Hammerheart zoned in upon the the Graveyard of Salika, and the briefing Captain Pegalos recorded began to run through the procedure of the final mission at hoof.
"Commander Hammerheart," said Pegalos, "your cruiser will punch its way into the mass of smaller Paranid ships guarding the main hive fleet. Once in position, the Ponigeddon will drop your hoof-picked squads via drop pod toward the base of the massive capillary that is feeding the main hive ship. Thanks to the data you collected earlier, Apothecary Rashet has readied a special bio-toxin. You are to poison the tower and through it the brain of the Hive Fleet itself. This should deal a lethal dose to the hive mind, and send the hive fleet into disarray. One way or another, this will be the last battle of the defense of Arctika. May the Empress grant us victory. Pegalos out."
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"The vile intelligence at the heart of the Hive Fleet has made itself vulnerable."
Slimy tentacles waved all around the sky high capillary, and spores fell from the sky onto the planet's surface.
"Strike as its tendrils tap into the planet below. Feed it the poison we have developed. No matter the cost, you must bring it low."
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The grounds around the graveyard were covered in Paranid slime from the spores and fluids of the animals. The sky was dark and ominous from the animal clouds that floated above. A low whistle broke the silence, and a drop pod landed on the slimy grounds. Out came Hammerheart, wearing his new Termineightor armor and wielding a Thunder Hammer and Storm Bolter, and the others, who immediately headed out to finish the fight.
"Commander Hammerheart," Rashet called through the communication channel, "the Hive Fleet feeds through massive capillary towers."
Fleshy Paranid spikes were sticking out of the ground; the Hive Fleet was spreading its pulsing feeding tubes far and wide.
"Each tower draws from many veins in the surrounding terrain." said Rashet. "These veins are where you must deliver the bio-toxin."
The vox started to get fuzzy and distorted. "... can... eerr... past... apter..." said Rashet's voice before the vox went dead silent.
"Ponigeddon." Applejack called, "Come in. Come in."
Pinkie spotted a feeding tube. "The first of the veins is ahead." She said. "Move out!"
They trotted out towards the first tube. On the way, they spotted Equestrial Guardponies, the veterans from Alicorn Gate, standing near a fallen Hawkeye Ship.
"Pony Marines approaching!" one of the Guardponies called as the Blood Phoenixes trotted up to them.
"Sergeant Wolverine, report." said Applejack.
"Xenos forced down our Hawkeye, ma'am." said Wolverine. "Scattered us across the damn landscape. It'll take more than a few bruises to take us out of the fight, though."
The Guardponies grouped up with Hammerheart, and they continued out to deliver the poison. As they made their way up a hill, they found both the first vein, and more Guardponies near two more downed Hawkeyes.
"Third squad down to six stallions, Sergeant." a Guardpony said to Wolverine. "No survivors from second."
"Right!" said Wolverine, "Boris, form survivors into full squads, and then inventory what gear we have left." He looked to another Guardpony. "Fregon, get the remains of the first squad into a perimeter, and then get that blasted Auspex working."
Applejack walked up to the vein, and injected the bio-toxin into its bloodstream. "Bio-toxin delivery underway." She said.
A Guardpony looked ahead and spotted trouble. "Movement detected." He called, "Animals on approach."
"Enemy attacks from the north." Applejack yelled.
"Alright, stallions," Wolverine said to his squad, "these things are here to take our worlds away from us. I, for one, do not intend to let that happen! Form up into defensive firing lines!"
A call came from TechDrake Spike. "Commander Hammerheart .... .. Lightningeagle Two." He said, the transmission was sputtering like Rashet's. "Firagun Turrets ... ready to drop on .... position. Just give ... word."
Hammerheart pointed out three spots for the turrets to drop, and instantly they landed on the corners of the opening where the attack would come from. Sure enough, the swarm arrived in the nick of time.
"Get ready." said Wolverine, "Here they come!"
The massive swarm charged through. Some were slaughtered by the turrets while the others slipped past. A Warrior Beast lunged over the swarm and landed close.
"Warrior Beast, open fire!" Wolverine yelled as the Blood Phoenixes unloaded their bullets into the swarm.
Hammerheart unleashed his new found fury upon the animals, crushing them with his hammer and tearing them to bloody pieces with his Storm Bolter.
As the swarm began to die down in size, a Hive Alpha appeared from past the mutated foliage. Hammerheart and Rainbow Dash engaged in melee while the others fired at the beast from behind cover. Eventually, the Alpha gave in to its wounds and dropped dead.
While everyone was recuperating, Hoovitus snorted through his nostrils. "We fight these monsters in a twisted nightmare." He growled.
"The whole damn planet is infected." said a Guardpony.
"Commander Hammerheart," said Applejack, "we need to administer another dose of bio-toxin at another site. There are exposed veins further along the ridge."
The Blood Phoenixes and Guard Veterans headed off to the next vein, but on the way a distress call from the Strike Cruiser stopped them in their tracks.
"Ponige... to strike..." Rashet's voice was coming through even worse than before, "hull breached... superstructure failing... initiating self-destruct seque... Emergen... drop activa..." The transmission went dead silent. A quiet whistling sound grew louder, and a drop pod landed near the Pony Marines. Out of the pod came the Harmonaught, Captain Nule, and a few more Pony Marines.
"The Ponigeddon... is no more." Goliath said grimly. "Rashet's sacrifice must not be in vain."
They all grouped together into one large squad and continued with the mission at hoof. They shot at every Paranid that attacked. They eventually found another vein, and Applejack got to work injecting more poison into the pulsing flesh mound.
"Second bio-toxin delivery starting now." She said.
During the dosing process, scans indicated signs of animal life homing in on their position.
"Commander Hammerheart," said Applejack, "north and south approaches are both vulnerable."
Just then, another call came through to Hammerheart.
"Lightningeagle Two ...., Commander Hammerheart." said Spike's voice, distorted from animal interference. "We have taken ..... damage, but can ...... Firagun Sentry Guns at .... command."
Hammerheart placed flares on the north and south positions, and turrets landed on those areas; just in time for another Paranid swarm attack. The Blood Phoenixes unleashed their fury upon the beasts along with the Guardponies and turrets, leaving the swarms a bloody pile of limbs and organs.
"Second dose delivered!" said Applejack as she removed the weapon. "That should do it."
Hoovitus leered at his partner. "Always assuming this works." He said.
The swarm attacked Goliath, and were thoroughly crushed by his Grappling Limb and legs. Rainbow Dash slashed them in halves with her Power Sword. Pinkie picked them apart with her Sniper Rifle. Applejack and Hoovitus unloaded barrages of bolter and plasma rounds upon the swarm. Hammerheart held his own as he took the most of the assault. Then the fleshy spikes protruding from the ground started exploding, meaning the poison did its job.
"It worked!" said Rainbow Dash.
"YES!" Wolverine yelled, "Die, you animal scum! YEAH! Alright!"
"Thank the Empress!" said Pinkie.
Wolverine looked all around him. "Surely this isn't over." He said.
"Not the war, Guardpony, no." said Applejack. "But our part in it is at an end."
Elsewhere on the field, Paranids were still spawning out of spores from the hives that were already planted on the ground, their numbers still relatively big.
"But the hives here on the ground will recover soon enough." said Pinkie. "And I can assure you that we will not last long."
"And the Ponigeddon is gone." said Rainbow Dash. "We have nowhere to fall back to."
"Come Rainbow Dash." said Hoovitus. "Did you imagine any of us would return from this mission?"
A question Rainbow Dash already knew the answer to. "No. I suppose I did not." She said. "But I cannot imagine a better end than this."
Wolverine stepped forward. "Then I guess we had better take as many of the damn bugs with us as we can."
Hoovitus smirked at Wolverine's words. "Well said, Sergeant."
"Well said indeed, Hoovitus." Applejack said, seconding the motion.
The end was soon to dawn upon them, but they were not going down without a glorious fight to the finish. They loaded their guns and took their positions.
"Siblings, make yourselves ready." said Applejack.
"And may we meet again at the right side of the Empress." said Pinkie.
They held their ground and were ready for the Paranids to do their worst. The shrieks of a massive swarm echoed in the air, and the little monsters came crawling towards them. Without any regrets, the Pony Marines unleashed hell upon the Paranids' numbers and said nothing else about it. Paranids exploded and body parts were scattered all over the place. The ground was dyed yellow with the animal blood, yet they still kept coming, and the Ponies kept fighting. When the swarm died down, three Hive Alphas appeared and slowly made their way to their position, but then they splattered blood out of their jaws, curled up, and exploded in a bloody, gory mess. A message was coming through to the Pony Marines, and the voice was loud and clear.
"This is Michael Pegalos to the commanding forces on Salika, do you read?" Pegalos called.
Applejack's eyes grew wide with new found hope. "The fleet has arrived!" She said.
"Hold fast." said Pegalos. "You shall not fall this day. Commander Hammerheart, we have dropped a spread of relay beacons. Make your way to the closest one and activate it so we have a fix on your position."
"I am getting readings from one of the beacons, Commander Hammerheart." said Pinkie. "Marking it on map display."
With the location confirmed, Hammerheart and the others headed off to the beacon. It was located atop a large monumental ruin, and they ascended up towards the beacon. Pinkie started pressing buttons until the beacon's satellite pointed upwards and started spinning.
"Beacon activated." She said.
"Coordinates received." said Pegalos. "Drop pods away!"
Suddenly, more Paranids appeared out of nowhere, and they scurried up the stairs towards the Blood Phoenixes. They shot at the approaching beasts until a drop pod landed at the base of the monument and crushed most of the swarm. Out of the pod came Michael Pegalos himself, wielding the legendary Daemonhammer: God-Splitter.
"Taste the fury of the Blood Phoenixes!" He yelled as he swung at the Paranids that attacked him. Hammerheart couldn't help but grin at the famous Captain, while the Sergeants watched him in awe as he utterly destroyed every single creature with one hit from his hammer. When the last beast was killed, Pegalos trotted up the stairs, passed the Sergeants, and approached Hammerheart.
"Commander Hammerheart," said Pegalos, "we have one more task in this cursed place. The Hive Mind is using a powerful patriarchal creature to maintain control over its land-based forces on this world. We must kill this beast."
"It will fall, Captain Pegalos." said Hoovitus as more drop pods landed and deployed more Pony Marines.
"The beast nests at the top of these ruins." Pegalos continued. "Move out when you are ready and I will accompany you. The rest of our forces will guard our flanks."
When they were well rested enough, Hammerheart, Pegalos, and the others headed deeper into the ruin to hunt down the great monster. When they approached near the center, the ground started to shake. Up ahead, something appeared to be trying to come out of the ground. A massive Hive Alpha Patriarch bursted from the ground and roared at the top of its lungs.
"There it is!" Pegalos shouted. "To war!"
Hammerheart, Pegalos, and Goliath charged at the colossal beast while the others unloaded their rounds into the monster's hide. The Patriarch lifted its foot and stomped the ground, which started to turn greenish.
"It's poisoning the ground, clear out!" Pinkie yelled.
Hammerheart and Pegalos rolled back to avoid the miasma. When it cleared, they reengaged the beast. It appeared to be more interested in attacking Goliath, which gave the Pony Marines a little more of a chance against the hulking creature. Hammerheart and Pegalos continued to slam their hammers into the beast's armored flesh, while Applejack, Pinkie, and Hoovitus shot at whatever weak spots they could find. Rainbow Dash took to the sky and flew right into the monster's armored head, disorientating it for a brief moment. When the Patriarch regained its senses, it jumped back and aimed a pair of arms that were fused together to form some sort of projectile weapon.
"Bio plasma!" Applejack yelled. "Clear that area!"
The Pony Marines quickly got away from the spot where a large explosion of slime erupted. They went back in and attacked the beast again. The monster stepped up its A-game, and it went all out on them. It snatched Pegasus Marines in its jaws and threw their limp bodies to the side. It shot its projectile at the Tactical Pony Marines from afar. It swung its large claws around and sent anyone engaging in melee flying. It even began to do some real damage to Goliath's armored hull. Things were starting to go from bad to worse.
"On your hooves, Siblings," Pegalos called, "there is a battle to win!" His war shouts seemed to bolster the morale of the Pony Marines, and they retaliated hard. The beast was showing signs that it was dying. Pinkie sniped one of its legs. Applejack shot the other leg. Hoovitus shot heavy bolter rounds as it dropped to its knees. Goliath gave the monster a powerful uppercut. Rainbow Dash slammed the creature from above to the ground. The Paranid struggled to get up, but Pegalos slammed his hammer right in the side of its head. The Paranid lied on the ground half dead, then Hammerheart approached the beast and swung his Thunder Hammer right onto its skull, crushing its head, and ending its life.
"The beast is dead." said Pegalos. "The Chapter, and the sector, owe you a great debt Pony Marines."
"We did our duty, Captain." said Hammerheart. "Nothing more."
"Few could have done it better, Hammerheart." said Pegalos.