Halo - Ascension

Chapters

Prologue - Unknown Signal
Chapter 1 - Getting Things Moving
Chapter 3 - Negotiations Upon Landing
Chapter 4 - Cordial Relations
Chapter 2 - Departure into the Dark

Prologue - Unknown Signal

Ponyville, Equestria, Planet Equis

Castle of Friendship, Laboratory

Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic, blinked her eyes open and pulled herself upwards and out of her chair, giving off a tired sigh. On her right, surrounded by various tools and magical instruments, was a blue orb inscribed with strange glyphs, and markings done in silver.

Ever since Twilight and her friends had triumphed over the demon Lord Tirek and reimprisoned him in Tartarus, all Equestria had been busy rebuilding after his rampage. For Twilight herself, she was still sad over the loss of her old home.

The Golden Oaks library had housed her, Spike, and Owlicious for nearly two years, and she had lost many of her keepsakes from that time in the fire that had consumed it. Some were remade or replaced, but others could not be saved.

As a result, after her coronation, Twilight and her friends had retreated to Ponyville and begun the effort of cataloging all of her belongings that had survived, and those that hadn't. It was quite the undertaking, and even with a different Element Bearer helping each day for about five days straight, it only now neared completion.

But Twilight had also spent that free time on other tasks, most importantly the nightly counseling sessions with Princess Luna that had been going on for a week now. Luna had taken up the task of helping Twilight get accustomed to her new status and authority, and since she was so busy during the day, what better time than the night to do it?

Princess Luna, Twilight had to admit, was quite creative with magic. Every night, Twilight and Luna would enter into a dream realm that assumed a perfect simulation of the Canterlot Day Court chambers, and Twilight would oversee simulated courtiers and resolve their issues. Luna had based these illusions on her own experiences before and after her banishment, and some of Celestia's in the interim.

Twilight had just finished one of those sessions, and since they were quite magically exhaustive for them both, she often retired after each one.

This time was different, as Luna had given her the orb that now lay on her workbench to study beforehand, three days ago. Twilight had asked what it was when she first saw it, and Luna had to breathe deeply before answering, as Twilight caught on it wasn't Equestrian in origin.

Luna then told Twilight a story, the details of which still haunted Luna, even now. Three years and two months before Luna's banishment, the two Sisters had secretly encountered and hosted a group of beings from the stars. However, the entire affair was kept so secret, all non-alicorns who were subject to it had their memories altered afterward.

These beings were described as so powerful, their species so advanced, Luna said it was feasible they could've ended all life on their planet...all without the slightest use of magic. The first meeting was so tense, any mistake at all could've been catastrophic.

Twilight had balked at that part and of the races' lack of magic, and Luna had replied that they simply didn't utilize it, as their technology could do things their magic simply could not.

However, it was the presence of magic as a whole in their world that saved them in the end. One of the beings and his spouse, in particular, were fascinated by the Equestrians’ use of it, and advised their fellows to take a different approach regarding negotiations.

This being held high authority within the delegation, enough that Princess Luna said whenever he was present, the other members of the race bowed not entirely out of respect, but fear.

Luna also said she later learned there was an ulterior motive to their interest in the use of magic, regarding something called "the Flood", but that was made clear much later, she added.

This great being, called the Didact, and his wife, the Librarian, studied the planet Equestria and all that inhabited or occured on it for nearly three years with great diligence and curiosity. But one day, the two disappeared, leaving the orb and a message from the Librarian in their wake.

The message said that their kind was now in danger of extinction, and the two had to leave in order to preserve their race from a danger even their kind could not win against, called the Flood. It was added that the two or their kind would most likely never return.

However, the message also stated that another race, called "Reclaimers", would one day inherit the full scale of this race's glory and power, and that should they come, whenever that would be, the Equestrians would be wise to join their cause and become allies.

And with that, Luna said, the orb was kept in a section of the archives only the Princesses could access, and now that Twilight was an alicorn, she, like Cadance before her, could learn of it.

But this time, Twilight was given the task of contacting the Reclaimers through the orb, if it was possible at all. She had labored and experimented through the day and into the night to no avail.

As she looked at the orb now, she breathed out, and touched it with her hoof, before heading out of the room to her bedchamber. However, had she stayed longer, the silver markings began to glow, and with a hum of energy, an ethereal blue wave of power pulsed from the orb.

It waved and moved in the air for several moments, before disappearing in a flash. The glow on the markings faded, and the orb went silent once more.

=====
Merrison Station Shipyard, Planet Earth

UNSC Infinity, Bridge

The UNSC Infinity, flagship of the Navy and for nineteen months, the last bastion of human power in the Milky Way, was quiet as it lay in drydock. After a climactic battle above Installation 00, or the Ark, which involved the activation of a Halo Ring, the Guardians and the Domain AIs, with Pax Cortana included, were destroyed. The exact details were still heavily classified to the civilian population, but it was often heard that the Master Chief, Sierra-117, personally activated the Halo Ring and ended the uprising, alongside Blue Team.

Now, most of the Infinity’s crew was planetside on Earth or on Merrison Station, celebrating their victory with a lively party. Even Commander Sarah Palmer was present for it, along with many of the Spartans.

As a result, the only one on the bridge tonight was Thomas Lasky. After the uprising, he had accepted a promotion from Captain to Rear Admiral, a rank which allowed him to retain command and captaincy of the Infinity.

As he sat across from the holotable, holding a glass of scotch, a voice made him turn his head to the pedestal nearby.

“Good evening, Admiral.”

Roland, the Infinity’s shipboard AI, appeared with a salute. Lasky gave a nod of recognition, and spoke with a weary tone.

“Evening, Roland.” He replied. “What’s our status?”

“Well, all ship systems are back to full operational capacity.” the AI replied. “Weapons and engines are 100 percent, otherwise there’s not much else to report.”

“Good to hear.”

For a few moments, there was silence, until Lasky noticed Roland perk up and flinch suddenly, saying “Oh, oh. That’s new.”

“What is it?” Lasky asked.

“We’ve got an inbound signal.” Roland replied, waving his hand to make several holographic readouts appear on the command table. “It’s Forerunner, but also…not Forerunner. The glyphs that comprise the message encoded on the signal aren’t in a language known to the UNSC.”

Lasky raised his eyebrows as he came over and looked over the display, his feeling of surprise soon giving way to an intense focus on the matter at hand.

“Any idea who’s sending it?” He asked.

“No idea so far.” Roland replied, the AI’s holographic brow furrowing as he continued to work. “There are some included Slipspace coordinates, similar to how we used the Guardians’ emitted noise to locate the Genesis Installation, but the data is heavily altered. This might take some time, Admiral.”

“Take whatever time you need.” Lasky replied, draining the last of his scotch glass. “I’m going to inform Fleetcom of our recent development. Keep up the good work, Roland.”

“Aye, sir.”

As Lasky departed, heading straight for his personal quarters, Roland’s hologram disappeared from the pedestal.

====

“And you’re certain this signal is Forerunner in origin?” Serin Osman asked. Lasky had just finished alerting her of the sudden development, and the current head of the Office of Naval Intelligence showed a small amount of exceedingly rare surprise on her face.

“Not entirely.” Lasky replied. “Roland is translating the signal as we speak, though how long that may take is still unknown.”

Osman nodded and leaned forward intently, thinking hard.

“I see.” She nodded after a few moments. “This may be a development that is worthy of the UNSC’s time. Ever since the Created Uprising, the Navy has been spread thin, recovering all the ships, materials, and personnel possible. We can barely spare a Stealth Prowler, let alone the Infinity.”

“However, once we know the context of the signal, we’ll proceed from there.” Osman replied. “Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lasky replied. Osman ended the connection, and Lasky sat back down in his office chair with a sigh. Serin Osman always seemed to intimidate whoever she spoke with, and Lasky was no exception to that rule.

“With good reason, seeing as she’s the CINCONI.” Lasky thought with a smirk, before turning to the window. As he watched the Earth through the glass, he gave off a huff of exhaustion before deciding to retire, and see what the morning would bring.

Author's Note

Our journey into the howling dark begins once again…enjoy!

Chapter 1 - Getting Things Moving

Merrison Station Conference Area, Earth Orbit

Closed Meeting Room

It was currently 0530 hours, Earth standard time, and Captain Lasky, despite the early wake-up-call given to him by Roland, felt more awake than ever. After a full night of work, Roland had successfully parsed and translated the Forerunner signal, and had sent the results of his work to ONI and Fleetcom.

Which led to an emergency session of Fleetcom being called by Osman and Lasky to discuss the contents of the signal’s embedded message. Roland had likened the message to taking the entire history of a planet, physically compressing said data down into a shoebox, and then launching that shoebox across Slipspace to the Milky Way and the UNSC.

The signal contained environmental data, recorded weather patterns, readouts on a great multitude of plants and animals, geological information…the list went on and on. And to top it all off, embedded slipspace coordinate markers.

Quite simply, the UNSC had just received a complete historical and physical record of an unknown planet, inhabited by multiple sapient species if the full extent of the data was to be trusted, and the exact method on how to reach that planet.

The news was jaw-dropping, and even Osman wasn’t sure how to immediately proceed.

“And we’re sure this data is intact and complete?” Asked Captain James Cutter of the UNSC Spirit of Fire.

“It is, sir.” Said Isabel, the Spirit of Fire’s shipboard AI. “Xavier has also confirmed this as well.”

The AI in reference voiced his confirmation. Xavier was the newest AI in UNSC service, and was currently tasked to the newly-completed supercarrier UNSC Eternity, under Captain Mark Altan. Altan, a slim man with black hair and a thin beard, was a rising star in the UNSC Navy, and had only recently been commissioned, due to the UNSC Navy losing a good amount of veteran officers with their ships during the Created Uprising.

“Now the question is…how do we proceed?” Altan said. “We don’t exactly have a surplus of ships at the moment, and ongoing recovery efforts across UNSC space have lowered that number further.”

“Not to mention that the Swords of Sanghelios have said they can’t send additional backup to their current posts at the moment, due to their own search efforts for the Banished and Atriox.” Cutter continued.

“Which is exactly why we can’t think in traditional terms about this.” Lasky said. “We can’t send a massive task force, as Captain Altan said, we simply don’t have the numbers. Which is why I recommend we send only three UNSC ships at most.”

“Which would those be?” Lord Terrence Hood asked.

“The Infinity, Eternity, and Spirit of Fire.” Lasky replied. “Our foremost capital ships should have the combined capabilities to discourage any hostile action. It’s not the number of ships, rather the size and capabilities of the ships that matters in this case.”

After a few minutes of discussion, the attendees agreed with Lasky’s decision. Osman also noted that the Swords of Sanghelios should be made aware of the situation, and Cutter said he would notify the Arbiter and Shipmaster Rtas Vadum’ of this development..

Now, as Altan, Cutter, and Lasky exited the meeting room and headed for the monorail cart that would take them to hangar, then their respective ships, Lasky gave a mixed sigh of excitement, anxiety, and trepidation.

"Roland?" he asked into his comms-capable wristpad, once he was back on the Pelican that would return him to the UNSC Infinity.

"Yes, Admiral?" the AI replied.

"We are waiting on the Swords of Sanghelios to respond, but for the most part, we are clear to investigate." Lasky said. "I want all personnel back on Infinity in six to eight hours, with all Spartans included."

"Understood, Captain." Roland nodded. "I also took the liberty of preparing Infinity myself. Weapons, shields, engines, and all other necessary systems are at full capacity, and I've just sent out the recall orders to all personnel."

"Good work." Lasky smiled. "That'll be all for now."

=====

Twilight Sparkle slid herself out of bed as the sun rose, and after stretching out her wings (a habit she only recently picked up from Rainbow Dash), she walked swiftly towards the laboratory that contained the Artifact. Sliding the door open, she immediately perked up at hearing a faint humming-noise coming from the object in question.

As she came closer, the glyphs on the Artifact began to glow, and Twilight reached out her hoof to touch it with an air of expectancy…

"HEY, GOOD MORNING!" said a rather peppy voice, coming from straight behind.

"Gah!" Twilight yelped as she launched into the air and spun around, feeling relief and frustration rise at seeing it was none other than Pinkie Pie who had startled her.

"Pinkie! What do you think you're doing?" Twilight said with annoyance clear in her voice. "I was in the middle of something important!"

"Well...I just so happened to get a Doozy beyond all doozies this morning, and my Pinkie Sense is going crazy! Crazier even than it normally is!" Pinkie chirped in reply. "Besides, I think it has to do with that weird orb-thingy!"

Twilight huffed, realizing the cat was out of the bag.

"It's an artifact Princess Luna gave to me to study." she admitted. "I've been trying to get it to activate or work, or do something, anything, for a couple of days now. So far, no luck."

"Huh." Pinkie hummed. "Well...don't let me stop you! Keep on at it!"

Twilight thanked her friend, and was about to resume her work before she realized something.

"Pinkie, this is kind of a secret project." Twilight deadpanned, well aware now that Pinkie was looking over her shoulder. "I need you to see yourself out and please, don't tell anypony about this until I can make some sense of this whole arrangement."

"Oh, I promise!" She then gave a small salute of acknowledgement. "See you around!"

There was a puff of air, and Pinkie was gone in a flash. Twilight groaned, knowing how often her friend and the Element of Laughter got on her nerves with her unpredictable antics.

As she went to pick up an ocular scanning instrument, she heard her stomach rumble. She set the instrument down, and walked out, making sure to lock the door behind her as getting some breakfast was now her top priority.

====

"Hey, Twilight." Spike called from the stove, where we was currently making pancakes. "Are you hungry?"

"Very much so." she replied. "I've just been busy with Princess Luna's assignment."

"Yeah...I know." Spike said. "With those Night Court simu-lookalike-things?"

"It's a "simulation", Spike." she replied. "And how did you know that I was doing those? You're usually sound asleep by the time I start."

"And you wake me up more often than not each time." Spike huffed as he served her a plate of pancakes. "Have I ever told you that you talk in your sleep? Like, noticeably loud?"

Twilight raised her eyebrows in surprise, and sighed in embarrassment, remembering how Princess Luna had told her that the magic wasn't completely stable, and there could be a few small side-effects.

"Apparently I have something else to talk about with her." Twilight sighed as she began to eat. After finishing her meal, she turned to her assistant.. "Anyway, what's on the agenda?"

"Let me see…" Spike said, looking at a nearby scroll that was laid out next to him. "Huh, there's nothing scheduled for today, for the first time in a while."

"Good!" Twilight smiled. "Let's head outside for a bit. I could use some air."

Spike hopped onto her back, and as they left the castle, Twilight decided to push all thoughts of the artifact in her workroom to the back of her head as she proceeded into town.

But her thoughts still strayed back to the artifact, and she gave a huff of concentration.

"I still wonder what it could be hiding even now..." she thought absentmindedly. "But whatever happens, I can handle it…right?"

Author's Note

Update!

Yeah, I admit I haven't been the best at keeping to my writing at the moment. But that will change. Expect more updates for this and my other stories in the future.

Next chapter - The UNSC detachment joins with the Arbiter and begins the slipspace jump to Equis.

Chapter 3 - Negotiations Upon Landing

“Roland, what’s our ETA?” Admiral Lasky asked as he stood at the front of the Infinity’s bridge, gazing out into the abyss of Slipspace before them. The various officers on the bridge were silent as they worked at their stations. Though, some did occasionally whisper to another adjacent crew member.

“Thirty minutes at current velocity, sir.” Roland replied. “I’ve also gotten confirmation that the Eternity and the Spirit of Fire are keeping pace with us, and will arrive at the same time we do. The Shadow of Intent is also on its way, though they are behind us by about three quarters of an hour.”

“That's good to hear.” Lasky nodded. “Keep me posted, and notify me when we arrive.”

Roland saluted and blinked out. Lasky turned at hearing heavy footsteps, and gave a small grin at the approach of Spartan Commander Sarah Palmer.

“Commander. Did things get too quiet for you on the S-Deck?” Lasky smirked.

“Hardly, and you know I come up here for my peace and quiet.” Palmer replied, moving to stand at the main holotable. “Everything’s squared away on our end. Spartan Locke just informed me that their rookie is settling in nicely.”

“Good.” Lasky nodded, exhaling deeply. “We’re still on schedule for our arrival. I imagine the locals will have plenty of questions for us.”

“If we can understand them, and if there are any.” Palmer frowned slightly..

“Well, Commander, there is a 97.53 percent chance that there are sapient inhabitants on the target planet, based on my calculations.” Roland chimed in. “Supporting my math is that the text that was spliced into the original Forerunner beacon is completely new. Not only that, the data package contained population growth charts over a one hundred to one hundred-fifty year period.”

“Finally, if there is active Forerunner technology on this planet, there has to be a reason or cause for it to come online.” He finished. “Oh, Admiral, I’ve also taken the liberty of reminding all personnel in the Task Force of current UNSC First Contact Protocols.”

“You’re right on top of things, as ever.” Lasky nodded in appreciation. “Good work.”

“Just doing my duty, sir.” Roland replied. “Oh, we should be dropping out of Slipspace momentarily. Arrival at the destination point is imminent.”

As the Infinity, Eternity, and Spirit of Fire exited slipspace, a pristine, Earth-like world appeared. Lasky was spellbound momentarily at the sight of it, as it was a beautiful thing to witness. There were several smaller land-masses around one large, central continent, and each continent was populated by various biomes and environments.

“All ships are clear of Slipspace.” Roland reported. “Should I alert the hangar bay and available teams for a terrestrial landing?”

“Not just yet.” Lasky replied. “Let’s see what this planet has to offer. What do our initial scans have to report?”

“Well, the planet’s current scan data does match the initial data package’s observations. There’s a habitable atmosphere of similar composition to Earth’s, as it’s a nitrogen and oxygen mix with various other trace elements.” Roland said, bringing up readouts on the holotable.

“There are two main continents with various biomes on each, such as desert, two forms of tundra, plains, mountains…essentially, it's almost like a pre-Industrial revolution Earth in environmental and atmospheric terms. Protective gear won’t be necessary planetside.” he finished.

"Any signs of Forerunner technology or structures?" Lasky asked again. "Or any indication of where those could be?"

"Well, not at the moment, but our scans are just beginning to process, so I’d recommend we give it time." Roland replied. "Though, there’s something odd that I’m scanning, not sure what it’ll mean for us.

“Whatcha go for us?” Palmer asked.

"There appears to be a massive energy field, seemingly coming from the planet itself or on a planet-wide scale." Roland raised a holographic eyebrow as he sorted through the readouts on the holotable. "It's not like anything we've seen before, and that includes all known Human, Covenant, or Forerunner energy sources."

"What can you tell me?" Lasky said, glancing at the displays.

"Well, the field seems to be enveloping the planet like a veil, so to speak." the Infinity's shipboard AI replied. "Apart from being of an unknown form, it does seem to be influencing something on the planet below, judging by the way it ebbs and flows in real time. I would advise we hold off on landing until we know what we're dealing with."

"Agreed." Lasky nodded. "Lt. Teague, you have the conn. I'm going to alert Fleetcom that we've arrived and are beginning observation."

"Aye, sir!" the UNSC Lieutenant in mention called back. Lasky departed from the bridge, and began to walk down the hallway to his cabin undisturbed.

As Twilight blinked her eyes open, she looked over at the grandfather clock over in the corner of her bedroom. She noted that it was about two o'clock PM, and feeling very much refreshed, she headed to fix herself a late lunch.

To her surprise, she found not only her friends and Spike, but Princess Luna as well, were waiting for her in the dining room.

"What's going on?" she asked, seeing that her friends' faces were laden with worry.

"Well, while you were resting, Princess Twilight…" Princess Luna replied. "It appears that visitors have arrived in the heavens above."

Twilight immediately recognized what Princess Luna was referring to, and sat down, her head now feeling rather weighted and dizzy.

"Who are they?" she managed to ask.

"They are not the Forerunners, I can assure you of that." Luna sighed. "I can only assume they are the Reclaimers that the Didact and Librarian spoke of. However, all of our attempts to communicate with them have not been successful."

Twilight looked over at her friends, who didn’t seem too surprised by this revelation. Judging from this, she reasoned that Princess Luna must have informed them about her and Celestia’s interaction with the Forerunners. She then asked if this was true.

"Yeah, she told us while you were asleep.” Applejack replied, her normally stoic voice now sounding a little fearful. "It was quite a story, but that's not even the problem right now. What are we going to do about those aliens?"

"Yeah, AJ’s right.” Rainbow Dash said, trying to hide being a confident facade, but it was noticeable that she was scared. “We can’t just sit around and wait for them. There’s no telling what they’re planning!”

"That is true, and I’m all for airing on the side of caution…” Rarity added. “But there’s so much we don’t know here in this situation. I say we keep trying to communicate with them.”

The ensuing discussion lasted for a few moments, until Pinkie Pie jumped into the air and proudly yelped “Eureka!”, causing everypony present to flinch.

“What is it, Miss Pinkie PIe?” Princess Luna asked.

“Well, seeing as we can’t decide on something to do, why don’t we just do nothing?” Pinkie suggested, earning a look of confusion from all present.

“Lemme explain really quick.” She quickly added. “We know those aliens are coming sooner or later, so why waste time coming up with a really complicated plan? We’ve got to tell everypony that they’re coming and get ready for them!”

“Huh.” Twilight said flatly. “That makes sense to me…somehow. What do you all think?”

The others soon voiced their agreement, including Fluttershy, who had been curled up and quivering in a ball on a nearby couch.

“I’ll handle alerting the citizens.” Princess Luna said as she headed for the main doors. “You should all wait here until I fetch you.”

As the Element Bearers nodded and headed for the Castle's living room…had they been outside, they would've seen three winged shadows fly across the town and towards the grasslands to the northeast…

Thirty minutes earlier…

UNSC Infinity, Hangar Bay 7

The hangar bay, once relatively quiet, was now spun-up for action. Several maintenance teams moved caches of items for the planned upcoming First Contact meeting aboard a quartet of Pelican dropships. The crewmembers in the hangar had only just received the "Clear to proceed" alert from Admiral Lasky, which was confirmed by Roland. Everyone on the Infinity knew a First Contact was going to happen soon, and the consequences of a second failure would not be pleasant for the UNSC.

After all, their failed First Contact with the Covenant had inevitably been responsible for over twenty-three billion human lives being lost over the course of twenty-seven years.

There was an unspoken order known among everyone aboard all three UNSC vessels to not make the same mistakes again. The three Spartan fireteams and one Marine squad that were to deploy had been briefed thoroughly on the current protocols for a First Contact, and had been warned to not engage the locals in combat unless absolutely necessary.

Spartan Fireteams Majestic, Crimson, and Osiris, along with Marine Icebreaker Squad were selected for this operation, primarily due to their myriad of experience in different combat deployments. Other reasons included Spartan Olympia Vale's language training, Spartan Emily Russel of Fireteam Crimson's proficiency in recon and field psych-ops, and Spartan Gabriel Thorne's leadership skills.

For these reasons, all three teams were to work cohesively, with no one fireteam in command of the others. Each fireteam leader would work with the other two to decide the best course of action for the unit.

However, they were reminded that live-fire, whether provoked or unprovoked, was to be used only as an absolute last resort, and to engage in diplomacy as much as possible. Once the UNSC had established contact with the locals, the command staff of the UNSC Infinity, Eternity, and Spirit of Fire would come down and take over negotiations.

Now, as the thirteen Spartans and seven Marines boarded their waiting Pelicans, Spartan Brighton looked over his weapon of choice, a DMR, for what seemed to be the seventh time since they departed from the barracks.

It was fresh off the assembly line, and Brighton could see his faint reflection in the freshly cleaned lens of the weapon's scope.

"Are you still with us, Spartan?"

Brighton snapped himself back to reality, turned to look at Spartan Locke, who had spoken, and gave a confident nod.

"Good." Locke replied. "Pilot, are we all set?"

"Affirmative!" the pilot of Osiris's Pelican called back over the comms. "We're heading downstairs in t-minus twenty seconds!"

"Brighton, strap yourself in. This could be a bumpy ride!" Vale called out, and Brighton quickly secured his seatbelt strap. As the other three Pelicans flew out of the hangar towards the planet below, escorted by a pair of Broadsword fighters, the Spartans aboard each made themselves ready for what would come next.

Once the four dropships broke through the planet's atmosphere, the Broadswords shook their wings before beginning their return flight to the Infinity.

"Where's our landing zone?" Spartan McCord asked the pilot of Fireteam Crimson's Pelican.

"It's a large grassland near what appears to be a small town, Spartan!" the pilot replied. "From what Infinity ops has told us, it's our closest spot for a quick landing, yet far enough away that we can avoid interference from the locals. We'll be landing in t-minus 90 seconds!"

"Alright then!" McCord barked to his fireteam. "Get ready, Spartans! We'll hit the ground running and head to the settlement as soon as we're mobile. Once we do, keep weapons down and fingers off the triggers. We don't want any accidents! Am I understood?"

The other Spartans called back in the affirmative, and as the Pelicans angled out and began their landing sequences, each Spartan present stood up and formed a single file line behind the door.

The ensuing shudder throughout the four Pelicans marked that they had landed safely, and once the doors opened, the Spartans exited and quickly set up a perimeter. The Marines of Icebreaker Squad quickly unloaded the containers carried aboard each Pelican, and once everything was on the ground, the four dropships took off for the Infinity.

After a few minutes of arranging, the six Marines under Lieutenant Murphy reported that the containers were secured and locked up tight, and they were clear to depart.

"Then we know our heading." Spartan Thorne motioned towards the southwest, where the settlement could be seen faintly on the skyline. "Move out!"

As the group headed for the town in the distance, Spartan McCord's eyes were locked on both the area in front of him and his HUD's motion tracker. A good distance away to their right was the treeline of a very tangled and old-looking forest, which was mired in bushes and foliage.

"Do you think anything lives in that forest?" Spartan David Crosse, a member of Fireteam Crimson, wondered out loud. "It doesn't look inviting, if you get my meaning."

"Well, I agree with you on that one." said Spartan Laura Harper, Spartan McCord's second in command. "The thing is, there's no telling what could live on this planet at all based on scans alone. We're in uncharted territory."

"At least we can breathe the air down here," said Spartan Anthony Madsen. "This world feels so…natural, pristine, even. Just thinking about the amount of untapped resources here is giving me a headache."

"Try to Imagine the look on a Liang-Dortmund bigwig if they were here." Spartan Tedra Grant chuckled, and it didn't take long before quiet laughter spread through the rest of the detachment.

"Alright, focus up." Spartan McCord called out quietly. "Looks like there's a settlement ahead…and it looks like they're expecting us."

"What makes you say that?" Spartan Brighton wondered, and then he, along with the others, saw exactly what made McCord make the connection. There was a large crowd of equine aliens, with coats, manes, and tails of all colors, spread out near what was undeniably the town's main entrance. Some of the equines had horns, others had wings, a good number had neither, but the two equines in front had both. One was taller than the other, with a blue coat, and a mane and tail that resembled a starlit sky, and was flowing in the air despite there being no wind. The other was more normal looking, with a lavender coat, a purple and pink mane and tail. They both bore an image on their flanks, with the first having a crescent moon and stars, and the other had a large four-pointed star with smaller stars around it.

As the UNSC Marines stepped back and lowered their weapons while the Spartans approached, the two lead locals approached, and to their surprise, the blue one bowed her head and motioned for the other to do the same.

"Welcome, Reclaimers." the blue equine said, and every single member of the UNSC detachment did a visible double take.

"I didn't mean to startle any of you!" she, or at least judging from the blue one's feminine voice, soon followed up, quickly added. "You are the Reclaimers that the Librarian spoke of, aren't you?"

Spartan McCord, after clearing his throat, took off his helmet, causing both of the lead equines to raise their eyebrows.

"Yes, that would be us, seeing as that's the Forerunner term for humanity. I'm just…surprised that you're not only able to speak English, but that you also know who we are. May I ask why that is?"

"It's a long story, and with all due respect, perhaps we should take it inside my castle." the other equine suggested as she motioned to a large, crystalline tree. "We can compare notes there, where it's more private."

"We'd appreciate that, thank you." McCord nodded. "My name is Christopher McCord. I'm a Spartan-IV in service to the United Nations Space Command, or UNSC. I'm in command of Spartan fireteam Crimson. This is Spartan Jameson Locke, he leads Fireteam Osiris, and Spartan Gabriel Thorne, he leads Fireteam Majestic. We're accompanied by Marine squad Icebreaker, led by Lieutenant T.J. Murphy."

"Well met, all of you. I am Princess Luna, Alicorn of the Moon, and Mistress of the Night, one of the two Royal Sisters of Equestria. This is Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Magic and one of the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony."

"Now, shall we head inside and proceed with negotiations?" Princess Luna asked, and the Spartans nodded.

"Though…" Twilight murmured, causing everyone to look at her. "I'm not sure I have enough room for all of us in my castle. Seeing as it was made for ponies and not humans…no offense…I don't think it'll be comfortable."

"No offense taken." Spartan Locke replied. "We'll figure something out."

"Well, if I may, Princesses…" siad an older-looking mare with a gray coat, who wore glasses and a casual suit. "Ponyville Town Hall should have enough space for all of you. I'd be a little cramped, but I bet you could all squeeze in."

"Oh, thank you, Mayor Mare." Twilight replied, visibly relieved. "Follow us, we'll show you the way."

"Sounds good." McCord nodded. "Thorne, let Admiral Lasky know that preliminary First Contact was successful, and we're moving to another location. If he or anyone else wants to come down, I bet now's the best time."

"Copy that." Thorne nodded, and as they began to follow the Equestrians through the crowd, the Spartans could hear plenty of hushed words being said about them. However, the locals seemed to be quite curious about them, and one mint-green mare seemed rather unable to contain her excitement as they passed by her and another who was presumably her friend.

"Are we clear to proceed with this, Thorne?" McCord asked.

"Yeah, I just got off with Admiral Lasky." Thorne replied. "He's on his way down now, along with Captains Altan and Cutter, and some other UNSC representatives. Dr Halsey is on her way as well, since she's Infinity's ONI handler. I'm not sure who else will be coming. The Admiral did say he thinks it'd be better if we waited until they get here to begin formal negotiations."

"Understood." McCord nodded. "Anything else?"

"Roland reported they're fueling up a set of Pelicans now, so it shouldn't be too long before they get here." Thorne added. "When they do, we'll be pulling security."

As the Spartans entered Ponyville town hall, each of them had to duck under slightly to enter, as it was clearly made for shorter beings, not fully armored Spartan-IVs. There was a little bit of laughter when Madsen, distracted by waving back to three rather excited young equines, ran his head into the door frame.

Madsen, being caught off guard by the impact, nearly cursed out loud, but the resulting laughter from the crowd made him roll his eyes and wave as he entered, and this time he remembered to duck.

"Thanks for the PR boost, Madsen." Spartan Hoya called, causing everyone to laugh again. Madsen simply raised his middle finger at his teammate. Once the Spartans were all seated on the floor, as the available wooden chairs wouldn't hold their weight, Princess Luna and Princess Twilight cleared their throats.

"Where would you like to start?" Twilight asked as she took out a fresh notepad and pen. "I imagine there's a lot to go through."

"There is, but we're not cleared to tell you just yet." McCord replied. "Command thought it wise to let official UNSC representatives do the talking. I don't want to disappoint you, but those are our current orders."

"I see, and I understand completely." Princess Luna said. "Is there anything we can discuss?"

"Not at the moment." McCord said. "However, if it's possible, can you clear an area for us? The UNSC reps need a place to land."

"As you wish." Princess Luna nodded, and as they headed back outside, the Alicorn of the Moon repeated what Spartan McCord had requested. The crowd immediately dispersed, and only a few moments later, two additional Pelicans landed in the town square. As the Spartans and Marines stood at attention, Admiral Lasky, Captains Altan and Cutter, Doctors Halsey and Glassman, and Professor Ellen Anders disembarked.

After a round of introductions, Princess Luna used her magic to pull the chairs from inside the hall to them, and they were soon set up so everyone had a place to sit. She also coated the chairs with a pale blue aura, and when Spartan McCord took a seat, the chair didn't buckle or collapse at all.

This astounded the humans that were present to a great degree. Even Dr. Halsey, who was rarely seen as anything other than stoic, raised her eyebrows in surprise as she took notes and video.

"What was that?" Admiral Lasky asked.

"Magic." Princess Luna replied. "I suppose we'll have to explain when negotiations are finished, but for now, shall we go first? Very well, then."

"About one thousand years ago, shortly before my exile to the moon…the Forerunners came to Equestria, led by the Didact and the Librarian…"

Author's Note

Well, this has taken the place as my longest chapter written, if I remember correctly.

Anyway, I'll be heading out on a trip soon, so that means more time to write. I do hope you enjoyed this update, however.

Chapter 4 - Cordial Relations

“After the Forerunners' departure from our world, my sister and I decided this was one secret that needed to remain a secret. We knew firsthand of the dangers that Forerunner technology could bring to an unprepared race.” Princess Luna said, with the UNSC delegates continuing to give her their undivided attention, while the Spartans stood attentively nearby.

"All of the guards and attendants that accompanied us or aided the Forerunners in their studies had their memories willingly altered by my sister and I. For many, many years we kept this secret safe…until their parting gift became active once again.”

"I assume this parting gift was the data package that brought us here?" Admiral Lasky asked, and Princess Luna nodded in reply. "That does explain why we didn't recognize the script used in the data. It was your species' written language."

"That's correct." Princess Twilight chimed in. "That writing is used as the baseline for all written scripts on Equis. Every other race uses it, from the Griffons to the Zebras."

"There are more sapient races on this planet?" Dr. Halsey asked, and both Princesses nodded in reply. Halsey didn't seem too surprised, but the younger Dr. Anders seemed more interested in that notion.

"Anyway, I was shortly exiled to the moon." Princess Luna continued, causing a good amount of the UNSC personnel to raise their eyebrows.. "I believe Princess Twilight can explain it better."

"When Princess Luna was transformed into a being called Nightmare Moon, aiming to send Equestria into an eternal night…" Princess Twilight began. "Princess Celestia used the six Elements of Harmony to defeat her and send her to the moon for about one thousand years."

"One thousand?" Captain Altan asked. 'How are you that old?"

"Alicorns, such as my sister and I, Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire, and Princess Twilight are functionally immortal." Princess Luna replied. "As a matter of fact, I am exactly one thousand and twenty three years old."

This time, it was Henry Glassman's turn to be visibly stunned, as he hurriedly jotted down more notes into his datapad. The command staff were more reserved, showing some surprise, but the Spartans started to whisper to each other at this claim.

"I don't want to believe it, but there's the proof right in front of us." Spartan Emily Russel whispered to Spartan McCord. "How can some beings live that long?"

"Well, it's not entirely unheard of." Crimson whispered back. "The Forerunners were basically
the same, and they lived for god knows how long. I guess a lifespan of one thousand and twenty three isn't that far-fetched."

"Can't argue with that." Spartan David Crosse nodded. Once the voices settled, Princess Twilight cleared her throat and continued.

"On the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration about four years ago, I was sent by Princess Celestia to Ponyville to oversee it, and make some friends in the process." Twilight said, rubbing her hoof. "I was…introverted for a lot of my time at Celestia's school for gifted Unicorns, so I didn't think too much of it at first."

"Then ,just like I predicted while I was in Canterlot, Nightmare Moon returned. After a very eventful journey into the Everfree Forest, my friends and I managed to use the Elements of Harmony ourselves to change Nightmare Moon back into Princess Luna."

"What exactly do these Elements represent?" Captain Cutter asked. "Your kind seems to value them highly."

"They're the basic foundations of friendship, representing Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter, Kindness, and Magic." Twilight continued.

"Magic is a part of forming a friendship?" Admiral Lasky asked. "I wasn't aware of that."

"Well, that's to be expected." Twilight replied. "Magic, or more properly, Arcane energy, is the fifth fundamental force of the universe, alongside Gravity, the strong and Weak Nuclear, and Electromagnetic. Each race of Equestrian has innate magic, but only Unicorns can channel it through their horn to cast spells. Alicorns, being a hybrid of all three races, have a magical capacity beyond any unicorn."

"I take it by your usage of "capacity," Doctor Halsey asked. "That magic can be limited in some way?"

"Exactly. Magic isn't all powerful, it still functions according to the laws of Physics. For example, a unicorn could probably lift, say, a three pound weight with ease. However, said unicorn would have much more difficulty lifting a thirty-pound weight. There are rules to using magic, such as each Unicorns' magical reserve. The general rule is that as you get older, one's magic reserve gets bigger, but it requires more than that for the reserve to become stronger." Twilight said, drawing up a magical screen for the UNSC delegates to watch.."

"Not only that, many spells can cause varying amounts of strain on a unicorn's horn. Simple spells like levitation don't cause any, but the more intense the strain is, the more damage it does to a horn. A unicorn's horn isn't indestructible, and too much strain can cause it to crack or even split. Cracks can heal over a period of months if treated immediately, but if a horn is cut or split open...that results in the permanent loss of all magic use."

"Like putting too much force on, say, a steel beam." Dr. Halsey commented. "It could hold a great amount of strength, but should it break…"

"It's done for, yes, that is the general idea." Twilight replied. "Some more complex spells sometimes require reagents or magical runes to be controlled. Magic can be destructive if cast in the wrong manner, and the results are often….unpleasant."

"With that explanation out of the way…" Princess Luna wisely interrupted Twilight, knowing she would have continued for a good amount of time given the chance. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

"Plenty, but I suppose we can save that for another time." Admiral Lasky replied. "That's because there are representatives from a race allied with humanity on their way here. I imagine they would be grateful if they were allowed to partake in these discussions."

"Very well, we shall withdraw for now." Princess Luna nodded, and after offering her hoof, Admiral Lasky shook it warmly. "How long should these allies of yours take to arrive?"

"Not too much longer, but we also have to report our progress back to the UNSC." Captain Altan replied. "We'll keep you all updated as best we can."

"Very well." Princess Luna nodded in agreement. After exchanging hoof shakes with the rest of the UNSC personnel, they boarded the Pelican dropship that had dropped them off for the return flight to orbit. The Spartans also began the hike back to their landing zone out in the fields, exchanging a few goodbyes as they did.

As both Princesses watched the four dropships fly towards and beyond the sky, the other Element Bearers came forward.

"Well, what happens now?" Rarity asked.

"Now, I suppose we plan for our next meeting." Princess Luna replied. "Whenever that would be."

Author's Note

An update at last! I hope you enjoy it. I would've written more, but a shorter chapter felt more easy to write.

Anyway, the next chapter will feature the more formal meeting in Canterlot, the Arbiter and Half-Jaw's arrival, and a few close scuffles...(What kind? You'll have to wait and see.)

Chapter 2 - Departure into the Dark

To say the scene unfolding in the hangars of the UNSC Infinity was chaotic, was an understatement of a grand degree. Pelicans were exchanging landing zones as fast as they could land, unload, and take off, crates of supplies were being cataloged by crewmembers, and through it all…two Spartan-IVs watched everything from the sidelines with an air of passiveness.

"Can't believe we're back in action so soon." said Spartan-IV Christopher McCord, leader of Fireteam Crimson. Already equipped in his Recruit-Charred Mjolnir Armor, colored crimson red and gunmetal gray, with his helmet under his shoulder, he glanced at his companion with a raised eyebrow.

"So, what do you think’s going on, Thorne?"

Spartan Gabriel Thorne merely shrugged. After being promoted to leader of Fireteam Majestic after the death of Spartan Paul DeMarco, Thorne had definitely matured more from the Spartan he was during his time on Requiem to now. Thorne crossed his arms and huffed before replying.

"It's certainly something big, that’s for sure." Thorne said absentmindedly. "You really think it's a good idea to be heading out so soon after the Uprising?"

"Better now than never." Spartan McCord said with a sigh. "I've always preferred the wild black yonder."

“You and me both.”

The two Spartans gave a chuckle, and then turned to see a third Spartan-IV approach, carrying a duffel bag with him, seemingly very confused from his posture, and how he constantly looked down at his wrist-datapad. He wore the Interceptor-class armor, colored gray and with gold highlights. Judging from how he approached from a recently-vacated landing area, he had just arrived aboard Infinity.

"You lost, Spartan?" Chris called out. The Spartan nodded and walked over, setting his bag down with an audible "thunk!” before saluting.

"You could say that, sir." the male Spartan replied. "Spartan-IV Nathaniel Brighton, reporting. I can't seem to find my way around. I've just finished my Spartan training and certification."

"Well, welcome aboard." McCord replied. "I'm Chris McCord, I lead Fireteam Crimson. This is Gabriel Thorne, he leads Fireteam Majestic. What's your assignment here on Infinity?"

"Dunno." Brighton replied. "I just flew up from Detroit. I was told to find Spartan Jameson Locke or Commander Sarah Palmer. So far, no dice."

"Hey, you just gotta learn where to look." Thorne said. "Follow us, S-Deck is this way. We were just heading there ourselves."

"Thanks a bunch." Brighton said, removing his helmet, revealing a young face with gray eyes and blonde hair. "Lead the way."

====

As the three Spartans took a transit-car to the S-Deck, Brighton rubbed his hands together, breathing softly.

"Nervous?" Thorne asked.

"Yeah, really." Brighton nodded. "I haven't seen real combat yet, but I've spent plenty of time in the Warzone-simulations. Hard to believe I'm an actual Spartan."

"How'd you get selected?" McCord asked.

"I was in training on Kreise Colony, when the Uprising happened." Brighton replied. "The brass fast-tracked everyone in secret, and when we stopped the Created...I guess it still counted as the full thing when my class returned to Earth for certification."

"That’s a good start. Just be ready to get your teeth cut soon enough. We never seem to stay out of the action for long." McCord added as the car came to a stop. "Looks like we've arrived."

As the Spartans disembarked and entered the S-Deck's main concourse, Brighton was soon called over by Spartans Holly Tanaka and Olympia Vale from a Requisitions station that stood nearby.

"You're our rookie?" Vale asked, and Brighton nodded. "Welcome to Fireteam Osiris. I’m Olympia Vale, this is Holly Tanaka."

"Nice to meet you both. I take it Spartan Locke’s not here right now?" the rookie Spartan asked, consulting his datapad.

"Yep. He's coming back from the bridge at the moment, but we'll get you acquainted in the meantime." Tanaka said. "Let's get moving."

As Thorne and McCord said goodbye to the members of Fireteam Osiris, and wished Brighton good luck, both of the remaining Spartans headed to their respective teams' barracks to prepare. As it turned out, both barracks units were relatively close, so the Spartans stopped for a bit in the section's common area.

"Feeling good to be back in business?" Thorne asked.

"For sure." McCord replied. "I'd better link up with the rest of my Fireteam. See you around, Thorne."

"You too, McCord."

Then, the familiar voice of Roland spoke from the Intercom.

"Attention all hands, prep for Slipspace jump."

====

"So, what's the status on the Arbiter and Shipmaster Vadum's arrival?" Lasky asked as Roland finished alerting the ship of their imminent departure.

"They are on their way, Admiral Lasky." Roland replied. "However, they did inform me that they can't join us immediately at our destination, due to their need to investigate a Banished mining presence on a moon near the edge of Swords of Sanghelios-occupied space. By our best estimates, it’ll only be a few hours after we get there that they’ll join us."

"Alright, then." Lasky replied. "Keep me updated, Roland. If anything comes up, let me know."

Roland gave a salute, and winked out. As Lasky strode to the front of the bridge, a female voice spoke up from behind him.

"I offer my congratulations on your promotion, Admiral."

"Thank you, Dr. Halsey." Lasky replied, watching the woman in question approach. After the Created Uprising, Dr. Halsey and Blue Team had been given a sizable amount of R-and-R time, as the UNSC wanted to fully deliberate on Blue Team's actions before the Uprising, and determine if those actions warranted a disciplinary response.

Specifically, their unauthorized departure from service, theft of the ONI Prowler Acrisius from the Argent Moon station, and then deploying against orders to Meridian, rendering them AWOL. After due consideration by UNSC High Command, and after reviewing clemency petitions by Captain Lasky, Spartan Locke, Commander Palmer, Dr. Halsey, and most unexpectedly, the Arbiter, the UNSC formally cleared Blue Team of all charges and ordered them to return to Infinity to resume their service.

Dr. Halsey's case, however, was far more complicated. Her insight on Forerunner technology, on multiple occasions across the Uprising, had kept the Infinity undetected by the Guardians. Most importantly, that insight allowed her and Professor Ellen Anders to reprogram their modified Halo Ring's Activation Index that inevitably ended the Uprising by destroying the rogue AIs.

All of which was in her favor, but her temporary alliance with Jul M'dama and the Storm Covenant hampered her prospects. In the end, after a heated debate, she was cleared of all charges and her status as a war criminal, and allowed to resume her duties with ONI aboard the Infinity. She was even fitted for a prosthetic arm to replace the one she had lost.

But it had been made clear to her there were plenty of eyes watching her aboard Infinity, she would be receiving far more scrutiny than before, and some of her ONI credentials were to be reviewed further.

"Was there something you needed, Doctor?" Lasky asked.

"No, merely giving you my regards before our departure." Halsey turned to walk away, but she did come around and give Lasky a nod. "I'm ready for whatever happens, Blue Team is as well."

"Good to know." Lasky smiled, turning back to the Holotable. "We clear to depart, Roland?"

"Affirmative!" Roland replied. "Eternity and Spirit of Fire are ready as well.”

"Light is green." Lasky motioned with his hand, and the three UNSC vessels vanished into Slipspace, into the unknown reaches of space.

“Once more into the howling dark.” Lasky thought to himself.

====

“Twi, you okay? You look like there’s somewhere else you’d rather be.” Applejack observed. “Something on your mind?”

“Sort of.” Twilight replied, absentmindedly taking a bite of a muffin. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you all later, I promise.”

The other Element Bearers nodded, and as they resumed their picnic, Twilight’s mind thought back to the Forerunner artifact in her laboratory. After she, Spike, and Pinkie had left her castle, the other Element Bearers had waved them over from Ponyville Park, where a pre-organized picnic awaited them all.

Pinkie had, according to her “Pinkie Sense”, set this all up before going to Twilight’s, and as it would turn out, her intuitions were correct. Twilight admitted before, as they all sat down, that she needed a break from her work. She hadn’t told anypony besides Pinkie of the artifact, and even then, Pinkie barely counted.

After all, she had barged in herself rather than letting Twilight tell her what was going on.

“So, Twilight, darling…” Rarity ventured. “What is the matter?”

“It’s a long story. Princess Luna gave me an artifact to study that originates from over 950 years ago, and I haven’t made any real progress on unlocking it.” Twilight admitted. “Pinkie walked in on me working on it, and I guess you can figure out the rest.”

“What’s so special about it?” Rainbow Dash asked, as she lounged lazily nearby, chewing on a toothpick.

Twilight sighed, and cast a spell, weaving a lavender dome around herself, Spike, and the assembled Elements, that soon vanished into the air, but left a thin film behind them.

“Silencing spell, so nopony can overhear us.” She said, noticing her friends’ confused expressions. “Since Pinkie already knows, I guess Princess Luna wouldn’t mind if I also told you. The artifact is not from Equestria, or anywhere on this planet.”

Rainbow Dash shot upwards, and the other Elements dropped their jaws.

“Yes, it’s an alien artifact.” Twilight continued, sighing slightly at her friends’ expressions. “Apparently for three years, the ones who made it studied Equestria under the supervision of both Princesses Celestia and Luna. And one day, they just…vanished and left a note behind.”

“It said their kind was in danger, and they had to leave to fight off something called “The Flood”, which was threatening their race. They left and never came back after that. There’s also a race out there called the “Reclaimers” that apparently, we’d be wise to become allies with. Princess Luna didn’t tell me what they look like or even where they’d come from.”

“Wow.” Fluttershy said. “How long have you been working on it?”

“For a while now. A little over two weeks.” Twilight replied, stifling a yawn. “Sorry, I’m just feeling drowsy. I haven’t been getting enough sleep lately.”

“Well Twi, if you need to get some rest, don’t let us stop you.” Applejack said supportively. “You do look like you need it. Take it from me, Twilight, those bags under your eyes don’t look so good.”

“I agree.” Rarity added. “Go on home, we’ll finish this event later when you’re properly rested.”

“Thanks, girls. See you around.”

Twilight and Spike shared a quick group hug, and they headed back to the Castle of Friendship together. Once they arrived, Spike set himself to the task of tidying up, and Twilight headed straight for her bedroom…and crashed onto the bedspread.

However, had either of them thought to check on the artifact in the laboratory, they would’ve noticed that the inscribed Forerunner glyphs had begun to glow once again, and this time in a much brighter state. The orb’s surface then produced another, larger, glyph where there was not one previously.

It was the Forerunner glyph for “Reclaimer''. And the colored light that glowed from it, was slowly turning from deep blue to a brilliant white, signalling their imminent arrival.

Author's Note

Update!

I’ve been reclaiming my urge to write, so to speak, and I finally banged out two chapters over the last two days. I think I’ve finally gotten my groove back.

Next chapter - The UNSC Infinity, Eternity, and Spirit of Fire reach the planet Equis, alongside the carrier Shadow of Intent, and their arrival does not go unnoticed by Princess Luna…