place as any to do so," I replied. "Judging by their stance, they're going to demand something of us. So be ready to fight at a moment's notice just in case."

"But they're human? Like you, don't they know that we aren't their enemy?" Starlight asked.

"Their Stranded, Starlight," I replied. Watching the armored pair now walking towards them. "They fly under no country's flag and only looking to survive by any means necessary. That's including killing other humans that cross them. They also don't have much love for the COG since they burned the world, so stay behind me and don't start firing unless they shoot first. Don't want to spook them into doing anything, and don't feel like being put in a needless firefight." I said to my friend. Getting a node from the pony girl as she sat back and readied the assault turret.

Turning back to the other two, they stopped around twenty feet or so from them. The scared UIR soldier was the one that spoke first, and spoke up in a clear, commanding voice, "I know you can hear me there, COG soldiers. Exit the vehicle, and we won't blow you up." He then pointed a thumb up to the overpass.

Taking a chance, I lucked up and saw what he was referring too. Both to the left and right of where they were parked was a group of soldiers, each having a mortar pointed right at us. My attention was then back to the soldier as he was talking to us again. "We give you ten seconds to comply, or we will be forcefully 'open' your doors to properly talk to you. Ten... Nine."

"Abby, what do we do?" Starlight asked sounding panicked.

"Eight... Seven."

"I'm debating on either just humoring him and risked getting us killed or try out running them mortars they got," I replied back.

"Five... four."

"Can we?"

"We could."

"Three..."

"Oh fuck it," I said, before pushing the button that unlocked the clams to the main hatch and slowly opened the door. "Might as well meet the locals and make some friends right. I know Twilight would approve,"I said in a joking manner in a vain attempt to lighten the mood. "Also leave your helmet, these kinds of folks like to put a face to the voice that they are talking too." I finished, taking my helmet off and sat it down dark the driver's seat and walked on out.

Taking that first step out, I now got a better look at the two armored soldiers in front of her. The UIR guy was the most scared individual than I have ever seen. Haft the guy's face was just one huge scar. To avoid any awkward starting, I just looked at his companion, as if I was saying "This one's on you."

Like I saw from a distance, the red was indeed wearing a summer's version of the Onyx Guard armor. It also looked like it had been through the ringer a time or two. Looking up at her face, her blue eyes met mine and saw a sense of shock at her. Seeing her like this, I decided to ask the first, "Well you stopped us, now what are you, SV?"

"SV?" The redhead said in confusion.

"Stolen Valor," I replied. "It should still mean something. Did you earn that armor or stripped it off the body that did?" I said while giving the scarlet women a glare.

From the way the copper red heads reaction from my little insult, it got her pissed. Pissed enough to draw the Retro Lancer off her back and pointed at her while the UIR soldier did the same with a Snub pistol from his holster. Starlight ducked back in the APC and drew her Lancer at the two while I just stood there and stared the pair down. Not breaking eye contact with the redhead's pretty blue eyes that seemed somewhat familiar to her. 'Those eyes, where have I seen those before?'

Widening her gaze of the women, I took a more in-depth look at the redhead with breaking eye contact. Aside from additions to the armor the women had to her armor and the old Lancer. Her stance spoke to me about who this woman is.

Legs and shoulders at facing her with her Lancer in the ready up position. Standard firing position for all soldiers fluent in necessary marksmen, plus she has the safety off on that old thing. A lot of new boots these days have trouble trying to find what the damn thing looks like so she is a former COG soldier or was trained by one, leaning more to the latter than the former. She also had the 'by the book' vibe going for her, similar to Twilight and her brother Shining.

Then something clicked in her mind about the scared UIR guy next to her. Baking eye contact she took another look at the burned man. Then it hit me, "Garron Paduk."

The pair was visibly taken back as I assumed to have taken them by surprise. Good, I was getting somewhere now. Now I remembered the pair, the Kilo trial that was conducted by the late Col. Loomis back when Locust first attacked Halvo Bay. 'So many lives lost for that stupid trial.'

"From your looks, I right aren't I? I remember you now. I saw the file for the Kilo trial." I said before shaking my head at tibit of stupidity. "The reasons for that trial were stupid, unreasonable and unlawful to the four of you. Not only that but Loomis sacrificed over two companies just to listen to your testimonies." I said before casually walked up to the old man. "I learned that it was kilo that launched the missile that saved our asses over at the airport."

"You were one of the soldiers fighting the seeders that were blocking all the coms?" Asked the redhead. Now that she thought about it recognized the AWOL soldier.

"Not at first no, me and a bunch of others that had escaped the Academy had only arrived minutes before you launched the lightmass missile, former Cadet Hendrick," I said looking back at the redhead, further surprising her before asking another question.

"You escaped the Academies destruction! How?! When we arrived Karn, and his Locust had killed everyone there!"

"I and a bunch of others got away along with most of the civilian staff and locals that took shelter got out using the back ends of the school." She replied back. "More would have followed if the hallway didn't collapse separating schools docking area in the river from the Academy."

"Being the senior Cadet that was in the group, I led what was left of us and told them to get in the boats that were still docked, using the boats that were there, we got them out while the Locust we're focused on the Academy. Upstream towards the airport that was under attack. We had just gotten there a little under haft an hour before you guys dropped the bomb next to us." I told them as she looked the scared UIR man in the eye. "After I had learned it was your team I made a promise to my self."

Paduc was now locking eyes with me, a hit of curiosity was behind them I could tell with no shortage of suspicion. "And what would that promise be COG soldier?" The old man asked.

I just bought up an empty hand to the old man and gave him a genuine smile. "To shake the hand of everyone on that team."

From the expressions on the pair's faces said it all, they were once again taken back by my forwardness and didn't know how to respond to that. Taking the cue, I continued to what I was going to say next "I had already met up with Baird and Cole sometime ago," As if hearing their friends names, a pair switches had flipped, snapping them out of the shocked stupor. Hendrick was the next one to talk, "They're still alive?"

I replied with a nod before answering. "They were still kicking ass the last time I saw the two almost a few months back fighting in the outer western districts of Ephyra."

"I knew those two were alive after we left the COG, I didn't know if they were still fighting." Hendrick let out a small breath as if a little weight had now being lifted from her mind.

Paduc looked at my still razed hand before raising his own and took it, giving it a tight squeeze and giving it a single shake before letting go. I could tell that the former UIR soldier was not very convinced of my motives. 'Oh well, can 't win them all,' I thought before turning to Hendrik. "Have you met 'The Cole train?' I only know of one other person that could match that guy's hyper attitude," I told them.

'Well pony really, but Pinkie could still beat Cole by a mile in the moral department, but they don't need to know that,' I thought happily, 'That pink ball would do anything for attention if it meant to make everyone put a smile on their face.'

My statement gave me a few gruffled sounds that sounded like a suppressed laugh from the Paduk and a few giggles from Handrick. Feeling the tension lifted of the matter, I continued to then shake Hendricks hand before addressing the next problem. "So? What is it that you guys want? Food? Weapons? Well, I'll tell you two now we ain't got much of either. And we just got this thing out of the shop so please don't take it from us." I pleaded, hoping that we wouldn't have to fight against a bunch of hardened Stranded in an up hilled battle with just herself and Starlight. I might have a few scratches out of it, but Starlight? She's still a greenhorn in all of this and not ready for this level of odds.

"Well, we haven't seen the COG in these parts for nearly four years, not since we heard about the COG losing Ephyra," Answered Hendrik. "Care to enlighten us on whats been going on?"

"I've got no problem; I spare you the details on the small stuff, but I'll tell you what I know from up to a few months ago, granted I've been out of contact with them in that time. Been stuck out here."

The deserter pair eyed each other, looking like they were having a silent conversation between each other before Paduk gave a nod of acknowledgment before the couple looked back at them. "Alright, what do you know?" Paduk questioned.

"A couple of months ago, I got separated and trapped underground by a locust force. Sometime later I got a garbled transmission about a Lightmass bomb and got taped underground. By some stroke of luck, I got found by some Stranded I guess you can call them that; they were really a bunch of Tribbles I'll tell you. No fooling, they have names like 'Rainbow Dash' and 'Big Macintosh,' Don't believe me, then meet my socially awkward friend, Starlight Glimmer!" I lied then gestured to her friend that from the look of her had been sweating bullets while she had been doing all the talking. "Say hi Star."

"Umm, hi?" She replied awkwardly.

"We became good friends after a few life-threatening and socially awkward situations. Sence then I've been helping them find a nice secluded place in the to the south in the mountains to hide from the Locust for a time and anyone else that want to do them harm." I explained.

Sofia looked satisfied by this, but Paduk didn't, looking closely at the poor girl. He got up close to the girl and eyed her closely, making her sweat bullets. "You should have stayed with them; might have lived a bit longer. I remember back their some reports of a few tribes that ran around Gorasnaya, trying to stay alive. It's good to know there are still around. But why are you here instead of being where you belong?"

"Don't bother," I intervened. "I've tried to get her to go around and stay home but, to her, she wanted to see the world and didn't want to lose a friend," I answered with giving Starlight a reassuring smile. "So she's been my trainee for the last few months, getting her prepared for the world as we make our way towards the Jacinto Plateau and back to Jacinto itself. We were on our way to the COG's communication array in the naval shipyard down the road to radio in and see if the COG can send in a Raven to pick us up."

"I wouldn't do that. The area around Endeavour has a heavy Locust presence right now," said Sofia. "Several Locust outposts are chained together along the coast that runs along from the old shipyards that continued along the coast to the mountains with a large air force that regularly patrols along the most of the surrounding area. With just the two of you, you wouldn't have gotten close to the shipyards with having a bunch of Revers breathing down your neck. And if that doesn't stop you then the army of drones that are there would. The place is a Locust stronghold now; you're better off with driving inland and make a break towards Lima city then going to Endeavor.

Not to include the inclement weather that's been coming off the coast for the coming season," Sofia finished.

I just sighed in irritation at the news we were just given. I had hoped that we would only have to deal with a few Locust on the route to and at the shipyard. If there is a substantial Locust present in Endeavor then reaching the comms station with just myself and Starlight was out of the question. Meaning we might have to take the long ride back by doing what the former Onyx guard suggested and headed straight towards Lima city. It was the closest city from where they are now, and going through the mountains was not an option for her with the narrow roads that would be a tight fit for the Armadillo, and she didn't want to have to walk all the way back to the COG. That not including the Locust patrols that were also mentioned.

I just sighed again when her hand met her face, "Why can't things be easy for once."

Author's Note

Love that editing

UIR

Sofia Hendrik

Garron Paduk