Forgive and Forget

Chapter 4

Frank heard the low rumble of a Pelican’s engine. Was he dreaming he felt the couch, “I’m not dreaming?” He sat up and looked towards the window it was still night. He walked up the stairs to Rainbow Dash’s bedroom. He opened the door and walked over to her bed. He shook her slowly, “Rainbow Dash…Rainbow Dash…” She opened her eyes. “Yeah…What’s up.” She yawned.

“Rainbow Dash come on we need to go check something out.”

“What?”

“I swear to Celestia I just heard a human ship land over in the Everfree.” Suddenly Rainbow Dash was on her hooves. “Let’s go.” They left the house and Rainbow Dash lifted Frank down to the ground. “Come on we have to move. I don’t know how they will react to Equestria.” They ran towards the Everfree Forest. Once they got inside the forest Frank slowed to a walk. “Rainbow Dash I want you to go wake up Twilight and tell her that other humans have showed up and I am going to talk to them.”

“But I can’t…”

“Rainbow Dash just go, they shouldn’t shoot me.” Rainbow Dash ran back towards Ponyville. Frank slowly continued deeper into the forest and the sound of a pelican’s engines became louder. He hid behind a tree looking out into a clearing where the pelican had landed. Two ODSTs were moving some crates around which Frank found odd he didn't remember any ODSTs on The Recollection. The clearing was bathed in light from flood lights that were set up. He stepped out and called to them. They dropped the boxes and brought their guns up. When they saw who it was they immediately lowered them. “Lieutenant! You’re alive!” He nodded.

“Where is the Captain?”

“He is on a small frigate that came and saved us from a nearby planet.”

“What frigate?”

“The Mandrake.”

“Hmm…” Frank hadn’t heard of The Mandrake.

“How come they only sent one Pelican?”

“ONI doesn’t like take risks.”

“ONI? Damn it…”

“I know sir.”

“Alright, so what’s the situation on the ship?”

“The Captain is in command.”

“Really ONI put a commander in charge of one of their frigates?”

“Yeah so Capn’ took charge and was gonna send at least a company down to find you but Commander Harris he insisted that we only send one Pelican.”

“Alright stay here.”

“Why?”

“I have made contact with the local life and well it’ll be easier if I show you. Just wait here, don’t shoot anything.”

“Alright sir.” The soldier gave him a salute and Frank returned it. He turned around and headed back into the forest. He made his way back to Ponyville and Rainbow Dash and Twilight were waiting. “So what are they here for?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“To find me. They landed in the Everfree to conceal the location of the ship. Now I want you two too come with me I think it would be best if the soldiers here knew what is friendly.”

“Frank you know the townsfolk won’t like the other humans and they surely don’t like you.” Twilight’s voice was anxious.

“Twilight its ok I’m sure we can smooth everything over.” He started to walk back to the clearing with the Pelican with Twilight and Rainbow Dash following. “As long as ONI doesn’t fuck this up…” He muttered to himself. Twilight heard this and cocked her head a tad bit, he shook his head. She didn’t push the issue though. When they got to the clearing he told them to stay in the bushes till he told them to come out. He walked into the clearing and two soldiers walked over to him. The soldier he was talking with earlier spoke first, “So what did you talk to the locals about?”

“Well I actually brought two of the locals.”

“Really!?”

“Yes now I’m going to warn you. They are a little odd. They aren’t humanoid at all. They are well how to put this...they are ponies. They can talk though so just prepare yourself.” The soldiers looked at each other as if he was gonna show them some gruesome aliens. “Twilight and Rainbow Dash you can come out now.”

Twilight and Rainbow Dash stepped into the clearing. The soldiers looked at each other, then to Frank. “Sir those are horses.”

“Well correct and incorrect… I’m a unicorn and she’s a Pegasus.” Twilight told them, they once again looked at each other and back to Frank. “Sir?”

“I told you they are a little odd. You’ll grow accustom soon enough.” One of the soldiers took his helmet off revealing a young face with sandy blond hair. “Hello there.” He knelt down. “I’m Sergeant Gregory.”

Twilight stepped forward and put her hoof out. It shocked Gregory for a second but he took the hoof in his hand and shook it. The other one kept his helmet on but walked over to Rainbow Dash. He seemed to be looking at her through the visor but it was polarized so it was a one way mirror type thing. The soldier put out his hand. “I’m Kingston.”

Rainbow Dash looked at him with a confused face. “Kingston that’s a funny first name even for a human from what Frank tells us?”  Kingston laughed. “That’s not my first name. It’s my last name.”

“Why do you go by your last name?”

“Tradition.” Frank chuckled and Rainbow Dash tossed him a look and he just laughed more. Twilight finally shot him a look and he stopped. “Sorry.”

Soon they were all sitting on the ramp of the Pelican. “So you’re telling us you’re led by a monarch and you like it?”

“Yes why?”

“Twilight on our world a lot of monarchs were horrible and cruel.” Frank interjected.

“Oh. So what did you do with them?”

“We usually…” Frank shot Kingston a look and he hushed.

“Twilight what we did to them is something we shouldn’t discuss.” Twilight nodded understandingly but with burning curiosity in her eyes. “When is the next time you two are due on The Mandrake?”

“Well were supposed to head back when we find you and take you along.” Frank looked to Twilight and Rainbow Dash. “I’ll be back alright. Just go home and get some sleep I should be back in the morning.” They nodded and walked back towards town.

“Alright let’s head up.” They climbed into the Pelican and Kingston went into the cockpit. The Pelican’s engines roared to life and lifted off the ground. Kingston brought it above the tree line then boosted the throttle and they flew off the planet and into the deep expanse of space. Frank entered the cockpit to see what The Mandrake looked like. “So that’s The Mandrake?”

“Yes sir. She’s small for a frigate but she can take a punch. Nothing compared to The Recollection of course.”

Suddenly a voice came over the Com-Panel. “Pelican Echo Five-One?”

Frank clicked a button on the panel. “Mandrake this is Lieutenant Frank Morrison. I’m heading aboard ready to be debriefed.” There was a long silence then a small click. “Morris? Is that you?”

“Yes, Captain it’s me.”

“Alright once you get onboard head straight to the bridge." In a hushed tone, "Do not talk to any ONI spooks.”

“Alright sir.” The Pelican came to a large bay door which opened as it approached. The Pelican entered the docking bay and landed. Everyone stood up and waited at the ramp of the pelican for the bay door to seal. He heard a thundering boom and a hiss. Kingston clicked a button on a panel next to the door. The ramp dropped, and before Frank was a hero’s welcome. Two lines of Marines extended out past the Pelican each on in salute. He looked to Kingston and Gregory, “Now this is a welcome!” He walked off the ramp and through the path way. He made his way to the elevator and hit the button for the bridge.

Inside a separate area of the ship an area inaccessible to anyone outside ONI, “Commander they found Lieutenant Morrison.”

“Good. Any life?”

“He is alive if that’s what you mean, or if you mean on the planet yes there are life forms. Very intriguing ones at that. Gregory said they are some sort of horse race.”

“Horses?”

“He used the word pony sir. Well actually he referred to the two he met as a Unicorn and a Pegasus.”

“What kind of fuck do you think I believe in!?” He slammed his fist on the table.

“Sir we have footage from the helmets camera.” He lifted a remote and clicked a button. A screen lit up across the room and played footage from Gregory’s helmet camera. “My god…”

“Ensign I want Delta sent in tomorrow.”

“Alright Commander.” The Ensign left the room. The Commander was left in his chair staring at the playback from the helmet camera. “We  have found other life outside the Covenant. Should I spare them being glassed? Or should I try and see with Command if they will want them as an ally.” In the Commander’s head a voice stirred, “Their ponies what good will they do on the battlefield?”

“We don’t know anything about them?” He told the voice.

“That doesn’t matter they are defenseless against the Covenant.”

“Then why aren’t they glassed?”

“You have a point.” The voice sighed, “But still we don’t have the kind of time to sit here and investigate.” The Commander shook his head.

“We’ll make time.”

He turned in his chair clicking a button on a Com-Panel on the desk. The screen flashed, “Contact Colonel Potters.” The screen turned blue then flashed again showing the face of an old man. “Anything new to report?”

“Yes sir we have made contact with a new alien race. I’m sending you footage of the race.”

After a few minutes of the Colonel watching the footage. He looked back at the Com-Panel. “Commander I want you to spare them.”

“Sir?”

“They are useless to us.”

The voice in the Commander’s head agreed with the Colonel. The Commander shook his head. “Harris…Do what you have to do to spare them but see if you can capture a few.”

“What for?”

“Research.” The word made Harris worry. Research was a word not used lightly around ONI it meant many horrible things the SPARTAN Program was called research and ONI was all over the Halo incident.  He clicked a switch on the Com-Panel, “Ensign tell Delta to gear up they are headed down now. Tell them to exterminate. I want them to capture a few of these aliens at maybe even the two we saw in the footage.”

“Alright sir.” The Com-Panel shut off and Harris leaned back in his chair. “What have I just done?”

“You just ordered a platoon of ODST's to kill some aliens nothing more nothing less."

Morris was standing in the middle of the bridge and the entire bridge crew was staring at him. All of their faces showed disbelief. “I know it’s hard to believe magical pony aliens that haven’t been touched or let alone seen by the Covenant or us.” Horowitz spoke up first.

“Yeah that is really hard to believe but it’s coming from you Morris.”

The Captain looked at Morris, “Man your station.”

“Sir…Are we leaving the system?”

“Yes.” Morrison froze.

“Sir, I can’t leave.”

“Why?” Morris started to explain with a long winded testimony but failed finally with a sigh.

“Sir…I’m sort of part of their society. I’m a guard for their princesses. I can’t just leave.”

“I’m sorry Morris but I just want to get back.”

“Then I’m leaving.” Everyone was again staring at Morris. He stood there unmoving. “I’m sorry but I can’t leave them I finally have a home that actually needs me you can easily replace me.”

He walked over to the elevator. He entered and hit the button for the deck he the Pelican was on. Once the elevator doors opened Kingston was standing at the elevator door. “Morris I can’t let you enter this deck.”

“Out of my way Kingston.” Kingston laughed.

“Come on Morris let’s get you down to the planet.” Kingston started to walk down the hall. Morris looked over to the armory.

“I better get some new gear.” He told himself.

Kingston looked behind him and saw Frank walk into the armory. He stopped and smiled. Soon Frank came back out armed with the base MA5B assault rifle. “Alright I’m ready.”

They continued down the hall and into the landing bay. The Pelican was just as they left it. They climbed aboard and turned started her up. Soon the Com-Panel beeped. Kingston pressed the button, “Yeah?”

“Where are you headed Echo Five-One?”

“I’m going back down to the planet to retrieve the supplies and equipment.”

“Alright you’re cleared.” The door slid open and Kingston gunned it. “Alright…” He turned to Frank who was in the copilot’s seat.

“I have some bad news Frank.”

“What?”

“ODST Platoon Delta was sent down to the surface about ten minutes ago.” Frank immediately froze.

“Where did they land?” His voice became cold.

“About three clicks deeper into the forest that the Pelican landed in. They will know that I’m landing so as soon as we land get back to your friends I’ll try and stall them.”

“Do not do anything that will get you killed.”

Delta Platoon was moving through the trees, they heard the Pelican come in to the ground. The one in the lead looked back to the rest of the platoon behind him he nodded and they started to run.

The Pelican landed and Frank was in the back waiting for the wheels to barely touch that ground. He hit the button and the ramp fell. “Thanks for the ride Kingston!” Frank ran out onto the grass and booked it into the tree line running for Ponyville.