Foreword: sorry this chapter took so long to post, my beta-reader was being a special-ed kid.
Onward!
Survivors
Date: September 19th, 2555
Location: Somewhere in the Land of Equestria, Equestrian star system
Individual: Commander Robert Crusher
Time: 9:15AM
"We went to New Ponyville, Sir; there was nothing there. The entire town had been disintegrated just like Canterlot" Spartan-035 told Commander Crusher who was resting at UNSC Firebase Delta, which was seven miles from Barklin and 4 from the Great Crater*.
"Damn. I hope they got out OK" the Commander said, rubbing at his temple as he looked over the video feed from an unmanned drone that was currently watching the mountain Canterlot had been built on, keeping its camera trained on the giant sphere that was hovering above the mountain.
What the hell is that thing Robert thought before turning away from the feed-screen to face Spartan-035. "We need to organize a search and rescue party for any possible survivors of New Ponyville."
"Sir, with respect, but I don't believe anyone survived the destruction of New Ponyville" the Spartan leader stated.
"Organize the search party, Spartan. That's an order" Commander Crusher declared, stepping away from the table and heading outside into the cool morning air.
Please be OK, Twilight Sparkle Robert mused as he stared out across the landscape of Equestria.
What the hell were those things that attacked us? I've never heard nor seen anything like them before. Were they long-lost Forerunners? New Covenant? Or something else entirely...?
"Sir! Come quick, there's something you need to see!" a marine suddenly shouted as he approached the Commander, interrupting his thoughts and prompting him to comply and follow the marine to the front gate of the base.
Screaming at the top of her lungs in anger and causing magic to swirl around her horn was Twilight Sparkle, her eyes glowing white as she demanded the gate be opened.
Upon seeing the Commander approaching Twilight let off her magical build-up and smashed the gate open, causing all Marines on scene to point their weapons at her and yelling at her to stand back.
"Stand down, Marines!" Commander Crusher shouted as he approached Twilight Sparkle, who was carrying Spike on her back. The both of them were dirty, ragged and covered in cuts and bruises.
"Twilight, what are you-" Robert tried to ask, cut off when Twilight let off a force-blast spell right into the human's stomach, knocking him on his ass and causing the nearby Marines to grab her in an attempt to restrain her.
"YOU ABANDONED US! YOU LET ALL THOSE PONIES IN PONYVILLE DIE! SPIKE AND I JUST BARELY GOT OUT ALIVE YOU JERK!" Twilight screamed to the high heavens.
"What? Didn't the Marines at the nearby Firebase help you, like I ordered them to?" Commander Crusher inquired, confused and a little miffed at the lavender Unicorn for hitting him with that magic blast.
"NO, THEY DIDN'T!" Twilight shouted, black smoke literally rising off her body.
"Fuck. Will someone call Firebase Bravo and ask them what they fuck they were doing instead of evacuating New Ponyville?" Robert asked.
Just then Spartan-035 walked up and said "Sir, take a look at this; it's a recording from one of our drones that patrolled the area after the destruction of Canterlot."
The video was a nightmare; showing the Marines of Firebase Bravo sloppily defending the base as the strange creatures swarmed over the base. Dozens of Marines vaporized by the orange beams and many more slashed in half by the blades. Fires raged, corpses littered the ground, and whole buildings fell apart like wet cardboard in a wind tunnel.
It was hell.
Angered by the loss of the base and the confusion still following him over the mysterious demons Commander Crusher showed the video to Twilight and said "look! They didn't help you because they were fucking dying!"
Undaunted, Twilight looked up at Robert and shouted "you still should've helped us! YOU could've come in your drop-ship and gotten us out of there!"
"The Pelican can only hold a max of fifteen people, Twilight! At the very MOST 25 ponies would fit in it but ONLY after we remove the seats. Plus there was that goddamn sphere thing floating around. I COULDN'T HELP YOU! WE HAD TO GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE!"
"YOU'RE A COWARD, ROBERT!" the lavender Unicorn screamed in pure fury.
"That's ENOUGH! SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP! Spartans, get Twilight out of here right now! Take her and Spike to the fucking barracks and lock the door but make sure they both have proper provisions! I'll deal with her later" the Commander yelled, turning away as the Spartan team dragged the two away with the usual screams of protest.
Spartan-035 stayed behind to talk to Robert, coming up next to him and asking "Sir? What should we do about Firebase Bravo?"
"Firebase Bravo is toast, Spartan. I'm going to try and get the Infinity back here but in the meantime we'll need to organize all UNSC bases in Equestria to form a proper resistance against those fucking things" Commander Crusher answered.
"Yes, Sir" the Spartan replied.
"Will there be any more questions, Spartan?"
"What are we going to do about the civilians? You saw the way the female was behaving?" Spartan-035 inquired.
"I will deal with her, Spartan, do not worry."
Commander Crusher stepped to the side as a chair came flying his way, launched at him by Twilight Sparkle's magic. Immediately entering the room the unicorn had thrown the furniture at him, her rage still a blazing inferno.
"Knock it off, Twilight Sparkle!" the Commander demanded as he approached the lavender Unicorn, who stopped throwing things but still stood with her legs apart and snorting angrily.
"I know you're angry, Twilight, but I am not the one to be angry at. If you wanna vent your anger do it on the things responsible. I've thought it over and I've decided that we're immediately gonna go on the offensive against these strange things" Crusher explained to Twilight.
For a moment neither of them said anything, with the Commander just standing over the Unicorn and the Unicorn merely staring down at the floor.
Twilight was about to either say something to Robert or hit him when she looked over to the right and saw Spike huddled up on bed, his eyes darting back and forth between the human and the pony. Twilight knew he was disturbed from what they experienced back in Ponyville and knew he was afraid of Twilight's fury, despite it not being directed at him.
"I... Just go" was all Twilight had to offer in reply to what the Commander said, promptly turning and trotting over to the bed where she cuddled up with Spike to comfort him.
Commander Crusher turned and left them in the barracks, heading back outside where he found Spartan-035 waiting for him.
"How are they?" the Spartan asked.
"Disturbed, clearly. Spike, the dragon, looked as if he was about to snap and try to slit his own throat. The Unicorn, Twilight, is obviously afraid for Equestria and she looks as if she's fast approaching the brink" Robert Crusher answered.
"I hope they'll be OK" Spartan-035 stated, looking past the Commander into the barracks where he saw the two civilians huddled together on a bed.
"Me too, Spartan" Commander Crusher replied, looking back into the barracks before he cleared his throat and said "Spartan, notify the base, we're going on the offensive against these fucking things."
"Our drones have reported that they're about to descend upon the nearby town of Trottingham, I suggest we head there first, Sir" the Spartan said.
"Of course, Spartan."
*This is a reference to one of my other stories, titled 'He came from Space'.
Author's note: this story is coming along nicely. It's a little choppy, I feel, but still nicely. I just finished chapter 7 and it's AMAZING.
Legal note: Commander Robert Crusher, Spartan Wilhelm-035, and all related characters belong to me. Twilight Sparkle, Spike the Dragon, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro. Halo belongs to 343 Industries.