The UH-144 Falcons flew between the valleys and canopies, a squadron that would carry Noble Team together with the additional team members. The seating was mixed, opting to bring in some of the seasoned fighters together with those less specialized. It was an awkward flight, especially for Fluttershy who nervously glanced at the skull-etched helmet of Emile, unsure whether or not he was looking at her past the tinted glass.

Emile in reality was looking at Rarity with disbelief and annoyance. She was the only team member who had not put on her helmet, for she was busy doing something that completely baffled the others. She was putting on makeup, applying minor eyeliner and blush.

"...Didn't even see you get on." Emile said deadpan, hissing out the words and hoping it'd get the idea across that he thought this was absolutely absurd. Yet, the purple haired lady did not mind, putting the makeup case away and donning her helmet with a total lack of care.

"Oh, yes, well, ahem." Rarity softly cooed with a giggle. "I'd figured that there's no excuse for a lady to look miserable underneath these thick and... unladylike armors." She said, checking her rifle and smiling.

"...Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie!" The pink-armored Spartan giggled at Emile. He only slowly tilted his helmet-faced skull at her. There was an awkward silence, and yet, she did not refuse her big smile underneath the visor of her helmet.

The Falcons kept descending towards their landing zone, the VTOL's flew through the clouds and started to tilt downwards, approaching the clearing on the ridge that they could now utilize to insert into the operation.

Carter's voice came through the reader. "Listen up, team. We're looking at a downed relay outpost, fifty klicks from Visegrad. We're going to introduce ourselves to whoever took it out, then Kat's going to get it back online."

Twilight frowned. She knew she had a lot of expertise with electronics, and she knew that as a scientist and engineer, she was more than qualified for that - the jealousy making her quietly eye the Falcon where Catherine sat. Her voice then came through the radio. "Just get me under the hood, Commander."

"Twi could do it in ten seconds flat, though." Rainbow Dash quietly said under her breath, unaware her voice was picked up by the microphone, which did not do Noble Team's impressions of her or the auxiliary team any favors.

Jorge's voice came through the radio shortly after. "Why would Rebels want to cut off Reach from the rest of the colonies...?"

This was immediately followed by a very curious Starlight, who spoke into the radio. "Well, maybe to avoid any interception so that nobody can pick up on any detail?"

"Good theories." Carter said with a slight hint of sarcasm. "When you two get a chance, maybe you can ask them."

Trixie scoffed at her battle buddy for talking out of line, and Jorge rolled his eyes underneath the visor.

"...I'd uhm, like to ask a question." Twilight suddenly asked the Commander. He did not seem phased by it, but did not deny the request.

"Yes?" Carter slightly leaned in.

"Is this ordinary practice for Rebels?" She asked. "There's indeed no reason for them to cut comms, as they rely on organizing their cells through deep networks of pirate frequences, so they're dooming any potential newcomers to the cause. What worries me is... Why would they get this ambitious with Visegrad? Guerillas rely on strategic hit and run tactics to either sabotage or claim resources - the URF has nothing to gain by attacking a target so important, not to mention they... They wouldn't attack a target so major knowing that Spartans could be deployed."

"...That's a lotta radio comms from one soldier." Emile sighed into the radio. Yet, Carter did not look bothered by her statements.

"No, she has a point." Carter said. "But that doesn't exclude Insurrectionists, considering the fact that all this could imply is that their force is sizable enough to take on larger targets."

"Well..." Applejack muttered under her breath. "That's just makin' me anxious this 'ere's an ambush waitin' to pounce us."

"Ugh, such defeatism!" Trixie spoke into the mic. "Hey, just so you know - we are Spartans. What are they going to ambush us with? 9-millimeter rounds?"

"Cut the chatter." Catherine suddenly spoke into the microphone. "Commander, we just lost our signal with HQ."

"...Backup channels?" Carter muttered, liking this less and less.

"...Searching... Nada. Can't say what's jamming us."

"Not good." Manuel said. "Presence of jammers implies entrenchment and preparation."

"Then we'll untrench 'em." Rainbow Dash smirked under the helmet, pumping her shotgun to load the shells in. "C'mon, assault is my middle name. They couldn't have gotten a defensive position that good this fast."

"...That's right, they couldn't..." Sunset Shimmer anxiously said to herself.

With the outpost coming in sight, Carter spoke into the radio. "You heard 'em. Dead zone confirmed. Command will not be keeping us company this trip, and we're now probably breathing down the neck of whoever we're here to visit."

Emile chuckled into the radio. "I'm lonely already."

"...In a team this size?" Jun couldn't help but remark. "Bit hard to feel lonely in a group this big."

"It's a party, is what it is." Pinkie giggled into the comms, preparing her SMG.

Dust scattered as the Falcons began to circle around the outpost. They would see the communications outpost, and Noble Six leaned over to peer at it, then looking down at the distress beacon below. Silently, everyone noted the burning wreck nearby.

"Could be the missing troopers. Let's check it out. Put us down on the bluff." Carter spoke into the radio. The Falcons would fly closer, swooping in to prepare to land closer.

"...I hope they made it." Fluttershy whispered as she prepared her sniper rifle, and prepared to jump out of the Falcon, once given the signal.

Carter gave the first order to the team. "Jun, Fluttershy, Starlight, I want your eyes in the sky." He spoke.

"Sir." Jun said, and the others copied the order.

As the Falcons glided above the ground, Carter immediately jumped out - his hand gesturing to the others within. "Let's go, Six."

Meanwhile, Manuel jumped out from the other side of his transport. "On me, Twilight."

Carter would walk around the perimeter, gazing to the sides. "Alright, Noble Team, Auxiliary Team, spread out. Watch your approach."

The team walked past the hills and cliffs. They had to secure the perimeter, and the expanded team size greatly helped them both. Emile took the initiative to scout, but he decided to take advantage of the additional team members.

"Hey - yellow-pink." He said, turning to Fluttershy and waving his arm over. "Grab your sniper and help me scope out the outpost." He spoke.

"O-On it!" Fluttershy broke off from the team and ran up to him. She nearly tripped, causing him to bite his lip with annoyance underneath the skull-styled helmet. She came close to him, and he nodded, helping her onto the rocks. Even if he did not like having rookies on his team, he wasn't going to treat them like trash. "Scan our surroundings, I'll keep an eye on the compound itself."

"Okay..." She quietly said. She crouched on one knee and zoomed in, checking the hillsides and terrain. She wanted to say something, inhaling - but since Emile didn't speak to her first, she did not say anything.

Yet, he noticed. "...Talkative like the other one, huh?"

"N-No." She spoke. "I just... think that this terrain is too perfect for an ambush." She spoke. "Too many rocky areas and valleys - if this is a trap..."

Emile wanted to make a remark, hoping to discourage the new girls from chatter. Yet, the more he looked over at the area, the more he found himself agreeing with her. He swallowed the words he was about to say and nodded. He spoke into the radio.

"Structure point three-four looks clear from this angle. Our new sniper's saying that this terrain could be a tactical disadvantage if we get engaged, though. Keep your eyes vertical too."

Fluttershy smiled a little, knowing that he didn't have to mention that she was so observant, yet she found a warmth in the gesture.

Emile leapt down the rock - allowing his shield to absorb the impact. Fluttershy however was reluctant to do so, letting out a squeak of surprise. She wasn't sure about it, and Emile noticed that the sniper wasn't following. He looked back up and slightly shrugged his shoulders. "Shields'll absorb and distribute it back into the ground, Hawkeye. Jump. You're exposed up there anyway."

Mustering up the courage, she shut her eyes nervously and let herself drop from the rock. Her body shook for a moment, but she was fine. Emile chuckled, patting her on the shoulder. "See, humpty dumpty? Didn't scramble. Now come on, we're here to keep a forward eye on this place."

Catherine beckoned Applejack over to her side, finding her to be the most reliable back up. Applejack followed, covering her as they went further. Catherine scanned the radar and noticed the signal from the distress beacon.

"The distress beacon is coming from south of here." Catherine said. "We're close, Commander."

"Roger that, eyes peeled..." Carter responded. As Catherine was joined by Applejack, she pointed her arm down to get her to walk down that way.

"Any idea what this could be?" Applejack asked. "This ain't like the Insurrection, ah'll tell you that much."

"What makes you think so?" Catherine asked her, off-radio. "They've done hit-and-runs before, haven't they? As far as I can see, this looks like their handiwork. So far."

"'Ah dealt with 'em." Applejack softly told her. "It was somewhere near 'mah deployment when 'ah got promoted for the first time. Went from guardin' to active COIN operation's 'n' all that, and what 'ah saw was when Insurrections were involved, things won't stay quiet this long. There'd be a dozen booby traps by this point, or anti-air installations."

"They could be just trying to get us deeper in." Catherine said, not too impressed with Applejack's observations.

"Then we'd be picking up way more signals." Applejack spoke. "They couldn't get us this deep into their trap without us being able to pick up some of their radio signals. It's what usually gave 'em away, so they wouldn't take chances. There was usually a mine or bomb in the first two minutes of us deployin'."

"Maybe." Catherine said. "Or they have good tech for masking their signals."

They saw a trail of smoke - immediately alarming them. They circled wide, avoiding a direct approach. They kept an eye on the source. It was a wrecked vehicle, burning. This immediately made the team scan the horizon, carefully looking at any opening for ambushes.

Twilight and Noble Six came close to the wreck - not too close, but enough to get a view over the damage while behind the cover of a nearby building. They crouched behind the corner and looked at the silent soldier. "Noble Six, you see this?"

Noble Six nodded at her, not offering many answers apart from acquiescing.

"Yeah..." Twilight said. "When was the last time Rebels packed this much firepower? Maybe they're... being supplied or something?"

"Shouldn't be likely." Manuel spoke into the radio, overhearing the conversation. "As far as I know, Reach's supply system is heavily vetted. There's no way anyone can bring more than small arms here, Rebels able to hide their gear as long as it doesn't stick out too much. Bringing a rocket launcher over here? I'm not sure - maybe if they bribed someone."

"So, this could be a heavily armed cell..." Sunset said.

As they made their way in, Emile's were caught by a wreck of wooden stuff. He carefully approached it, quickly peeking at Fluttershy. "Watch over me for a second. Here's to hoping this isn't a damn IED." He spoke. He quickly reached into it and picked up a red tube. He twisted it and studied it. "...Found the beacon." He said into the radio. Noticing Catherine nearby, he threw it to her, and she handed it over to Applejack.

"Any ID?" Carter asked.

"If there was one, it's been etched off." Applejack said. "But it sure as hell's military, 'ah can tell you that."

"Negative, but it's military." Kat spoke. Applejack looked at Catherine for guidance, and Catherine simply gestured to the ground. Applejack merely threw it away.

Jorge walked with Noble Six and Twilight by his side. "...So, where are the troopers?" He asked.

Twilight turned her head to him. "You mean ours or the enemy?"

"Either." Jorge shrugged.

"We would've known if anyone tried to get out of here, at-least hastily." Rarity murmured. "I've got an eye for detail - and this does not look like my usual run-in, you see. No sign of tracks? Insurrectionists practically love brutish offroads. And then, not even a single hint of explosives? We would've noticed some marks, or something."

"Good point." Catherine noted. "Where's the signs of explosive residue?"

Carter narrowed his eyes at the scene. He didn't like it. "...Noble Three, can you confirm any EX-residue in the area?"

Jun was accompanied by Pinkie Pie, the two immediately slowing down to take a better look at the places where they could've seen damage. Jun crouched down, looking at what appeared to be a crater, but held no signs that it was from a grenade or rocket.

"...Negative sir." Jun responded.

"I can't see a single thing either." Pinkie Pie said. "Isn't that just odd? I mean, if they were using plastic explosives, I'd see that stuff all over the place! I mean, when I set off firecrackers in my neighborhood, even then you could find that stuff all over the place."

"Plasma, maybe." Emile said.

Fluttershy nodded in agreement. "...It'd explain how there's no shell casings on the ground, or bullet holes..."

Jorge heard the words but felt a sense of denial. "That can't be, not on Reach."

Trying to be an optimist, Sunset Shimmer asked. "Is there a chance Insurrectionists could have... somehow gotten access to it?"

"That would be absurd." Trixie said. "How'd they access it, let alone smuggle it into Reach?"

"Well, there's no way." Manuel confirmed. "The amount of Covenant weapons we've ever recovered isn't as big, and it's not like any of the Rebels know how to use them. Besides, not a lot of veterans who've even had the practice using them would ever join the Rebels."

Noble Six quietly looked at the impact, glancing at it for a moment. Concerned by him zoning out, Twilight put a hand on his shoulder. "Six, is everything okay?"

He looked at her and nodded once more. They rejoined Carter as he waved his finger to get the team to regroup. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie gasped in surprise as a large ostrich ran past them, prompting Fluttershy to smile at the sight, then frown knowing it was in a dangerous area and was likely disturbed.

They walked further down along rocks and grass - then, they noticed a cluster of buildings... And a smoke trail above.

"Sir." Fluttershy said. "I see another smoke tower."

"Circle west and check it out with Noble Two and Four. Team, you have permission to engage - but be selective. We don't need to telegraph a presence." Carter orders.

"You got it." Manuel said. He waved his arm over. "Spike, Twilight, Sunset, on me. We'll take an Eastern approach."

"Noble Six, Starlight..." Carter said. "With me. We're going to that house." He spoke. The two quickly stacked up together. Noble Six leading while Starlight was behind him.

"Got your six, Six." Starlight smiled - though frowned at his lack of answer. The two came close to the entrance, waiting for the order to go in.

"Go in quietly." Carter said. "I'm right behind you two."

Six and Starlight carefully went through the building. They did not make a sound, checking their corners and anxiously looking left and right, making sure that no targets had laid any surprises. Both Six and Starlight knew this was the most dangerous place to be - as far as traps and Insurrectionist tricks were involved. There was always the danger of a trap or explosive - and yet, what worried them more was the utter lack of anything.

Yet, what caught everyone's attention was Jun's voice through the comms. "Noble Leader, I'm seeing heat-signs in the structure ahead!"

Fluttershy's voice came from the radio afterwards. "Yeah - I have something on my thermals! I can't determine if they're armed or not, but they're likely human!"

"I'm going in." Said Jorge. He was immediately linked up by Fluttershy, Emile and Trixie, who followed from behind. They came close to a door, where the signatures were relayed the hardest. It was in the sudden moment that the door slid open, a hooded human stepped out, raising his arms at the myriad of barrels as the entire team regrouped in the courtyard.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Trixie exclaimed. "Now there - hands where the Great and Powerful Trixie can see them!"

The man yelped, raising his arms. "Én nem csináltam semmit!"

"Whoa, what language is that?" Rainbow Dash quietly asked. "It's not some weird Covenant spy-stuff, right?"

"It's Hungarian." Twilight sighed at her friend's ignorance. "Rainbow Dash, this place is called Visegrad for a reason."

The most tense was Emile, too nervous that these could have been Rebels, preparing a trap. He did not hesitate to aim his gun at them, even if they were seemingly unarmed. "Hey, on your knees, now!" Emile shouted. The farmer shouting not to shoot in Hungarian.

Fluttershy recoiled at Emile's furious exclamations, her gun pointed down at the ground to avoid a misfire during such a crucial moment. Jorge stepped in, putting his hand on the barrel of the live gun and pointing it to the ground. "Easy now - they're not Rebels, they're farmers. Look at them..."

Having disarmed the situation, Jorge began to talk with the Hungarian-speaking farmer. Realizing that it was a farmer, Applejack tensely approached Carter. "Boss - 'ah don't know how to say this, but the more we're scouting this area, the more 'ah see somethin' ain't right. Insurrections don't target farmers or farmland - they'd repurpose it and see if the farmer can join the cause. What's the point of destroying your food source as a Rebel?"

Carter didn't respond, but her words lingered in his head. Jorge finished the conversation and turned to the Commander. "He said that something attacked them in the field, and killed his son..."

The words caught Carter's ears. "Some thing?"

The radio was interrupted by Rarity's voice over the comms. "Darlings - be advised! Jun and I are reading heat signatures, the structure directly east from your position!"

"We gotta get the civvies outta here..." Rainbow Dash tensely told Carter, then ran to a safer position to set up a defensive line to overwatch their east. With their team's size, they were able to mix defensive and offensive maneuvers, able to quickly walk and cover their own backs.

Manuel nodded to Carter. "You get the civvies; we'll start pushing up and combing the area ahead..." Carter nodded - yet Manuel placed a hand on his shoulder to speak - seriously. "Carter, I have a bad feeling about this."

"...Me too, man." Carter sighed. "But I don't wanna jump to conclusions. We'll believe what we see. Stay frosty." He spoke. Manuel nodded, raising a finger to rally the non-Noble Team members around him. Meanwhile, Carter turned to Jorge. "Get them back inside."

Jorge nodded, turning back to the civilian that stepped outside, and the others hanging in the building behind. "Azt mondtam, befelé. Gyerunk!"

The civilians did not need to be told twice - they quickly ushered deeper into the building and locked the door, hunkering down inside. As Noble Team quickly made sure that the civilians were inside, Sunset Shimmer's voice came by radio.

"Guys... Holy shit. You'll want to take a look at this..."

Carter nodded. "Copy. Noble Team, double time!" He exclaimed. Noble Six ran after the team, they entered the building from which the signatures came, running up a flight of stairs... and coming to a gruesome sight.

Fluttershy was trying not to vomit into her helmet, comforted by Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Starlight and Sunset took the deepest look into it all, seeing the mortifying sight. Two corpses were strung up to the wall, stuck to it and mangled.

"Damn..." Carter softly said, slowing down as he approached the sight. Jun's voice came from the radio.

"Fill me in, Commander. What are you seeing? Over."

Carter knelt by the two bodies. Before Carter was going to speak, Twilight tapped him on the shoulder. "Sir... This must have been an act of torture."

Carter nodded, before continuing to speak into the radio. "Military casualties, two of the missing troopers. Looks like they were interrogated - it's messy..."

As Carter kept looking at the sight, his eyes went where Twilight and Manuel were looking. The footprints were not human. Not boots, nor feet. Instead, what they saw were strange bird-feet marks, placed all over the room and then directed outside. Understanding one another, they did not utter another word. The team waded through the dark hallways, with another dead body greeting them on their path.

Fluttershy let out a gasp - a thud was heard right above them. Quickly, Starlight Glimmer put a hand over her mouth to silence her, the both of them looking at the ceiling and the dust that was knocked off the ceiling.

Carter stands back up and signals the team to keep moving. They enter an adjacent room with another dead body. Movement is suddenly heard on the roof, and a brief hostile contact is detected on their motion trackers.

Manuel quietly walked past them and nodded, putting a finger to his mouth. "...Movement vertical. Keep an eye on your motion trackers..."

The team did as told. Everyone anxiously waited to see if that odd sound and thumping would resume. Yet, it did not. There was no repeated motion - disappearing as if it never happened in the first place, once they walked outside. The team looked at the roof, scanning it with their rifles, but seeing nothing at all.

"Whaaat the hell was that..." Emile quietly muttered. Walking by his side, Sunset Shimmer kept an anxious eye on her motion tracker, quietly muttering to herself.

"No idea, man..." She spoke. "But it felt like it was moving fast - and it was heavy, whatever it was."

"...Jun, Rarity..." Carter said. "You see anything?"

"Negative, sir. Thermal is clear..." Jun responded.

Rarity's voice came after. "It'd do us good to get a sweep from a different direction on this aircraft. Jun, dear - I'll watch the left side, you watch the right - very well?"

Carter and Manuel, alongside Noble Six and Starlight, entered the building across the little courtyard. They walked through the building - about to turn the corner. They saw an open window - and the moment they turned that corner; all hell broke loose.

"I see movement!" Rarity gasped into the radio. "Outside your structure!"

Realizing what was happening, Carter yelled into the radio. "Everyone! Move up west! We're about to be flanked!" He exclaimed. The team rushed into positions - Noble Six and Starlight taking the initiative and moving forward. Yet, they were both forced to take cover under the open windows as a sudden shriek rang through the air.

"That's a Skirmisher!" Starlight shouted, noticing the creature as it sat perched atop a hill. It warned its brethren of the Spartans - the sounds of war cries and moving equipment coming in unison from the direction

"Damn it!" Emile shouted.

"Aw hell, I knew it." Manuel groaned. "We've got confirmation of Covenant on Reach!"

"But how!?" Twilight cried out, taking cover next to the wall and peeking out, seeing the moving shapes beyond the window. "I thought we established this wasn't possible!"

Sunset Shimmer nervously chuckled, pivoting her rifle on the windowsill. "C'mon, Twi! Wars are built on catching the enemy off-guard by doing what they think is impossible!"

"Contact, contact!" Carter shouted. "Spartans, assist!"

The team quickly converged. They could see the running Skirmishers outside, and they opened fire. There was a stream of gunfire as the team engaged, working together to cover one another while holding their positions.

Manuel noticed a way down and realized that there was both an exit for them, and an entrance for the enemy. He patted Carter on the shoulder. "I'll take some Spartans and head down before they decide to go through the basement!"

Carter nodded. "I'm with you - we need to keep our flanks secured!" He said, waving a hand to Noble Team. "Noble Team, with me. Move down to the lower levels!"

Manuel waved a finger to rally some of the others. "Spike, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, form on me. The rest of you move up once we've cleared the area ahead! Fluttershy, keep us safe from vertical threats!"

"O-Okay!" Fluttershy squeaked, sheepishly aiming her sniper rifle to protect the team. Despite her anxiety, her hands shook only until they saw a threat - then, they immediately stabilized and took clean, nearly effortless shots.

With the order given, Spike immediately activated the Sprint module of his armor to give him the upper hand and close the gap, before the enemy could get to him. A few Skirmishers attempted to breach in, eager to exploit their tactical advantage - yet, they were immediately gunned down by Spike, who remembered his training. What he didn't count on however was to run dry on ammo so fast, gasping as he had to reload.

A small team of enemies noticed the lack of gunfire, and knew he was vulnerable. They excitedly entered to rush him down and aimed at him, opening fire. Yet, before the bullets could strike, a crystal bubble of blue protected him.

"'Ah gotcha'!" Applejack grinned, peeking out of the bubble to blast at the group of Skirmishers. She patted the Private on his shoulder, chuckling. "Just keep the cowboy antics outta the real deal - this ain't boot camp competitions!"

"Darlings, you have Banshees converging on your positions! Heads up!" Rarity exclaimed into the radio. The team hunkered down, taking cover inside the building and avoiding stepping out into the open.

"Falcon, moving to assist!" The pilot called out into the radio. - the friendly aircraft that circled their position ripped fire into the flying enemy vehicles, scaring them off and destroying those that tried to get too close to the team.

Yet, one Banshee managed to slip by. It would have been a close call - but Noble Team found out that their auxiliaries had surprises. Twilight Sparkle held her hand out, a device on her gauntlet suddenly unfolding, appearing to resemble a large two-pronged fork, easily mistaken for an Energy Sword.

A ripple of electromagnetic waves bounced between the prongs, before a brilliant shimmer emerged from them. The wave connected with the Banshee - stopping it right in the middle of the sky.

"What the!?" Jun yelped in surprise. Twilight then guided her arm back to the ground, wrestling the Banshee into a group of Covenant troops. The explosion shook the ground, debris and fire engulfing the now-shattered enemy line.

"What kinda magic trick was that!?" Emile asked - blasting a Skirmisher into bits as the team began to raid the Covenant positions.

"Uh, I-I made it!" Twilight tensely said.

Manuel smirked. "You're welcome. I had some of their original designs approved for field use." He spoke. With the Falcon providing support from overhead, the two teams kept making their way across the open area, entering the field with rocks and hay bales being their only cover. They approached a waterfall, picking off the last of their targets.

Carter walked over one of the dead hostiles, noticing a lack of heat signatures. He continued on his way, walking over the flat section of the waterfall. "Stand down, everyone - contacts neutralized."

"Contacts?" Jorge scoffed. "It's the damn Covenant!"

Emile smirked as he made his way past the flowing water. "Cheer up, big man. This whole valley just turned into a free fire zone."

"Not gonna lie..." Rainbow Dash admitted. "We did need some hands-on experience for once, even if this is pretty much trial by fire."

"Don't bite off more than you can chew." Emile remarked. "You've got spirit - but how about you wreck a couple of Elites before you think you are hot shit?"

"You're on." Rainbow Dash remarked. Emile didn't like to deal with rookies but had to admit her enthusiasm to kill Covenant put them on the same wavelengths.

"Always the rational mind, Rainbow." Applejack murmured, turning to Jorge. "Hey, big fella - mighty impressive shootin' back there. What's it takes to get issued a gun like that?"

Jorge laughed. "Heh. Szar. Unlimited patience. You'd be the first to get a shot at in a firefight."

"'Ah grew up on an apple farm." She retorted. "And ah'm tha' middle child. 'Ah know what it's like to take the heat."

"Well then..." Jorge hummed. "If we survive this, I'll have you recommended for the strength training. You'll need some of your own strength, the armor won't be enough."

As the team started to leave the farm area to enter the woods, Carter's voice came through the radio. "Kat, we gotta warn Holland, I need you at that relay post now."

Jun's voice came through the radio. "Boss, showing more activity to the east! Rarity says she thinks she saw Elites."

"What would a newbie know about Covenant Elites!?" Emile barked.

"Darling..." Rarity muttered through the comms. "Do not underestimate my eye for detail. I saw that glint in their armor. I've become very familiar with all the intel reports on the Covenant - seeing if maybe I could use their design for inspiration."

"You'd use Covenant designs for your fashion projects...?" Rainbow Dash muttered. "Not sure that'd go well with anyone back home."

"Well..." She laughed. "Xenophobia's so last year. Everyone must be a trailblazer sooner or lat--"

"Cut the chatter!" Carter exclaimed. "Company up ahead!"

The team instinctively sought cover as plasma shots whizzed past their heads. With a killer instinct, Fluttershy quickly scoped in and shot one of the three Elites converging on their location, landing a shot into its head and ripping off a section of its helmet. Taking the opportunity, Jorge let his massive machine gun rip into the stunned enemy, taking the Elite apart before it became a threat. "Good shot!" He yelled to Fluttershy.

Noble Six immediately locked onto another Elite, starting to accurately dump his mag into the hostile. Six's efforts were on the Elites first - a self-sacrificial move, considering that it left the Spartan vulnerable to the smaller group of Unggoy that were used as cannon fodder. Pinkie Pie immediately ran around the corner, shooting at the enemies trying to flank Six. Running out of ammo, she sprinted and dropkicked one of the shorter infantry troops, sending them flying over the field.

"Hey Six - I got your six!" Pinkie giggled at the mute Spartan - her pink armor immediately attracting enemy attention as se slid behind a rock. "Don't forget about your flanks! Those big dudes are just as scary as a dozen of the little guys!"

Six did not say anything, reloading to hit more well-placed shots into the heads of the Elite they'd been taking down, successfully reducing its armor to let the bullets rip into its throat and drop it on the ground.

The third Elite did not back down - letting the Unggoy subordinates run forward and take the brunt of their shots. Meanwhile, it aimed at Carter, hoping to eliminate what it estimated to be the leader. Carter found himself distracted by the smaller threats rushing him, and by the time he realized he was targeted, his shields were already down to a meager percent. He cursed, quickly trying to rectify the issue.

However, his guardian angel came as spike had sprinted wide around the woods, catching the Elite off-guard. His flank was effective at distracting the experienced enemy but was not enough to take him out. Realizing it was fresh meat, the Elite eagerly aimed right at Spike, who knew his pose betrayed that he was inexperienced.

Yet, Manuel and Carter both worked on closing the gap, walking and shooting the Elite to gun him down, leaving it collapsed.

"Not bad!" Manuel told Spike, raising a thumbs up. "That was a good flank - make sure you get good cover before you shoot though, even if you think you've got the enemy on their weak side!" He spoke. Spike shakily nodded, relieved to be uninjured. The team converged once more, walking through the woods.

Jun's voice came through the radio. "Commander - more hostile activity, north-east." Now that they had to split up, Carter turned to Emile.

"Emile, you're with Kat. Grab Starlight and Fluttershy with you. The rest of us will run interference on the ground. We'll meet you at the outpost."

Catherine nodded, rallying the team assigned to her. She spoke into the radio. "This is Noble Two, requesting exfil. Bring an extra Falcon."

In the meantime, the rest of the team approached three trucks. Six drove one of them, while Manuel manned another, and Sunset Shimmer took the wheel of the last one. The team spread themselves in the vehicles, each able to gun down the enemy.

"Get to work, Noble." Carter said. The three trucks drove off, while two Falcons landed to pick up the rest. Emile boarded the one with Catherine, being in the same one with Jun and Rarity.

"Welcome back, darlings." Rarity cooed. "I must say, this planet has a lovely view."

"Cut the chatter..." Emile sighed. Rarity rolled her eyes under the helmet, and the Falcons lifted up into the sky, the two teams separating and going their own ways.

***

The grounded part of the team had wreaked havoc upon the Covenant positions, however - they were interrupted by a radio comm.

"Mayday! Three Charlie Six, does anyone read? We were attacked by Covenant forces. The Covenant is on Reach. I repeat: the Covenant is on Reach!"

"Those gotta be the troopers!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Sir, we gotta help them! I know I'm stepping out of line, but--"

"Don't worry, rookie." Carter responded. "Six, floor it and lead our convoy - we gotta find the source of the distress signal."

Jun's voice came through the radio. "No disrespect, but don't we have more important things to do than round up strays?"

"Strays!?" Applejack exclaimed. "Sir - no disrespect from 'mah side, but we can't just leave 'em to their fate! You've seen what's going on down there!"

Jun grunted. "Cowgirl, you're out of li--"

Carter interrupted. "No, she's right. We don't leave people behind. You see those troopers, you let me kno--"

"Sir, Noble Leader!" Starlight's voice came through the radio. "I think they're south of your position, there's a gunfight going on right now, possible friendlies!"

Just in time, the call from the distress relay came once again. "We're under attack, repeat, mayday, mayday, Three Charlie Six, we're under attack by the Covenant, I've got wounded, cannot hold this position!"

In a hurry, the three trucks raced through the dirt roads. They made their way quickly, using the sound of gunfire as their guide.

"That's dropships!" Rarity exclaimed. "It seems the Covenant are sending reinforcements against the troops!"

"The cowards!" Sunset Shimmer barked, hitting the pedal to the metal as they drove even faster.

"I see the squad!" Manuel exclaimed. "Carter, we gotta get them evac, now!"

"Copy." Carter said. "Noble Three, we need evac on our position!"

Jun's voice responded. "Solid copy, Commander. Recalling the Falcons! Hold that evac position!"

"Get them out in one piece, sir, we owe them that much!" Starlight's voice came through the radio.

"Yes - but be advised, those dropships are right on you!" Rarity's voice came from the radio as well.

The team made their way deep into the defended area - quickly dismounting the trucks and putting up a defensive perimeter, taking cover behind structures and debris. Carter noticed the number of hostile dropships, speaking to the pilot through the radio. "Evac transport, keep your distance! Team, clear this LZ!"

In the meantime, the few remaining human troops watched in complete awe as they saw the heavily armored, multi-colored Spartan soldiers.

"...Spartans?" The Corporal asked, lowering his gun for a moment as if his prayers were answered. "C-Corporal Travis, Three Charlie..."

"Hey soldier." Manuel smiled, patting the human on the soldier. "You did a good job holding out this long."

"Yeah, no kidding..." Sunset Shimmer said. "Sorry we took this long - but we're getting everyone else out." She spoke. Immediately, a shot of plasma hit a nearby tree. She cursed, putting a hand on Travis' shoulder to get him to duck. "Stay still and get your team to take cover, we'll take them out!"

The dropships had delivered the Covenant forces, forcing the team to hunker down. However, the forces were surprisingly overwhelming, several different types of Covenant soldiers running through the trees, rocks, and structures to rush the landing area.

"Shit!" Rainbow Dash ducked her head as an explosive nearly tore her helmet off, along with her head. "That's some heavy action! Anyone can divert them at-least a little!?"

"I'm not sure - best we can do is kill all of 'em!" Applejack exclaimed, placing her drop shield around the human soldiers.

One of the Jackals ran past the gunfire - both a meat shield for Elites and a Hunter who'd pickoff the unprepared. He jumped over a rock - immediately seeing a target. Trixie was standing - aiming her rifle at the battlefield but not firing yet. It pounced on her, intent on ripping her throat out.

However, the Spartan merely shimmered. The real Trixie giggled, going around a corner to fire her shotgun into the Jackal's knee - forcing it down before delivering another shot into the back of its head. "How's that for a diversion~!?"

"Good, but not enough!" Twilight exclaimed. "Anyone else got any ideas!?"

"I got one!" Giggled the Spartan in the pink armor. Pinkie Pie used her Evade skill to suddenly dash across the field - much to the horror of the others. Carter seemed the most shocked by the action, barking at her.

"Hey, pink!? What the hell are you doing!?" Carter barked. Yet, Manuel only calmly laughed.

"Don't worry about her." Manuel said. "Common practice - she's got this."

"You bet I do!" Pinkie said, overhearing them. She slid under a fallen tree, which allowed her to slide and trip a Covenant Elite. Seeing an opportunity, she quickly elbow-dived on it, crushing and killing it with the sheer weight of her armor.

The antics and focused gunfire allowed them to thin out the attack. Noble Six rained down fire, flanking the positions of the attackers and forcing them to back out. The Covenant would not retreat, but this unit's number was not infinite. After a moment, there was a moment of silence - and the smell of smoke. The Falcons now had the opening to land, and Applejack took the opportunity to shelter the humans.

"Come on!" She shouted, grabbing Travis by the arm to help cover him in-case the Covenant were merely waiting for another ambush. "'Ah got y'all covered!" She exclaimed. She would guide the troopers to the Falcons, making sure each and every one of them boarded. Once the transport was full, it lifted off and flew beyond the trees, getting the team of troopers out safely.

Applejack sighed in relief. Carter had waved the team to board two empty Falcons, and she followed. However, as she passed by one of them, a hand reached out to grab her bicep. She froze up, turning to see Jun.

"Hey." He spoke. She swallowed - even though she acted all hot, she knew that he must have outranked her by miles. Yet, no chewing out or reprimand came. He only nodded at her, slightly and with respect. "...Thanks for watching out for the little guys."

Smiling underneath her helmet, Applejack returned the nod. Jun let go of her, and the team was able to board the Falcons. They lifted up into the sky, leaving behind a base of slaughtered Covenant soldiers, smoking and left in bullet holes.

***

The Falcons flew through the treacherous woods - the team anxious over the possibility of running into anti-air turrets or enemy aircraft. For this reason, the VTOLs flew at careful angles, making sure to fly low and use any advantage they could, such as utilizing valleys and the mist to make their way over. As they began to approach the rest of the team, Carter spoke into the radio. "Noble Two, sit-rep!"

Catherine responded. "We're at the relay outpost. Door's locked - the mechanism's been flash-fused."

"We should be able to get through to it, though." Starlight responded. "We've got torches and we're cutting through it - we might need a bit more time, though."

"We're en route." Manuel said. "Just hang in there!"

The Falcons had a good view of the relay - gunshots were already blasting and exchanging between Covenant positions and the team. Although it seemed that they were pinned down, they were able to offer ample resistance. A powerful shot came every once and again that decimated Elites. Fluttershy knew how to use her sniper to target tougher opponents.

"We're approaching the com outpost!" The pilot exclaimed.

"Drop us in the courtyard." Carter commanded - the pilot nervously swallowed at the order.

"The LZ's a little hot, sir..."

"Touch her down, Pilot." Manuel responded, nudging Twilight. "Lock and load - time to crash this party."

Carter, in the meantime, nodded at Noble Six. "Break's over, Six."

The team quickly hopped out - leaving Rarity and Jun in the Falcons to continue with their overwatch. Applejack used the Drop Shield to give them extra cover, for which they were thankful for. The team ran to the position of Kat's team, to hunker down and take cover with them while gunning down any Covenant between them.

"Boy, are we glad to see you!" Starlight cried out. "They came full force while you were away!"

"Don't relax yet, soldier!" Carter shouted. "How are we doing, Kat!?"

Catherine grunted; her voice slightly drowned out with the blowtorch. "Taking a little longer than I hoped, Commander! I've cut about halfway through the door."

"We're counting on you!" Manuel exclaimed. He used his rifle to shove an Elite onto the ground, giving Pinkie Pie the opportunity to gun him down. Twilight saw a group of rushing Unggoy, so she thought fast on her feet - she used the gravity-manipulating module of her arms to topple a container on top of them, crushing them all together.

The team kept up the resistance - Rainbow Dash used her jetpack to quickly intercept any targets that tried to take the higher ground, using her shotgun to blast them off of structures and any ledges that made the Spartans vulnerable. Applejack quickly produced her Drop Shield once more - placing it right on Catherine. The other woman looked at her, for a moment in confusion, then reluctant shows gratitude. "Ugh, thanks." She muttered.

"How's it looking!?" Twilight cried out. "They really don't want us to get in!"

Catherine grits her teeth, the sparks bouncing off of her visor. "Just about! And... There!"

"Everyone inside now! Go, go!" Carter barked.

The mechanism gave way to Catherine's skills - the door began to slide open, giving the team ample opportunity to get in, even while it was still opening. The last to enter were Manuel and Carter, who kept up the defensive. Once they were able to ensure the team got in, Catherine quickly set the door to closing. It slid into a locked position, and they were now safe - and in complete darkness.

"Man, that was cool!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "We kicked their asses!"

"I appreciate the enthusiasm..." Carter said, checking his weapon as he started to walk into the complex. "But let's not celebrate until we at-least give a heads up about what's going on."

Rainbow Dash seemed a little deflated, but Emile patted her on the back. "You can celebrate the fact we get to kill more of these freaks - we didn't vent out every Covenant on Reach." He told her. She chuckled, nodding at him.

"What are we looking for, sir?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she formed up beside Carter and Manuel.

"We need to find the control room." Carter said. "Then Kat can get the relay back online. Emile, Pinkie Pie, post here. If we flush any hostiles, they're yours."

"We won't let you down, sir!" Pinkie Pie gingerly said, crouching and aiming down the entrance to make sure that no one would escape.

Emile sighed. "Copy. Uh, pink one - just keep quiet."

"Okidokiloki!"

With their entrance guard established, the team would carefully walk into the deep darkness, engulfed in shadows and the anxiety of danger and ambush at any corner.

"Man, it's daaark in here... Can't see anything." Rainbow Dash muttered.

"That's why ya got night vision, girl. Applejack laughed. Rainbow muttered

"Uh, I knew that." She spoke. The team activated their night vision, walking deeper into the darkness, slowly.

"The control room's ahead." Manuel said, pointing towards the way forward as they waded through the hallways.

Sunset Shimmer took a sniff, sighing. "Shit, I can smell burns... Could be plasma."

"Copy..." Jorge said. "I smell it too. Everyone stay on your toes..."

The team entered the hallway, scanning their surroundings for enemy contacts. Catherine made her way into the area first with Six, noticing a corpse. "Noble Six, search that body." She commanded.

Six took the order, running up to the corpse. He crouched by the body and checked what it might have held - yet, to the right, they weren't aware that there was a survivor. A Corporal coughed, catching the attention of Carter and the rest of the team.

"We got a live one!" Manuel exclaimed. Carter nodded at Manuel, so the latter ran up to help the survivor. Manuel crouched by the wounded soldier alongside Starlight. "Hey man, stay with me. Where's the rest of your guys?"

"...We got split." The injured soldier frowned, hanging his head in shame. "I don't think they... It sounded bad on the comms..."

"Hey, you'll be okay, Corporal." Starlight said. "Manuel, I'll patch him up and stabilize him before we get him a combat surgeon."

"You got it." Manuel said, taking another moment to reassure the wounded man. "You did great man - we got you. I'll make sure everyone else makes it out alright."

The team kept going through the dark corridors - reaching the communication system of the base. The first to approach was Twilight, who cursed under her breath. "Damn it... Lieutenant Catherine, everything's fried from plasma damage."

"...No kidding..." Catherine sighed. Her attention was caught by Noble Six - who spoke, much to the surprise of the others as the Spartan held up a cartridge-shaped object. Catherine snatched it out of his hand, scoffing.

"I'll take that, Six. Not your domain..." She muttered, much to the annoyance of Sunset Shimmer. She shook her head at Six, as if silently relaying - 'What an asshole'. Sunset's attention was immediately caught by commotion, however.

"Hey, someone's alive over here!" Trixie exclaimed. "Hey, come out - we're human!"

However, the survivor, requiring Jorge who was nearby to pick up. It was a young woman, one who was not grateful to be saved as she tried to strike, shove, and push Jorge away. She yelled - but in a language no one but Jorge understood.

"It's okay, we're not going to hurt you!" Jorge exclaimed. "Keep still, and I'll release you!"

Only when she quieted down and spoke, there was an immediate silence. "Még... Itt Vannak." She spoke.

The words struck Jorge, enough to give him the advantage as he quickly covered the girl with his body and ducked, narrowly missing an Energy Sword that nearly sliced his head clean off. From above, a group of Elites leapt down. Three of them jumped out from the ceiling, the ambush allowing them to have the first attacks. Another rushed Catherine, swiping the Sword at her. Twilight immediately tackled her and jumped away, the Energy Sword striking the wall and missing the both of them.

"Watch out!" Applejack yelled. Noble Six fired at one of the three Elites but found himself grabbed by the neck. Quickly punching the creature, it instead pinned the Spartan to the wall and unfolded its Energy Dagger, intent to gut the human's throat on the spot.

Six immediately held the Elite's arm back - inches away from being stabbed. Applejack immediately swooped in, slamming both fists onto the alien's back as it recoiled in pain. Carter then went in to kick it onto the ground, dumping a magazine into it. Yet, the creature glowed golden - the shields drained, but its life was preserved thanks to it. Carter kicked Six's rifle over to him - he grabbed it to aim at the enemy. However, one of the Elites saw an opportunity - the injured trooper.

Starlight Glimmer immediately stood to protect the Corporal, but she was no match for the Elite as he kicked her off to the side, allowing him to grab the wounded Corporal, holding him as a human shield.

"NO!" Starlight screamed, aiming her weapons at the enemy, but not firing. None of the team did, not wanting to be the ones to put a bullet through a fellow human. This allowed the Covenant soldiers to escape - backing up into a dark doorway, with the screaming soldier in their possession. The Corporal attempted to break free - but he was not strong enough to resist being carried away, his pained screams haunting Starlight's ears.

"That tango blew past me and Pinkie!" Emile's voice came through the radio. "Permission to pursue!?"

Carter spoke into the radio. "Negative, Four, stay on the entrance! Two, handle her. Manuel, go with Five, Six, Starlight and Fluttershy - clear the hole!"

The five did not contest the order, immediately running into the dark entrance. Starlight was first to go - desperate to do what she could. She knew the soldier was dead - but she knew at the very least, she could avenge his death. As the team ran into the darkness, Jorge and Manuel closed the door off - to make sure they cornered the enemy.

"On me." Manuel said - his vision turning green as night vision activated. They walked among cargo containers. It was totally silent, earning a distrustful look from both Manuel and Jorge. They looked at one another and nodded - they knew what to do in these cases. Reaching out for a flare, Jorge threw one across the room - enough to startle the enemy to force them out of their ambush.

The first enemy to peek their head out was quickly shot by Fluttershy, with Starlight quickly running through the area to start pushing them back. Several of the enemies started to rush them. Jackals and Grunts who knew well that this room could've made for a fine kill box. Yet, they did not expect the killer instinct of Starlight, who felt anger guide her to killing them all. Knowing she took the heat from them, Manuel and Six started to rush the distracted Covenant, gunning them down and taking cover - popping out when they reloaded.

The team kept going through the darkness. Their combined teamwork and team size made quick work - each attempt for the enemy to shoot punished by coordinated gunfire and flanking maneuvers. The screams of the Covenant soldiers were heard across the facility, even heard by the team who stayed back to fix the communications relay.

They were closer to reaching the area. A dying Elite attempted to stand up, but Starlight Glimmer immediately ran up to kick it, before stomping its head. "Fuck you!" She shouted, disfiguring the alien. Manuel approached from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.

Starlight sighed, and returned to her senses. They kept walking deeper into the darkness, encountering no resistance for now.

Yet, a Zealot eagerly stood around the corner. He knew he was the last one, but he knew that he had the upper hand of surprise. If he'd die, at-least he'd take another with him. He saw the movement, opting to take a shot at the one that came closer, who was Noble Six. With a triumphant yell, the alien turned the corner, blasting the plasma weaponry at him.

Yet, his yell of triumph and war turned into a yelp of pain. Materializing behind him was a shimmering shape, who regained color and appearance. Fluttershy had snuck up from behind to grab the Zealot by the head, and slit its throat with her Energy Dagger, quickly piercing whatever shields it had to eliminate the threat, leaving it to drop dead on the ground.

Jorge looked at her, taking a quick step back. "...You're surprisingly brutal for someone so quiet and composed." He commented. Fluttershy squeaked, looking like a guilty child who was caught stealing candy.

"I... I am?" She quietly asked. "Is... that a good thing?"

Jorge did not comment, instead speaking into the radio. "Noble Five reporting. Contacts neutralized..."

***

Attempting to fix the comms, Catherine knelt by the system's insides, reaching her hands into them to do whatever fixes she could. Yet, she had an assistant - at-least one that tried to help. "Maybe I can do something?" Twilight softly asked, crouching beside Catherine. I've gone over all kinds of tech, so maybe I can see what I can suggest?"

"You'd probably leave us stranded on this planet." Catherine flatly said. Yet, for a moment she looked at the gauntlet of Twilight's armor, remembering that the device that allowed her to single-handedly ground a Banshee was self-made. She sighed. "...Okay, fine. Quickly check if this thing can handle a MOB splice, make sure we're not going to blow something up."

"On it!" Twilight eagerly said. She started to dig around in the electronics together with the reluctant Spartan, but Catherine did find the help genuinely useful, making her more secure in her efforts.

"How long?" Carter asked.

"With all the plasma damage?" Twilight asked. "Sir, I don't think we'd get this back sooner than three weeks, the components are all melted!"

"Two weeks, I think." Catherine interrupted. "It's not completely doomed."

"Two weeks!?" Trixie gasped, waving her arms in disbelief. "Another ten seconds without letting our Commander know is ten seconds we're closer to being overrun?"

"Ugh, stop yapping!" Catherine barked. Her authority was enough to make Trixie meekly back down, so Catherine grunted. "Look - we're getting a direct line from Colonel Holland by splicing into the main overland bundle. Commander? You're in my light..."

Carter turned to Jorge, who stood alongside Sunset Shimmer and Manuel. Manuel exchanged a glance with Carter, and then nodded towards the cowering girl - then to the only Hungarian speaker on the team. Jorge looked at them both, ready to act.

"Find out what she knows." Carter said. Jorge nodded and turned - but was stopped as Sunset Shimmer puts a hand on the massive man's arm.

"Hey." She said. "Lemme come with you. I've trained with a lot of psych-related stuff, on and off-duty. Did a lot of work on PTSD patients and all that."

Perhaps one of the few relatively amicable team members, Jorge felt his mouth melt into a soft smile underneath the helmet, which he'd never show. "That'd be great help." He told her. They came closer to the woman who sat on the ground, hugging her legs.

Jorge slowly crouched by her and tried to gently touch her shoulder - but the woman quickly recoiled. "What's your name?" He quietly asked. "Do you live around here?"

With no response, both Spartans looked at one another knowingly. They took off their helmets - Jorge and Sunset revealing their faces to the civilian.

"A nevem Jorge." He said in Hungarian. Sunset copied his cue.

"A nevem Sunset." She said. "Sorry if my pronunciation's not good - I fluked every language class I've ever had."

The civilian girl sighed - although she could not feel the humor, she at-least felt the genuine human touch, even though she knew it was limited.

"Sára." The girl quietly said.

Jorge felt himself smile at the familiar pronunciation. "Sára... szép határozott név. Your accent sounds familiar. Sopron?"

"Tengeri." Sára plainly answered.

Trying to find a way to get her to talk, Jorge looked around and saw the corpse by which Fluttershy crouched. Yet, seeing he was about to speak, Sunset puts a hand on his shoulder once more. Realizing she'd probably be more sensitive, he let her speak.

"I cannot imagine how terrifying it must have been." Sunset told her. "I understand you may not want to talk to anyone right now, but you're safe now. Please understand we only want to help - we're not going to hurt you."

"...Mm." Sára sighed, shuddering.

"...Is there anyone we can take you to? Someone we can help you get in touch with?" Sunset asked her.

"...No. Not anymore." The human whispered. She briefly glimpsed at the body laying beside Fluttershy, and she hid her face once more.

Sunset Shimmer frowned. She knew it was best to not say anything - but Jorge was unable to hold back. He lowered his head. "Sajnálom. I'm sorry..."

Sunset knew that it was not the right thing to say - Sára spoke with held back ire. "...Why would you be?"

"..." Sunset stood up, gently patting the large Spartan on the shoulder. He stood up, and the two walked past Emile, who was smirking under the skull-mask as he nodded at Noble Six. "Big man forgets what he is sometimes..."

Sunset Shimmer balled a fist. She was about to speak, about to ignore the chain of command and about to get herself in hot water, but now it was Jorge's turn to speak on her behalf. He quickly leaned in to Emile, causing the shotgunner to lean back. Jorge's size ensured that he was intimidating, even when speaking softly.

"She just lost her father..." Jorge barked, able to speak so calmly, yet with all the intention in the tone. He approached Carter and Manuel, gently guiding to Sára. "She needs a full psychiatric workup."

With Jorge having walked away, Emile found courage to be cheeky once more. "She's not the only one."

Jorge's patience was like steel, but Sunset Shimmer's youth showed as she balled a fist and started to storm towards Emile. Yet, one of Carter's hands stopped her right in her tracks, slowly but firmly pulling her back. "Lock it down, both of you!" He barked. When the tensions quieted down, he turned to Jorge and Sunset. "You two - get her on her feet. The body stays here..."

Jorge sighed, nodding. "...Thank you, sir." He said. He walked past Emile once more - shooting him a look. Emile recoiled once again. As Jorge walked off, Emile turned to Rainbow Dash and shook his head.

"What a guy, huh...?" He whispered. Rainbow Dash shrugged - unable to talk smack about someone showing kindness to a scared bystander.

There was silence - Jorge approached the civilian girl and helped her up, guiding her to safety. The silence lingered a little longer, then suddenly interrupted.

"Eureka!" Twilight happily cried out. "It works, we got signal! We--..." She noticed that she was a bit too chipper in such a tense situation, so she calmed down, much to Catherine's annoyance.

Kat stood up, approaching Carter. "It's patchy, but it's there. Don't touch anything though - you might ground this place."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Twilight insisted. "...But, yeah. You'd best be off not touching it."

Carter looked at the team. They gave privacy to him - though Manuel stayed, as Carter intended. Now, Carter was able to communicate with the Colonel.

"How do you think he'll take the news?" Manuel asked. "Covenant on Reach - the last thing anyone's ever accounted for. Silver lining is that we were called in. That makes sure they don't have the upper hand they think they do."

"Yeah..." Carter sighed. "Okay, let's try this." He said. They both took off their helmets to prevent their voices being unclear to the radio.

They leaned in to the controls, barely hearing a signal. They could hear the voice of the Colonel, whose voice was constantly breaking up from static and interference. "I'm barely getting to you!" Holland called out. "What's your situation, over?"

"Colonel..." Carter started. "This is Noble One - I have Master Chief Petty Officer Manuel here."

"I hear you." Colonel said. "What's happening there?"

"Colonel, there's no easy way to say this..." Manuel said. "We've encountered hostiles, but they're not Rebels. We have confirmed that the Covenant are on Reach."

Despite how calm the Colonel tried to be, it was clear by the voice that he felt disbelief - and anxiety. "...Come again!? Did you say Covenant?"

Carter leaned in closer to the mic. "...Affirmative, sir. It's the Winter Contingency."

"..." Holland took a moment before speaking. "May God help us all."

After the conversation ended, Carter and Manuel had the chance to speak in private.

"Never thought I'd ever have to say those words." Carter said.

"Sunset Shimmer was right - earlier, back when we faced those first contacts at the farm." Manuel chuckled, putting on his helmet. "The best strategy for the enemy is for them to do what you think is impossible."

Author's Note

As promised, here is the second chapter of MLP x Halo: Reach crossover! The dialogue has changes that separates the chapter from the original game. I might be thinking about mentioning the Master Chief through Manuel throughout the story. Should I have Manuel mention John throughout the story, or should there be no mentions of the Chief at all?