Of Friendships and Warships

The four marines of fireteam Atlantis, the six ponies that are the Elements of Harmony, and one zebra finished loading various supplies onto the Pelican. As the rest of them boarded, Pinkie ran off somewhere.

“Did you forget anything?” Sheppard asked of Zecora.

“That was the last trip, we can head to your ship,” Zecora replied.

“And leave Pinkie here? I don’t think so,” Rainbow countered.

“Anyone saw her last heading?” Carter asked, “I think I’ll be able to find her, with McKay’s help of course.”

“Why me,” McKay complained weakly, “It is always me.”

“That’s because you’re smarter than you let on,” Sheppard told McKay.

“I saw her head towards the place where the fight happened, but I’m not sure,” Rarity said.

“Then get going, you two,” Sheppard ordered Carter and McKay, “You have five minutes, so be fast.”

“I was thinking we would just walk there real slow,” McKay sarcastically remarked, “But if you don’t want us to…”

“McKay, don’t be like that,” Carter rebuked, “On another note, how did she not leave foot, er, hoof-prints behind?”

“Don’t ask. Nopony knows how she does that,” Twilight said, “I once saw her sitting on an untouchable anomaly we could see.”

“How did you come across such a thing? Oh, right; we’re in a rush,” McKay asked then realized the time limit they had.

Carter and McKay both headed back to the battlefield they encountered the changelings at. On the way, they found the pink pony searching for something. “What are you looking for? We need to leave,” Carter said to the pony.

“I realized I dropped something on they back, so I came here to look for it,” Pinkie said, still looking for it. She approached a suspiciously cylindrical bush while searching. “Hey, look at this! I found something!”

“You found what?” Carter asked. Pinkie started moving the bush, and caused some dark blue gas to leak out of a barrel that was inside it.

“Looks like a barrel, with something coming out of it,” Pinkie said not aware of any possible danger. She then noticed where she dropped her party cannon, “I found it!”

“Good, let’s get back. And fast,” Carter said.

“Did a stray round strike that barrel?” McKay asked as they started back to the Pelican.

“I would hope not, they could have been pressurized,” Carter replied.

“If they were pressurized, that barrel would have exploded by now,” McKay said, “But it didn’t. Something doesn’t add up about what they were doing.”

“We’ll report that at the earliest opportunity, but we need to-“ Carter started saying until a cough from Pinkie had interrupted him. “Pie, are you okay?”

“Yes, I am!” Pinkie excitedly replied.

“Well then, if you say so,” McKay said. The three then walked the rest of the way back in silence. Once they had reached the Pelican, McKay said, “How much time did that take us? The changelings were up to something, but we caught them in the middle of it.”

“Four and a half minutes,” Twilight answered.

“We already figured out they were up to something, but don’t know what,” Sheppard told them, “Perhaps just moving fuel from point A to point B.”

“Anyone who wants to board this bird, now would be a very good time,” Woolsey said over commlink to the three standing outside. Once everyone had boarded, the Pelican took off and headed to the Spirit of Fire.

“Why do you use mostly just use the second part of your names?” Twilight asked Sheppard.

“That would actually be last names. We use them because first names are for close friends and family,” Sheppard answered.

“Well, we generally have to parts to our names,” Twilight explained, “Both parts would be equivalent to both your first names and last names. It is just so fascinating to see what alien cultures are like!”

“I thought finding out what their architecture and fashion is like would be fascinating, too; but alas, it is not. Way to plain and boring,” Rarity said.

“Then when we first can, you can look outside of military vessels and uniforms; if humanity survived the war, that is,” Sheppard said to Rarity.

“Your fighting a war?” Rainbow asked.

“Yes, we are,” Sheppard answered Rainbow.

“Awesome! I bet you’ve seen your share of epic battles,” Rainbow said.

“No, war is not awesome, and the battles are not epic. I’ve nearly died hundreds of times,” Sheppard countered Rainbow, “And if we lose or have lost this war, then we are all dead. No more UEG, no more UNSC, no more humans.”

“So that is why your ship is so plain,” Rarity said.

“The fact that it is a military vessel has everything to do with it, yes,” Sheppard said to Rarity.

“Does it have weapons?” Rainbow asked.

“Heavy deck guns along the upper outside, I believe they’re railguns. The main gun is a MAC, basically a massive coil gun. We’ve also got Archer missiles, which if I’m not mistaken are nuclear,” Sheppard answered, “We don’t have shielding, like Covenant ships; though we do have good armor on our ships. I think ONI had a team looking at Covenant shields to develop shields for our ships, but who knows what ONI does.”

“I could throw them a party and let you find out for sure,” Pinkie said before coughing again.

“Pinkie, are you okay?” Applejack asked.

“I’m FINE,” Pinkie said before coughing.

“Pinkie, dear, please be tell us if you are really okay,” Rarity tried to convince Pinkie to admit.

“Pinkie, you need to be honest with us,” Applejack said, “Are you okay or not?”

“I am fine,” Pinkie said between coughs.

“I think that gas from the barrel might be poison, not fuel,” McKay said, “Woolsey, have a medical team on standby for when we dock.”

“You should have said so earlier, I already called it in,” Woolsey replied, “Cutter’s Pelican is currently circling until we’ve got the pink one to the sickbay.”

“I want to stay with my friends, though,” Pinkie complained.

“We are docking,” the pilot said to the passengers, “You know where I’ll be if you need me.” The Pelican entered the hangar at low speed, and came to a stop near a medical team.

“We’ll take them from here,” one of the doctors said while motioning to Pinkie and the changeling queen.

“Zecora, maybe you could help them,” Sheppard told the zebra, who hadn’t said a word for the whole trip there. “The rest of use will head to the bridge, so you ponies are free to wander. Just don’t get into any trouble, okay.”

“Sure, we won’t get in trouble,” Twilight said. Twilight and her friends minus Pinkie headed out of the hangar. The second Pelican came to a stop near fireteam Atlantis, and its passengers disembarked from the dropship.

“Major, you and your team will come with us to the bridge. Anders, dismissed,” Cutter ordered, and Anders left the hangar towards her lab. The rest went up to the bridge.

=== ===

The five ponies were walking down the corridor, when they came to where it crossed another corridor. An arrow on the floor pointed towards what was labeled ‘Vehicle Bay.’

“I think I’ll head this way,” Rainbow said heading the arrow pointed.

“Sure, see ya later,” Applejack said.

“Remember to not get into trouble,” Twilight reminded Rainbow.

“I haven’t seen where they make what they wear, yet,” Rarity said, “I would so like to see what materials they use.”

“That would probably be labeled as causing trouble, Rare,” Fluttershy said.

“That. Is. The. Worst. Possible. Thing,” Rarity dramatically said while summoning her fainting couch and falling onto it.

“Conjured couch on Deck 14, Corridor C2-9A,” someone on the intercom said, “Owner, please move your property over to the side so as to not get in the way.”

“If you ask, I’m sure it won’t be any trouble,” Twilight said.

“Okay, then I’ll ask,” Rarity said getting up and sending her fainting couch to where ever she kept it stored.

“Don’t know about you, but I want to know if there are any animals aboard the ship,” Fluttershy commented. “I thought I saw a cat, but it seemed to disappear when I looked at it.”

“Why’d they keep cats on the ship, Flutters,” Applejack asked, “It is a military ship.”

“Actually, they might have cats and dogs. This ship seems to be designed to be away from civilization for a long time, so the crew might have brought pets with them,” Twilight said, “But then again, what Applejack said.”

=== ===

“Where does this door go?” Rainbow asked out loud of no one in particular. She followed the arrows labeled ‘Vehicle Bay’ until one arrow pointed towards a door. Not receiving an answer, Rainbow approached the door, triggering the sensor that tells the doo when to open. Behind the door was a cavernous room full of vehicles, some of which got Rainbow’s attention. The large scorpion-like tanks nearby were unattended, so Rainbow thought she’d be able to check them out without getting caught. She started approaching the tanks, until the intercom went off.

“Battlegroup Firestorm, prepare for ground deployment. Fortress drop has been green-lighted, secure a base site,” the intercom said. Rainbow ran out of the room back into the corridor and started searching for her friends.

=== ===

“They are preparing to release poison gas into cities? Are you sure about that?” Cutter asked Celestia.

“They seem to want your technology. I suggest we just give it to them,” Celestia said.

“That is not happening, I’ve already gave Battlegroup Firestorm the order to deploy. If they want to attack you, then we can return that favor,” Cutter said, “But we are not giving up our tech for them, or you.”

“Then we shall not be allies,” Luna said.

“Lieutenant, prepare for self-destruct on my order,” Cutter said, “Princesses, you won’t get this ship. Not even the changelings. If you want, we will leave and never return.”

“It is already too late for that. That is why we brought you here, disabled your weapons,” Celestia said.

“Another already arrived, and they want technology and resources. Things we can’t give to them, but if we get your technology to them…” Luna said trailing off at the end.

“The Covenant will not get this ship,” Cutter said to the two Princesses.

“They’re not around anymore, your UNSC won,” Celestia said.

“But they aren’t here to help you,” Luna said, her eyes glowing green for a moment.

“Captain, changelings,” Sheppard said pulling out his sidearm.

“Well, there went surprise,” “Luna” said, before dropping her disguise along with “Celestia.”

“But it doesn’t change anything,” both changeling queens said at the same time.