Mission Log: 10-3AB
Lance Corporal Aaron Freeman; ODST Special Forces; April 16, 2550
[Covenant-occupied Planet Halvey]
His heart raced excitedly as he sat as comfortably as he could in a SOEIV insertion pod. Adrenaline flooding his veins as he broke through the atmosphere.
Normally, any soldier worth their salt would call what he and his squad are doing to be suicide. They'd be right, at least. However, that's the beauty of being an ODST, they were always feet first into hell, as is their motto.
Dark brown eyes raced all around as flames started to surround his view port. His squadmates descending near him, yet he could only make out a few blurs through the heat.
The face of his CO, Gunnery Sergeant Jean Corbeck appeared on his screen.
"Alright, boys, we're dropping in hot in a Covvie-owned outpost. Our mission is to infiltrate it, acquire any useful info, and eliminate any high-ranking officer running the show. Our fly-boys will be giving us aerial cover while our ground troops stale the bastards out front. Let's give these alien bastards hell. Am I understood, troopers?"
"Sir, yes, sir!" Came various replies (including Aaron's) from the squad.
"I'll see you all on the other side!" Corbeck replied just as their chutes began to open.
The young corporal jerked in his seat as the chute in his own pod released, slowing his descent to the ground below.
He reached into his chest plate, pulling out a silver locket held by thick string. Words were etched onto the back in Latin.
A warning klaxon blared in the interior. He braced himself, grabbing hold of the handles that should diminish the shock.
His chute snaps off his pod, throwing his trajectory off by a margin as he crashed through a foliage of trees and stone. Each aftershock jostled Aaron as he slammed his head on the surface of his insertion pod. Thankfully, he wore a helmet. Unfortunately, once it all came to a stop, the ODST was seeing spots.
A great way to start off his mission...
UNSC Hearth & Home
May 16, 2557
Location: Uncharted UNSC/Sangheili Space
Dark eyes shot open as a taller, yet older Aaron sat up in his sleeping cot from within his quarters aboard the Stalwart-class ship, Hearth & Home. A pale hand covered his sight while pinching away the eye crust that bothered him. Wordlessly, he stepped off his bed and marched over to the small bathroom.
A cold shower immediately sounded good right now. Might even wake him up from the dreams he's been having lately.
While the human showered silently within the steel case that shielded his nudity from the rest of the world, a most unexpected guest entered his quarters.
A large humanoid alien reptile stepped through the sliding door that became the Lieutenant's makeshift home aboard the ship. This alien is a member of the Sangheili species, a former enemy/turned ally from the Human-Covenant War. However, where it was common to see male Elites during the days of the war, this Sangheili warrior was smaller and more feminine, signifying that she is a female. Like the rest of her race, she had dark leathery skin with the split mandibles but possessed a pair of gorgeous silvery-blue eyes. Clad from head to toe in crimson-ivory armor to show off her affiliation with the Swords of Sanghelios, the female glanced around the bland, yet clean room.
"Spartan, the captain requests your presence." The Sangheili spoke in a soft, yet firm tone.
The sounds of running water stopped. After waiting several minutes, the restroom door slid open, revealing Aaron Freeman dressed in the inner black bodysuit that clung to every muscle on his tall body. His black hair kept neat and tidy in a regulation haircut standard for all UNSC personnel. A strong, yet young facial structure that only added to his handsomeness. Dark brown eyes that glowed with a fire seen only in the fiercest of warriors among Sangheili. Although, his skin was an unhealthy pale color. The more notable feature being the long scar that ran over his left eye, revealing some plasma scarring from a Covenant energy sword.
The Spartan IV rubbed his moist hair while groaning softly at his day being ruined by work so presumptuously. "Alright, Vee, I heard you the last five times you reminded me."
The female's left eye twitched in annoyance. "Need I remind you, Spartan Freeman, that my name is Vera H'atum, not 'Vee'."
"Okay, okay, no need to get angry about it." Aaron raised his hands in a guarded gesture. "Besides, it's just a nickname."
Vera sighed. "How you became a member of humanity's greatest warriors, I'll never know."
"Because of my charming good looks, of course." The man flashed a wide grin, complete with sparkly white teeth.
"You jest, even an Unggoy is more attractive than you." The Sangheili shot back.
Aaron grasped his chest in mock hurt. "Ow, my pride." He chuckled lightly. "You sure know when to kick a guy when he's down."
"A human gesture, I presume?" Vera said dryly.
"To lighten the mood." The human shrugged as he and the Sangheili woman left his quarters to march onward to the Bridge.
The duo passed a good number of UNSC crewmates, a few marines, and even a Spartan or two from the corresponding hallway. Eventually, they reached the Bridge, entering and greeting the captain of the vessel.
He was a man in his fifties, bordering near sixty if his graying hairline was of any indication. Sharp green eyes gleamed like gems within the reaches of space, signifying his experience in war and the horrors it wrought. Outfitted in the armor-padded uniform that most officers wore after the war, he also had his rank insignia displayed on his collar, cuffs, and shoulder pauldrons. He also carried an M6H2 Magnum on his person, more for comfort rather than defense.
"Shipmaster, I've brought Spartan Freeman like you asked." Vera nodded respectfully to the CO of the ship.
"Thank you, Ranger. I'll take it from here." The captain inclined his head right back at the Sangheili, who dutifully takes her leave of the bridge.
As per military doctrine, Aaron saluted his CO stiffly, much to the man's amusement. "Captain Boris."
"At ease, Lieutenant. I didn't call you up here so that you can start being a kiss ass." Captain James Boris held up his hand like he was issuing a command.
"Yes, sir." The Spartan relaxed visibly, but still remained vigilant.
"As you know, we've been tasked with a diplomatic mission to Sangheili colonies throughout the frontier."
Aaron nodded. "To promote peace and to keep the Storm Covenant from gaining more followers from other Sangheili. I've read the mission briefing, captain. I don't see why reminiscing is of any consequence."
"Then did you know that this uncharted territory is a known refuge for pirates and Insurrectionists?" Captain Boris inquired.
The former ODST tried to reply, but realized he didn't know about that information. "No, sir."
It was no surprise that after the Human-Covenant War ended four years ago, the Insurrection had risen once again, attacking UNSC assets and even a few Sangheili colonies, which led to the creation of the Spartan IVs. However, complications arouse in the form of rebel sympathizers and anti-xeno activists.
"Well, I guess you better study up more on your homework before you start making arguments." Captain Boris stated dryly. "We're making periodic Slipspace jumps to speed up our progress to the Sangheili colony. However, we'll have to wait another half hour until we're ready to shove off."
"And where do I come in, sir?" Aaron raised a brow in suspicion.
The elderly man turned away from the Spartan. "If we should come under attack, we'll most likely be boarded. I need you to help repel the invaders. However, if the ship is lost, you will need to escape. You're the negotiator here, so you have to survive."
The young man narrowed his eyes, yet nodded in acceptance. "Very well, captain."
"Good man." Boris nodded. "You're dismissed. Grab some grub down in the mess."
With one last salute, the Spartan IV left the Bridge, only to be met with his Sangheili 'bodyguard' Vera. "Have you been waiting out here the entire time?" Aaron inquired.
"Yes," Came her reply.
"Uh..." The human had no idea how to respond to that. "Well, I'm off to grab something to eat. Wanna tag along?"
"Where you go, I go. It is my duty, after all." Vera replied.
'Just what I need... A nagging bodyguard.' He thought silently in his head.
Reaches of Far Space...
"What's this?" A being of great power watched the human vessel drift near a blue-green planet.
Mismatched eyes glanced over to a separate section which showcased a small fleet of similar-looking boxy ships that slowly approached the lone vessel.
"Oh, this should be some good entertainment until my return to Equestria..." The being chuckled darkly as it watched the chaos about to unfold.
Meanwhile...
Mess Hall
Aaron sat at a lone table with a few of his fellow Spartan IVs behind him as he ate a plate loaded with every known food dish filled with carbs. Normally, a soldier would be put off by this, but the Lieutenant was one of the few Spartans that possessed a high metabolism, allowing him to devour a great amount of food while still retaining his physical state.
His ever dutiful bodyguard stood behind him. Her imposing height scaring off any sailor or marine away from her charge.
While the Spartan would be put off by someone overlooking him like he was a lost child, it wasn't his place to question someone's conviction to their cause.
On the other hand...
"You could sit down and eat, y'know?" Aaron comments. "It's not like you're restricted from food."
"My duty comes first before my meals." Vera stated.
"Can I order you to sit down and eat?" He asked.
"No,"
Rolling his eyes, the Spartan finished off a plate of steak and eggs then moved on to a bowl of oatmeal. "Suit yourself."
Vera watched the young human eat his meal, trying her best not to stare at the wonderful smell that festered her nostrils. Seared meat, sweet treats, and even fruit-scented drinks.
*Grumble*
The Sangheili's dark leathery cheeks colored in embarrassment as the humans around her glance in her general direction, amusement written all over their smooth faces.
Aaron smirked up at the female alien then offered a plate of smoked sausages and bacon to her.
Reluctantly, Vera accepted her charge's offer and slowly ate the cooked meat, munching on it between her mandibles. She savored the delectable taste of protein as a soft, satisfied sound left her throat.
"Good, huh?" The Spartan IV chuckled at his so-called 'bodyguard'.
"It is... good." She replied, looking away with a tinge of red on her face.
"Hehehe, glad to hear-" Aaron's response was cut off when the ship suddenly started to rumble. "The fuck!?"
One of the marines, a young private, looked up in confusion. "Are we passing through an asteroid field?"
"Can't be. Otherwise, the captain would've notified all of us." One of Aaron's fellow Spartans clarified.
Suddenly, a warning klaxon rang in the mess. "This is Captain Boris! All hands to battle stations! We are under attack! I repeat: All hands to battle stations! We are under attack!"
"Well, that answered the million credit question of the day." Aaron sarcastically remarked, grabbing his glass of apple juice and downing the sweet drink in seconds. "Vera, I need to get my armor."
"I will lead you there, Spartan." The Sangheili brandished her plasma rifle, her helm closing around her humanoid face.
All at once, pandemonium broke throughout the ship as marines rushed to the armory to load up on weapons and ammo while Spartans sprinted down to the armor lockup to suit up in their [GEN2] MJOLNIR power armor.
Insurrection Battlegroup 5
Halberd-class Destroyer NCA Renegade
Aboard the flagship of the New Colonial Alliance's fifth battle fleet stood a tall, stern woman with neck-length black hair, brown eyes radiating with unstable rage, and light skin. She wore a blue long-sleeved dress shirt, dark blue cargo pants with a brown leather belt, and black military combat boots.
This imposing woman is the renegade Spartan IV and a leader of the New Colonial Alliance: Ilsa Zane.
"Seems the intel we acquired from our spies in ONI were right." The insane rebel smirked as the other Halberd-class ships attacked the UNSC vessel with their pulse cannons. Several explosions rocking the Hearth & Home with unrivaled aggression.
"Ma'am, should I send the boarding parties over?" A technician asked from his position at a communication line.
"Not yet, I wanna soften them up. Keep firing, but avoid their critical systems." Ilsa ordered. "And ready a ship for me. I'm personally going over there to put my hands on the UNSC's throat."
"Yes, ma'am!" The technician nodded as he repeated her orders over to the rest of the fleet.
'This should be fun...' The mad Spartan IV thought darkly as she glared at the Stalwart-class ship.
Hearth & Home MJOLNIR [GEN2] Assembly Bay
Aaron and the other Spartan IVs aboard the ship managed to arrive to the assembly bay, already witnessing a few of their comrades suiting up for battle.
"Spartan, we have little time." Vera's voice echoed in the Lieutenant's eardrums.
"I know, I know." The human marched over to a lone assembly system, grabbing hold of the handles and positioning his feet in place as robot arms came out to place black/red armor pieces onto his bodysuit. Once the chest piece had been locked and sealed, the helmet came down and pressurized over his head.
The Spartan IV stepped off the platform in ANUBIS-class MJOLNIR power armor primarily colored black with red trim and a Rampant VISR system that radiated a vicious aura to frighten even the strongest of warriors.
"I need a weapon." Aaron told the technician overseeing the Spartan IVs armor assembly.
"We can't provide them here. You'll have to get some at the armory."
The Spartan growled lowly in annoyance. His Sangheili bodyguard came to his side. "Spartan, we must hurry."
"Right, I understand." He nodded as he and Vera took off towards the armory like the rest of the Spartan IVs and the marines.
More rumbles shook the Hearth & Home, stumbling a few Navy personnel while a few managed to regain their balance by holding on to anything that could support them.
"Just what is attacking us?" The female Sangheili next to him questioned, irritated at the numerous explosions around their vessel.
"My guess? Either Covenant or the Insurrection." Aaron furrowed his brows, helping a sailor to his feet as the Spartan and the Ranger continued on their path to the armory.
Suddenly, a small implosion erupted near them, blasting a hole in the ship as the vacuum of space sucked in a few unfortunate crewmen out into the void.
"Magnetize!" Aaron shouted, activating the mag-locks in his boots along with Vera. Both Spartan and Sangheili stood in place, watching as humans disappeared screaming into the dark reaches of space. Just as soon as many sailors lost their lives, an energy shield materialized near the breach, cutting off the vacuum.
Once the danger passed, the Spartan and Sangheili deactivated their mag-locks. "Such a waste." Vera commented, referring to the loss of dead UNSC servicemen and women.
"This won't go unanswered." The Lieutenant promised. "Whoever is behind this attack will pay for it in their blood."
The Sword of Sanghelios glanced at the Spartan IV, nodding in respect at a fellow warrior's promise. "Then I shall follow you till the end, Spartan."
Resolved, the duo continue on their path, marching towards the armory to load up on as many weapons as they can carry.
Bridge
Captain Boris gritted his teeth, biting back a curse as the Insurrectionist fleet barraged his ship.
"Captain, we've got fires on Decks 4 thru 8!" A communication specialist informed him.
"Our starboard engines have been hit! Losing power to Shaw-Fujikawa Drive!"
"Weapon systems are down! We can't fight any longer!"
"Damn rebels..." The wizened man growled. "Can't they give us a break?"
A radar operator turned to her CO with shock on her face. "Sir, I'm detecting incoming boarding craft!"
"They're gonna try and capture our ship. Warn all personnel to grab a gun and look sharp! We're about to have company!" Boris ordered.
"Aye, sir!"
Hangar Bay
"Let's go, marines! Move it!" Master Sergeant Newman ordered his squad as they took positions behind makeshift cover using metal crates and Warthogs. Each marine carrying either a rifle, a shotgun, or a heavy machine gun. Unfortunately, they couldn't use rockets, in fear of damaging the ship even further.
The hangar bay doors were blasted open, every soldier bracing themselves as the automatic shielding came online, preventing them from being vented out into space.
"Here they come!" A private exclaimed, just as several Innie dropships emerged from the smoke, landing roughly on the metal surface as their hatches opened, revealing Insurrectionist soldiers clad in stolen UNSC gear and wielding weapons of similar capability, including Covenant weapons.
"Open fire!" Newman shouted, letting his MA5D unleash its hail of armor-piercing projectiles on the Innies. His squad released battle cries as they attacked the invaders, blasting them with their guns.
A few of the rebels fell in bullet-ridden heaps, their blood pooling on the titanium surface. However, the Insurrection retaliated, firing at the marines with confiscated MA5Cs and M7 SMGs.
"Keep firing! Don't let them get through!" The Master Sergeant commanded, just as the marine next to him cried out in pain when a bullet struck him in between his eyes.
From the rebel side, in a lone Pelican, a pair of boots slowly descended from a ramp. Striding away from the dropship was Ilsa Zane, who smirked darkly as she looked upon the puny marines that were tearing her troops apart.
"Hey, isn't that..." A corporal gasped in surprise.
"It's the traitor! Shoot to kill! Shoot to kill!!!" Newman ordered, directing all of their firepower at the former Spartan IV.
"Stupid, little men." Ilsa smirked, taking off faster than any known Spartan IV in existence. Once she reached the marines, the bloodbath began...
Armory
"Oh yeah," Aaron smirked behind his helmet as he and Vera stepped into the UNSC armory, filled with varying weapons of Human, Covenant, and Forerunner design. "I just died and went to heaven."
"What?" The Sangheili female inquired in confusion.
"Human gesture." The Spartan clarified. He grabbed a BR85HB Battle Rifle and placed it on the left side of his back. Then he took an MA5D Assault Rifle, placing it on the right side of his back as both rifles locked in place on his armor.
Vera loaded up on a few more Covenant weapons such as another plasma rifle, a plasma pistol, a Covenant carbine rifle, and several plasma grenades. "You humans always confuse me."
"It's part of our charm." Aaron joked, taking an M6H2 Tactical Magnum and placing it on his left thigh. Finally, he grabbed an M45D Tactical Shotgun, loading eight-gauge magnum shells into the chamber then pumped the action.
The Sangheili rolled her eyes in an almost human-like way. "Do not flatter yourself, Spartan. You're about as charming as a Brute."
"Now that really hurts, Vee." The young man pouted, despite his helmet shielding his face from all.
The two warriors load up on as much ammo as they could carry, including a few more grenades.
"Alright, now that we're locked and loaded, we can-" The Spartan IV was cut off when the ship-wide intercom went off.
"This is Ilsa Zane of the New Colonial Alliance. We are taking over this vessel. Lay down your arms and surrender to us. Doing so will allow you to live longer. Failure to comply will result in your immediate termination." The smug voice of the traitorous Spartan IV echoed throughout the halls.
Aaron snarled. "That damn snake."
"Who is this Ilsa Zane?" Vera inquired.
"She's one of the first Spartan IVs, only she received more dangerous augmentations. The other subjects died, but she survived." The Lieutenant frowned, thinking about the many UNSC personnel that died at the hands of the traitor. "However, the side effects of the augmentations drove her insane and she defected from the UNSC, joining the Innies in turn."
The Sword of Sanghelios snarled. "A betrayer. The worse kind of dishonorable swine."
"On that, we agree." Aaron smirked then turned to face the door that would lead to almost certain death. "I think it's time we go and give our answer to Ms. Zane, don't you think?"
"Agreed, Spartan." Holding up her plasma rifle in her right hand, Vera activated her energy sword in her left.
Meanwhile...
"My, oh my," The being chuckled. "So much chaos. These strange creatures are more interesting than I initial thought."
Crazed, mismatched eyes wandered over to the lone blue-green planet that loomed like an ever-present jewel.
"Oh, this should be entertaining." A dark chuckle echoed throughout space. "Very entertaining indeed."
Bridge
Ilsa Zane held up the bloodied, half-conscious form of Captain Boris. The vile woman gave the man a bloodthirsty smirk. "Thank you for your assistance, Captain." She spoke with mocking respect. "We'll be sure to give your crew suitable treatment as our prisoners." She paused for a second then chuckled. "Well, those that survived anyways."
The elderly man's response to Ilsa's threat was by spitting in her face, a bit of his blood mixed with his saliva as it splattered against her cheek. Much to his satisfaction, it seemed to make her angry.
"You stupid dog!" The mad Spartan snarled, wrapping both of her hands against Boris's throat, threatening to crush his windpipe for his insolence.
"Go... ahead and... kill me..." The captain wheezed, struggling to speak despite his throat being slowly crushed. "You'll achieve... nothing!"
The deranged woman thought it over then nodded, "You're right. But it's more fun this way." With nothing else stopping her, she snapped the captain's neck, killing him instantly. "Round up any of the survivors. I want them brought to me, personally. If they resist, kill them."
"What about the Spartans?" One rebel asked, holding their assault rifle tightly.
"What about them?" Ilsa smirked. "If they try to fight me, they'll die."
Crew Quarters
The Spartan IV and Sangheili Ranger hugged themselves against the steel walls, their weapons primed and ready to spill blood.
Aaron checked his motion tracker, finding five hostiles down the corridor that led to the bridge. "Innies." He growled. "We go down this path, we can get to the captain faster."
"Are you certain about this, Spartan?" Vera inquired.
"Nope, but it's not like we've got a choice." He raised a hand with three fingers up. "On my signal."
Three...
Two...
One...
"Engage!" At his command, both Aaron and his Sangheili companion fired upon the rebel squad. The first two fell to combined fire from plasma burns and bullet wounds.
The remaining three regained enough mobility to take cover behind some of the support pillars. They started shouting at each other in Slavic. However, Aaron wasn't here to snoop in on their little gossip play.
The Spartan IV reloaded his shotgun while the Innies returned fire with their own confiscated SMGs then swapped it for his assault rifle. "Vee, I'll give you cover fire. Get in close and take them out."
"Understood." The Sangheili nodded, taking out her energy sword.
"Here we go," With a quick gesture, the Lieutenant broke from cover and laid down suppressing fire. "Now, Vee!" He shouted.
In a burst of speed, the towering alien stepped out from the safety of the titanium walls and charged at the human rebels that were just starting to reload their rifles.
One of them barked an order but was silenced when Vera removed his head with her sword. The next one was stabbed straight through the abdomen, boiling his insides from the super-heated plasma as he spat blood all over the floor. The third one, terror gripping his heart, managed to shakily reload his gun and tried to kill the Sword of Sanghelios, but a well-placed bullet into his head dropped him like a fly.
Vera glanced back to see her Spartan charge reloading his rifle. "I did not need your assistance."
"Your welcome, Vee." Aaron rolled his eyes behind his helmet. "Now let's go and kill Ilsa. She's bound to be on the brid-"
"Lieutenant Freeman." Captain Boris's voice rang in his com-link.
"Captain?" The young man blinked in surprise.
"If you are listening to this then I'm dead." The old man released a sigh. "God, this is embarrassing. I thought I'd die on a beach surrounded by beautiful women. Unfortunately, that dream is gone." His tone was stern and full of resignation. "Listen to me, kid. In case my ship is invaded by either Covenant or Innies, I want you and your Sangheili friend to escape in a ship or a pod. I mean, right now!"
Aaron arched a brow in confusion.
"You're probably confused by what I mean. You see, I've programmed the ship's drive core to implode on itself if my heart should ever stop beating." This piece of news shocked the Spartan immensely. "Other UNSC personnel onboard will receive the same message I'm telling you now. Evacuate now while you still have a chance! The ship will self-destruct in exactly ten minutes. I'd get started now, kid. Good luck and godspeed."
Once the recorded message ended, the Lieutenant looked at Vera frantically. "We need to get off the ship!"
"For what reason?" The Sangheili inquired, surprised by the human's frantic behavior.
"The captain's dead. He's pre-programmed the Hearth & Home to self-destruct!" His statement got the reaction he needed from the alien warrior.
"But the hangars will be filled with human rebels." Vera retorted.
"Then we'll take a pod. We need to get as far away as possible before we get caught up in the explosion."
The Sangheili nodded. "Lead on, Spartan."
With the countdown to destruction already ticking, the pair fled down the corridor, passing by bodies of both marines, sailors, and rebels. Ignoring the corpses in the matter of survival.
Meanwhile...
Ilsa Zane looked down at the body of Captain Boris. There was something about the man's body language that left her disturbed. She couldn't say what it could be, but the familiar chill of Death gripped her soul ever tighter.
"Ma'am," A rebel soldier shook the traitorous Spartan IV from out of her thoughts.
"What is it?" She demanded with a small snarl.
The smaller man gulped, obviously intimidated by his boss's demeanor. "U-um, we've received reports from Engineering that the Slipspace Drive aboard the ship is acting up. The gear-heads thought it was just a small fluctuation."
That little tidbit was suspicious...
"What's the status on the UNSC forces still aboard?" Ilsa inquired.
"We're rallying the survivors in the hangar bay. However, some are still putting up a vicious fight."
The mentally unstable woman rolled her eyes. "Why must these fools continue to struggle fruitless-"
"Ma'am!" A frantic voice interrupted the former Spartan IV, much to her irritation.
"You better have a fucking good reason for bugging me." Ilsa warned the bothersome insect over her comm unit.
"There's something wrong with the reactor!?" The rebel on the other end of the comm yelled.
"What?!" She exclaimed.
"It's set to implode on itself! We've got less than seven minutes before this whole ship is destroyed!"
With cold fear gripping her heart, Ilsa pushed her way past her subordinates. "Get out of my way!" She shouted, sprinting out of the Bridge and making her way to the nearest escape pod.
The rebel soldier she knocked down, glanced at the door his leader ran out of. "Hey, that's just rude!"
Starboard Crew Deck
A body fell to the ground, riddled with bullet holes as the Spartan IV and his Sangheili companion stormed past the bodies of the fallen rebels they had slain. A few of those corpses were fallen UNSC Marines or a Spartan IV.
"We've got five minutes left!" Aaron shouted, glancing at his HUD's countdown timer.
"We should be there by now." Vera commented with a growl, her boots stomping hard on the metal floor.
The former ODST looked at his left, finding three separate airlocks that no doubt held lifeboats within. "Over there! I see them!"
"Thank the gods," The Sword of Sanghelios sighed with relief. "We can get off this doomed vessel."
"Yeah, hopefully, the others have-" The moment Aaron turned the corner, he was met with a boot to his face, knocking him right into the wall. Thankfully, his helmet absorbed most of the impact.
"Spartan!" Vera exclaimed, activating her energy sword to protect her charge until a lithe figure grabbed her wrist in a tight grip then socked her across the jaw. While her helmet did protect her, the blow had knocked her unconscious.
The lieutenant shook the stars away from his vision then stared at his assailant. "You!" He snarled.
Standing over the unconscious form of his Sangheili comrade... was Ilsa Zane, who smirked dangerously at him.
"Well, well, one of the UNSC's pet projects," She glanced down at the fallen form of Vera. "And a split-lip. How surprising."
"I'm gonna kill you, traitor!" Aaron roared, removing himself from the imprint he made in the titanium walls and lunging at the former Spartan with vicious ferocity.
Ilsa's smirk widened as she met her fellow Spartan's charge.
He struck first with a right hook, but she parried it with her left arm then slammed her elbow across his helm. The blow disoriented him for a brief moment, but he retaliated with a swift kick to the woman's hip. The strength behind it should've shattered bone and torn muscle, but Ilsa wasn't the first Spartan IV for nothing. She countered by delivering a powerful knee directly into Aaron's solar plexus, almost forcing him to vomit in his own helmet but he forced the bile down. Instead, he used the pain to amplify his rage, football tackling the woman with a savage roar while she hammered his back with her fists.
He slammed her against the metal plating, but Ilsa struck with her knee, hitting him square in the face. Before he could recover, she grabbed the collar of his armor and started delivering punch after punch, further disorienting him.
"That's the problem with all you wannabe super soldiers," The rebel leader spat, rearing her fist back then struck again, this time knocking off his helmet to reveal his half-beaten face. "You just don't know when to lay down and die!" With one last punch, the force from her blow sent the young man crashing hard into the floor.
Aaron groaned. His jaw had been dislocated from that punch. Not only that, but the blows she managed to get in on him managed to tear a few muscles in his body. He's lucky to still even be conscious after that punch. His eyes slowly glanced over at the unconscious Sangheili female. No way she would be getting up any time soon.
"Enjoy your tombstone, Spartan." Ilsa spat out the word with clear venom as she turned around and marched into the lifeboat. The doors closing behind as she shot out from the doomed ship.
'Gotta... get up... have to...' He said in his head as he forced himself to stand, despite the amount of agony his body was in. The Spartan IV limped towards his fallen helm, retrieving the expensive piece of equipment and sealing it over his bare head once more with a hiss. He checked his timer: 1:56. Not a lot of time left. Hopefully, the rest of the UNSC personnel aboard the ship managed to reach the lifeboats and got out safely.
But first, he had another duty to upheld...
Aaron dragged his beaten body over to the unconscious Vera, grabbed her under her arms, and pulled her into one of the remaining lifeboats on the Deck.
Rumblings from explosions nearly through him off. Apparently, the Insurrection was finished toying with their prey and decided to wipe the UNSC presence out of their sight.
His thoughts didn't linger on that. In fact, he kept his focus on getting the large alien female he was dragging to safety.
The lieutenant slammed his fist on the controls, opening the hatch. A quick glance at his timer warned him that there wouldn't be enough time to set coordinates in and secure them both before the reactor exploded.
'Shit... Wish I had a smoke right now...' He cursed inwardly.
Aaron secures Vera in a seat, fastening a harness to keep her stable. The onboard AI in his armor already prepared a launch sequence. He limped out of the lifeboat then pressed the manual launch setting, watching as the small escape craft shot out from its berth and towards the planet that hadn't been there before this insanity began.
He looked at his timer... 10 seconds left...
"Ain't no way I'm dying here..." He hissed, taking a running start then broke in a full sprint, ignoring the pain in his body as he fired his armor's thrusters, which propelled him forward just as explosions blazed behind him. A good thing too, because the ship slowly started to implode on itself.
As he drifted silently in the void of space, he felt something grab onto his body. It was pulling him down... down towards the planet!
Before the war ended, Aaron had read up that the Master Chief had managed to survive atmospheric entry. From the reports, he used a piece of debris and had his armor locked to absorb much of the damage. It's why the Spartan II was considered the luckiest man in the galaxy. A shame he never made it back home...
The young lieutenant wondered how he was gonna survive atmospheric entry. The [GEN2] MJOLNIR was stronger and more advanced than the one formerly utilized by the Spartan II commandos, but he wasn't about to tempt fate by crashing onto an unknown alien world.
For now, he had to keep himself from becoming a human pancake. To do that, he needed to adapt like all other Spartans have done.
Though the growing heat around his armor wasn't doing him any favors...
Equestria
Canterlot
Princess Celestia was many things: Wise, patient, beautiful, confident, gentle, and a glutton for sweets.
However, when it came to moving the sun up with her magic, she was a goddess. As evident by her long flowing rainbow ethereal mane with a tail of similar color, gentle soft pink eyes, a snow white coat, long bird-like wings, a horn on her forehead, her Cutie Mark printed on her flank, a curvaceous figure, and large breasts. The only thing covering her modesty was a flowing white dress that hugged her generous curves graciously. Her crown rested upon her head, signifying her station as one of the co-rulers of Equestria.
Her dear little sister, Luna, had gone off to bed after she awoke to perform her duties.
Weather pegasi had been talking about an early morning star shower that was bound to leave many of her dear subjects wishing upon them. The thought of seeing young fillies and colts getting up from their beds to wish upon the stars made her giggle.
"Mother?"
Celestia left her thoughts and turned to face the door to her room. Another mare, an alicorn like her, with a white coat, a mane of orange and yellow like a solar flare, with eyes a bright yellow, and a figure similar yet smaller than the Sun Princess. Though instead of a dress, she wore full plate armor that gleamed as bright as the sun itself.
"Daybreaker, my dear daughter." Celestia smiled, opening her arms to her child as the young mare gave her mother a deep hug, despite being nestled between her breasts. "I've missed you, my child."
"I've missed you too, mother." Daybreaker replied with a smile of her own. "Auntie Luna and cousin Exxy didn't tell you before hand because I wanted to make this little greeting a surprise."
"Oh, that Luna..." The princess shook her head, happy yet a bit irritated that her sister and niece would keep this from her. "What brings you here?" She asked, excited to see her daughter again after she had left on a journey of self-discovery.
"I've come to see how Canterlot has been since my absence." Daybreaker replied. She gave her mother a scrutinizing look. "You're not still eating a lot of sweets, are you?"
"Perish the thought!" Celestia laughed, her tone melodic and gentle. "Your mother may be a carnivorous sweet eater, but I know when to eat a balanced diet."
"The ten-layered cake you had during your three hundred year birthday says otherwise." The younger mare said dryly.
A tinge of red appeared on the beautiful princess's muzzle. "Oh, must you bring that up, my little sunspot?"
Daybreaker grumbled. "Mother, I'm not a filly anymore."
"But you'll always be my little sunspot, no matter how old you get." Celestia giggled, nuzzling against her daughter's cheek.
"Okay, mom, I get it!" The young mare groaned, trying to push her mother off of her, but the princess persisted, nuzzling her precious filly with all the love and tenderness of any parent.
All the while, they had neglected to see the numerous falling 'stars' that were scattered around the planet. With a smaller one about to land near Ponyville...
Author's Note
That's it for this chapter. After my failure last time, I decided to go over both Halo and MLP information.
The former of which I've got plenty info on. The latter, I had to work my ass off to do.
In any case, I know that both Luna and Celestia don't have kids. That's why two of them are OCs from two good friends of mine.
The first is Celestia's daughter, Daybreaker. Unlike her mom, she's more of a warrior at heart, but she's easily shy around males.
The second is Luna's daughter, Excalibur Edge, a character that belongs to my friend Knightwolf1875.
If there are any problems, either leave them in a review or message it to me. I'll do my best to correct it.
And with that note, I say, 'Peace out, everybody!'
Mission Log: 10-3AB
Lance Corporal Aaron Freeman; ODST Special Forces; April 16, 2550
[Covenant-occupied Planet Halvey]
The young ODST had awoken with a start. His eyes scanned the interior of his pod.
A groan escaped his lips. It would seem he suffered a mild concussion during the impact. However, the pain was irrelevant.
He needed to focus on his mission.
Aaron slammed his fist on the manual release buttons, watching the green lights bleed over to red as the covering hissed then flew off with the force of a cannon, colliding with a few trees in the way.
He reached to his left, taking out his M7S Submachine Gun from its berth and gave his surroundings a quick check.
No hostiles.
Unfortunately, that did little to hide his paranoia. The Covenant were tricky bastards after all, the murderous freaks.
The lance corporal carefully stepped out of the wreckage of his SOEIV. His boots landing in moist earth. It must've rained a some time ago.
He checked his mission clock: 21:36.
"Damn..." The ODST cursed. He must've been unconscious for over four hours. Still, if the Covenant haven't glassed the entire planet yet just to rid it of human filth then that must mean the UNSC was still in the fight.
No matter. He had to find his squad and finish his mission.
And God help any unfortunate alien that stood between him and his goals...
May 16, 2557
5 Minutes After UNSC Hearth & Home's Destruction
Location: Unknown Alien Planet
If there were ever a time to pray to God... it would be right now.
Aaron tried to visualize how he would survive his crash landing, but so far, the scenarios left him with a rather... unfortunate end. Even the onboard AI of his armor couldn't predict what course of action he should take.
Regardless, he was an ODST- no, he's a Spartan!
There's no way that he'll be burning to death on some godforsaken planet in the middle of unknown space.
Already the titanium nanocomposite bodysuit was absorbing the heat as best it could. Temperature controls were trying to keep his body as cool as possible in order to prevent him from suffocating in the surrounding heat. His armor seemed to be holding strong, but he can only hope for so much.
His visor polarized, allowing him to see through the flames. He was still coming in hot, but he could already make out a forest in his sight along with... a town?
If there was a town then there could be civilization. But are they friend... or foe?
Shit! Can't worry about that! Need to focus on not dying!
Everfree Forest
"Hey, Applebloom, are you sure we'll get our Cutie Marks if we find a fallen star?" An orange-coated earth filly with grey eyes, a purple mane and tail styled in a rather tomboyish cut while dressed in a light brown sleeveless shirt, blue jean shorts, and white shoes asked.
A pegasus filly gave her friend a grin; this one with a yellow coat, scarlet eyes, and a red mane/tail in a Southern cut, wore dark blue overalls, a pale yellow t-shirt underneath, and brown shoes. Nestled in her mane is a large, hot pink bow. "Of course, Scootaloo. You and Sweetie Belle gotta trust me on this." Applebloom replied in a thick Southern accent.
A unicorn filly with a stark white coat, green eyes, and a lavender/pale violet mane and tail that looked elegant and curly, sighed. She wore a light purple frilled sundress and light blue sandals. "Honestly, Scootaloo, Applebloom, we've won't be able to find a fallen star just because the weather pegasi said something about it. My older sister knows not to always believe what you hear." Her accent sounded more elegant and regal like a noblewoman (or noblemare, depending on your preference).
Scootaloo scoffed. "Please, Rainbow Dash is the best flyer in Ponyville. There's no way she would lie about a star shower."
Applebloom giggled. "Well, ma sister says that Rainbow tends to exo... exon..." The earth pony filly tried to say the word, but couldn't get it.
Sweetie Belle sighed. "Exonerate?" She simplified.
"That's the word." The redhead replied with a thankful nod.
However, the young pegasus puffed her cheeks. "Hey! Rainbow Dash doesn't 'exo-ner-ate'!"
"Yes, she does!" Applebloom countered.
"No, she doesn't!" Scootaloo retorted.
"Yes, she does!"
"No, she doesn't!"
As her friends argued, Sweetie Belle looked up at the sky, keeping a watchful eye out for any falling stars. So far, all she saw were clouds and even the occasional pegasus pony flying around in the air.
'Goodness, there doesn't seem to be anything in sight...' The white filly frowned in thought. After all, what did she expect? It's not like anything is quite literally going to fall from the sk-
CRASH!!!
"What the hay was that!?" Scootaloo exclaimed in shock.
"An earthquake?" Applebloom said with equal surprise.
"Impossible, that only lasted for a second. It must've been nearby." Sweetie Belle clarified. Her green eyes already looking around the forest until she caught sight of a smoke trail. "There!"
"Is somepony camping out here?" The yellow filly asked.
"This early in the morning?" Scootaloo added incredulously. "Nah, that's gotta be our fallen star!"
Applebloom grinned. "Then let's go check it out! We can finally get our Cutie Marks!" With that said, the young filly took off deeper into the woods on the path towards the smoke signal.
Sweetie Belle sighed. "Honestly..." She quickly followed her friend, despite the fact she wore inadequate footwear to run in.
"Hey, wait for me!" Scootaloo shouted, running after her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders.
As the three fillies traversed through the forest to find the star, a pair of glowing yellowish-green eyes watched the Cutie Mark Crusaders with hunger radiating in those devilish orbs.
Spartan IV ID: Aaron Freeman
Rank: Lieutenant
Status: INCAPACITATED
Location: Unknown
His head ached... almost like he had been drinking during one of his R & R parties when he and his buddies were off-duty.
Fun times...
Though not as fun as that death-defying drop. The Master Chief was one crazy son of a bitch.
His whole body felt sore. His previous injuries coupled with the crash seemed to have rattled his internal organs a bit. He could feel his stomach protest loudly, but he resisted the urge to vomit.
Aaron gave his HUD a quick look. His shields were flaring rapidly, but slowly recovered. His life signs were low. And he found the reason why...
A couple of his ribs were cracked, one of which had pierced his left lung. His right shoulder had popped out of its socket. A concussion. Several torn muscles, nerves, and blood vessels.
Shit, just his luck.
The lieutenant ran a quick check on his armor. Several sections had massive heat scarring, but the nano-machines from the auto-repair nodes were working overtime. Lucky for him, none of the major functions were damaged in the crash. At best, all he would receive were the injuries on his person.
Already he could feel the biofoam injectors sealing his wounds and repairing the damage. However, he needed an experienced doctor to remove the rib in his lung. The biofoam wouldn't last forever and without painkillers, he'll be feeling a throbbing pain in his chest every time he breathed.
Armor-lock disengaged at the last second, letting his limbs drop to the air, even though he couldn't feel it through his tech-gloves.
With a groan, the Spartan crawled his way out of the crater he made with his body. Each movement hurt like hell, but at least he was alive to bitch about it.
A quick check from his HUD informed him that only two of his weapons had survived the atmospheric entry: His pistol and his battle rifle. The assault rifle had been reduced to molten slag, his shotgun had been lost during the fall, and his SMG had been shattered when he impacted on the ground.
"I should've stayed with the ODSTs..." Aaron groaned, silently regretting his decision to become a member of one of the legendary Spartans. "At least then, I had something to sit in."
Suddenly, voices reached his helmet's audio receptors. Female. Young, probably juvenile.
"Are you sure it fell around here, Scoots?" A girl with a Southern accent inquired.
"Trust me, Applebloom. I know what I saw." Another one, this sounding more tomboyish.
"You could very well be leading us in circles. It's not the first time this happened." A third voice, more regal and elegant.
Aaron narrowed his eyes, forcing away the pain from his injuries as he quickly melded into the treeline. The shadows perfectly concealing his form. However, he made sure to dim the intensity of his VISR's reflection so that no one saw the red glare from it.
A rustling caught his ears. His motion tracker spotted three unidentified individuals approaching the sight of his crash landing.
Once they cleared the hedges, the Spartan couldn't help but gape in shock. The unidentified individuals were humanoid, obviously alien, yet they spoke English. Though the more shocking features were the fact that they were juvenile... ponies?
He could clearly see them now. A tomboyish orange pony, a Southern yellow pony, and a white elegant pony. Arms, legs, fingers, toes, the whole deal. Despite their hair, coats, and tails, they would honestly be mistake for normal human children.
"Hey, look! There's a crater!" The orange one comments, gesturing to Aaron's impact site.
"We can already see it, Scootaloo." The white one replies.
"Let's check it out and see what's in it. Who knows, there could be an alien!" The yellow one bounces with excitement.
Aaron narrowed his eyes. Could these be some new species based around equines? But how come this species has never been recorded in the UNSC database or discovered by the Covenant?
The Spartan watched the three pony kids investigate the crater, checking the hole for any sign of him or whatever they thought had fallen from the sky.
'Now what the hell am I supposed to do?' He said to himself mentally. There's no way to contact the UNSC unless he had better communication equipment. And he couldn't radio his surviving comrades without alerting the Innies in orbit. For all he knew, the bastards were already on this planet and taking it for themselves.
His thoughts drifted to Vera, his Sangheili bodyguard, who made it her duty to protect him until their mission to the Frontier colony had been completed. Wherever she is, he hoped she'd be alright...
Ping!
His motion tracker picked up new contacts... a dozen of them, closing in on the three unaware pony kids.
Now the important choice could have two different outcomes: Standby and watch or warn them and possibly expose yourself? Neither option sounded good, but one of them felt right.
Several growls came from behind the girls, who flinched and slowly looked back with their eyes wide with terror.
"T-Timberwolves..." The white pony girl muttered with a shiver.
The Spartan raised a brow in confusion. What could they be talking about?
He got his answer when several wolves stalked out from the shadows of the forest. Each of them possessing glowing, green eyes filled with a need to feed. The strangest thing about these wolves... was the fact that they looked to be completely made out of wood.
'Just what kind of planet did I land on!?' Aaron screamed in his head.
His thoughts were interrupted when the three girls screamed in fear as the pack of Timberwolves pounced at them to devour their flesh.
Instincts took over and already he had activated his thruster pack, the propulsion sending him barreling right into the path of the pack as he smashed right through the lead Timberwolf. The impact shattered the wooden beast into splinters due to both his armor's mass and the enhanced strength.
Once he came to a stop, Aaron pulled out his combat knife and lunged at the next wolf, slashing with the carbon steel blade at its jugular. However, no blood came from the wound so that meant he had to completely destroy it.
One of the Timberwolves pounced on the Spartan, latching its jaws onto his left shoulder. Thankfully, the armor and bodysuit kept his flesh protected, but the damn thing was annoying him.
"Get the fuck off of me!" Aaron snarled, grabbing the beast by the throat then tearing its head completely off with his brute strength. The next wolf in his sights didn't last long against him when he punched a hole clean through its chest and grabbing, what could have been, its heart.
Several more contacts appeared on his motion tracker. By his count, over a dozen.
"This should be fun..." The LT smirked, entering a combat stance with his knife prepared to slay more enemies.
Meanwhile, the Cutie Mark Crusaders watched as their savior battled and effortlessly killed the Timberwolves.
"What is that thing!?" Sweetie Belle cried out.
"It must be the alien!" Scootaloo exclaimed, awed by how cool-looking the armored giant is. "Awesome!"
"Is it protecting us?" Applebloom wondered aloud as the Spartan engaged the rest of the Timberwolf pack.
Aaron struck the first one with a kick, literally knocking its head off. He grabbed the useless body then swung it like a club, bashing two more into wooden splinters. Another wolf tried to bite his arm, but the fangs shattered against his armor. He decided to give it a good kick to the chest which destroyed the wooden beast with ease.
This exhilaration... This thrill...
He felt it all before he became a Spartan. Grabbing hold of a Timberwolf's muzzle, Aaron twisted its head with enough force to snap it backwards. It released one last pitiful whimper before dying.
Killing an enemy with your bare hands. He'd forgotten how good it felt to kill things that weren't human. How he would snap the necks of Grunts that were unfortunate enough to get in his way. Torture Jackals that thought they could hide and pick off UNSC Marines with their snipers. Skin captured Elites alive from fallen Covvie raiding parties.
The bloodlust...! The need to slaughter the enemy felt so damn good! The Spartan couldn't get enough of it!
Even as an ODST, he killed Innies and Covenant without remorse, doing it in the most painful way possible just to see the look of terror in their eyes.
War and terrorism changes people, and not for the better. Aaron was no exception. The Covenant glassed his homeworld of Harvest, killing his family and friends on the surface. He joined the Marines to kill the alien bastards. Then when the Innies started making life hell for the UNSC again, he killed them too. He killed anybody that threatened the peace and serenity of all that just wanted to live their lives without having to worry about the Sword of Damocles dangling over their heads. That's why he bloodied his hands and why he will never forgive anyone that seeks chaos and death. All in the name of foolish ideals like religion or autonomy.
So lost was he in his haze of rage and lust for battle, did he not realize that he had killed the Alpha of the Timberwolves by breaking it, literally, in half on his knee. The beast crying out in agony before falling silent as the bodies of the pack surrounded him like a blanket of death.
The fillies watched as the armored giant dealt away with the Timberwolves. Its single blood red glass-like eye staring at the carnage it wrought then it looked right at them.
Sweetie Belle froze with fear, hiding behind Scootaloo and Applebloom in an attempt to shield herself from the monster's sight. The yellow filly of the Crusaders gulped when she noticed the metal being flex its... 'hooves' or paws as if wanting to grasp something.
"That... was... AWESOME!" Scootaloo, being herself, cried out with awe as she ran to the armored behemoth and looked up at it with wide, sparkly eyes. "What are you? Are you a superhero? A robot from another world? A stallion with enchanted armor?"
Aaron reared back in surprise when this orange-furred pony started rambling off nonsense, yet spoke in clear English. A fact he still found hard to believe since he only ever heard humans and the occasional Sangheili or Unggoy saying a few words of it.
He wanted to say a few words to the alien children. Maybe find a way to locate any friendly units on the planet from the UNSC or his Sangheili companion. However, his recent adrenaline rush had already passed... along with the painkilling effects of the biofoam. The Spartan could feel the rib in his lung already making it difficult for him to breath. Followed by his exhaustion and recent injuries, Aaron could barely remain on his feet any longer.
"H-hey, are you okay?" Scootaloo looked at the swaying figure in concern.
"Need... medic..." The human soldier groaned before collapsing on the ground, out like a light.
"Oh my Faust!" Applebloom exclaimed.
"He needs help! We have to bring him to the hospital!" Scootaloo grabbed hold of the Spartan's left arm, but every time she pulled, the super soldier wouldn't budge. "Man, this guy weighs a ton!"
"We're going to need help." Sweetie Belle suggested, her earlier fear of the armored behemoth vanishing when she realized that her savior was hurt. "We can't possibly move this... whatever he is, by ourselves."
"Let's get Exxy! She's plenty strong!" Scootaloo said, pushing the man onto his back, being mindful not to hurt him any further.
"That's a good idea! Let's go find her." Applebloom added.
The lone white filly looked to the unconscious soldier apprehensively. "But... shouldn't one of us stay here?" Her friends looked to her for an explanation. "What I mean is, we can't just leave this stallion all by himself. One of us has to stay here while the others go off to get help."
"Good plan." The purple-maned filly jumped in agreement. "Sweetie Belle, you stay here while Bloom and I go get Exxy!"
"Do hurry back soon. I don't... like the forest at all..." Sweetie Belle admitted, crouching near the unconscious Spartan.
"Don't worry, we'll be back before you can say 'Pinkie Promise'." Applebloom grinned, patting her friend's shoulder then glanced to Scootaloo. "Let's get moving. Otherwise, my sister will tan my hide."
"Right," The filly nodded, following her friend as they took off back on the path that would lead them to the Moon Princess's child.
Sweetie sat there beside the black/red knight that had saved her and her fellow Crusaders. She idly wondered what was behind the strange helm the stallion wore. Would he be handsome? The ideal knight in shining armor that her sister would fantasize about after reading those weird romance novels?
Curiosity got the better of her as her hands grasped the edges of the helmet then she pulled with all her strength. Suddenly, she heard a hiss and idly wondered if her savior had gotten mad with her for touching him, but the stallion made no such movement. With one last pull, she removed the knight's helmet and revealed the face of her protector.
Her first thoughts about the stallion was that he was hairless, save for the patch of black fur on top of his head, and his skin was almost ghostly pale. He had no muzzle save for a point at the center of his face that could be his nose. He had no ears atop his head, but on opposite sides. The more notable feature being the long scar that ran over his left eye, possibly due to a blade or a past childhood injury.
Whatever her savior is, he was definitely alien and not Equestrian...
Excalibur Edge's Hut
Border of Everfree Forest
A mare leaves the front door of her modest home near the border. The mare looks to be eighteen to twenty with a ruby/gold striped mane and tail. Wings that are cyan that turn white toward the wings tips, and along the lower feather. Even with the black sleeveless shirt and blue jeans, you can see the silver coat of her body. Cyan fur that goes from her elbows down to her fingers with a matching cyan on her shins that starts below her knees, and matching hooves. A horn of silver twelve inches long grows from her forehead. A horn and wings you ask? Well she is an Alicorn, and daughter to Princess Luna. Her name is Excalibur Edge.
"Another beautiful day for guarding the woods." She said to herself. The mare yawned a bit loudly as she slipped on her shoes and grabbed the magically enhanced broadsword by her porch, slinging the weapon onto her back, which remained stuck in place for some strange reason.
However, just as she was about to enter the woods to do her patrol, two colorful blurs collide with her stomach, knocking the mare on her back with a yelp.
"Exxy! Exxy!" The voices of Applebloom and Scootaloo reached the warrior princess's ears.
"Ouch..." Excalibur groaned as she sat up then gave the two fillies a scolding glare. "Did you two have to run into me?!"
"S-sorry, Exxy, but-" Applebloom started but the orange filly interjected. "We need help! Somepony is in trouble!"
Her earlier annoyance past, Excalibur Edge stood up. "Show me." She said in a deadly serious voice.
The two members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders led their big sister figure back to where they left the alien knight and Sweetie Belle.
It took them a while since the fillies had lost track on where they came from, but Excalibur managed to discern where the last member of the CMC would be. Once they came to the clearing, her silver eyes landed on the form of Sweetie Belle staring down in surprise at a creature she had never seen before. It resembled most ponies in stature, but it was most assuredly not a pony. The alien was unconscious and seemed to be having trouble breathing.
"Exxy!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed after finally noticing the daughter of the Moon Princess.
"Start explaining. I want to know what happened." Excalibur demanded.
Applebloom fiddled with her tail. "W-we were just investigating the falling stars. We thought it would get us our Cutie Marks."
"Then a pack of Timberwolves tried to eat us then this big black giant with a red eye jumped in and saved us!" Scootaloo added, only her's was filled with both excitement and admiration. "You should've seen it, Exxy! It was all like BAM! And POW! And then it was all like ROAR!" The filly started making sound effects as she tried to mimic the unconscious Spartan's fighting moves.
The mare couldn't help but giggle in amusement. "And then what happened?"
The fillies stopped then looked down at the human and back at Excalibur. "He just collapsed." Sweetie Belle answered.
Excalibur arched a brow then did a quick magic scan on the unconscious man. What she found disturbed her greatly. He was covered in a variation of scars that ranged from burns to slash marks and to chunks of flesh that looked to have been torn off. Internally, she could feel that one of his ribs had broken and pierced his lung while edging a few centimeters away from his heart. If this stallion didn't get help soon, he was going to die.
"I'll have to get my aunt in on this. Meanwhile, you three are in big trouble." Exxy scolded the fillies, who looked down ashamed. "Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash are gonna tan your hides when they find out about this... but I suppose I'll let this slide just this once."
The Cutie Mark Crusaders smiled up at the mare. "You're the best, Exxy!" They said in unison.
Said mare grinned a bit with pride. "I know I am." Her gaze landed back on the strange alien. "Now let's get you some help."
She focused on the telepathic link to Celestia while keeping a watchful eye on the forest for any creature that dared to make their presence known. "Auntie, I've got a problem here."
"What is it, my sweet niece?" The voice of Princess Celestia entered the mare's mind.
"I've got some kind of strange stallion here. He's injured, a pierced lung and several other internal injuries. I can't move him, or I risk the rib piercing his organs to cut open his heart." Excalibur mentally said over the link.
"I see. I will be there momentarily. Your mother is asleep right now." Celestia replied.
"Thanks, Auntie. Oh, did Day come back and surprise you?"
Excalibur could hear a mental giggle in her head. "She most certainly did, but you and your mother should've told me that my only child was coming home."
"We could have, but we wanted it to be a secret." The mare replied. "Anyways, not the time for that. I've got a dying stallion here."
"Of course, I shall prepare a medical staff immediately. In the meantime, try and keep him alive as much as possible."
"You got it, Auntie." Excalibur replied, cutting the link then looking down at the human. "You're one lucky stallion, my strange alien friend."
Baltimare Square
"Back up! Back up!" Many Royal Guards ordered the ponies back while several others investigated a metal cocoon that had fallen from the sky.
"What is this thing, Captain?" A young stallion asked.
"The buck if I know, kid." The captain replied, tapping the metal with her spear.
Suddenly, the hatch began to open, surprising the guards as they stepped back, keeping their spears ready in case of a hostile threat.
A shadowed figure stepped out then the sunlight glinted down upon them. "Well..." A wicked smirk appeared on their face. "Seems I've landed on a potential conquest."
"W-what are you?" The captain demanded.
"Me?" Stepping out is the familiar form of the first Spartan IV and the rebel leader. "You can call me your newest tenant."
Ilsa Zane has come to play...
Author's Note
That's it for the chapter. If you have any suggestions on how to proceed, give me a message.
Excalibur Edge belongs to my good friend, Knightwolf1875.
I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as possible though it'll be a bit difficult once I get surgery for this hernia I discovered. Hurts like hell...
Anyways, review and comment on this chapter. Trolls and flamers will be ignored and deleted.
Peace out, everyone!
