//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: Ultimatum // Story: The Protectors of Harmony // by Delta Blade //------------------------------// Chapter 21: Ultimatum August 10, 2558 0840 hours UNSC Infinity Bridge Seconds after Fireteam Icebreaker and the rest of the mane six had left the room, Princess Celestia watched as Captain Lasky’s subordinates’ attention went back to their screens, a bit shaken, but focused nonetheless. “Roland, get this ship moving southwest,” Lasky ordered solemnly. “I want it parked over Eternity’s Crossing yesterday.” “Aye Captain,” said Roland with a quick salute. “You gunna be alright, sir?” “…Yeah…I just need a minute is all…” “Understood sir.” Roland’s avatar disappeared before Lasky stepped away from the table. He had looked distant and hadn’t been making eye contact with anyone since the livestream had ended; he went up to the window and stared out at the world, arms crossed with a hand up to his lips in a thoughtful, yet concerned, pose. Celestia walked up beside him after watching him simply lean back onto the railing. “Well, something’s clearly bothering you about all this,” she said, now observing the view with him. “What gave it away?” said Lasky. “I know we’ve only met a few days ago, but you normally seem more, steely, in situations like this.” The Captain remained quiet. “Is it about…her?” Lasky remained unfazed, remembering that he’d told Celestia about how he’d lost his first love to the Covenant. “Luna told me you’d still been having nightmares about that incident,” Celestia continued. “Given that she can enter anypony’s, and I guess now anyone’s, dreams.” “That’s not creepy at all,” said Lasky sarcastically. “But yeah, it’s kind of about her.” “…Do you want to talk about it?...” “…I…I saw it Jenkins’ eyes before the stream ended. He’s feeling the same thing I felt as I watched Chyler die.” Celestia continued to listen patiently. “Gunnery Sergeant Alvarez’s after-action report from our little training exercise the other day stated that Jenkins had spent the night with Rainbow,” Lasky continued. “I knew that the twelve of them were already familiar with each other, the Elements let us know that they considered Icebreaker friends during the training exercise the next day, but after reading Alvarez’s report, it’s clear to me that he has feelings for her.” Lasky crossed his arms in front of his chest as the land below gave way to a large body of water. “He’s in denial about losing her,” he said before looking up at Celestia. “I don’t doubt that we won’t, but I don’t know how he’ll take it if we do.” “Thomas?” called the lunar princess from behind. Both Lasky and Celestia looked over their shoulder to see Luna standing next to the holo-table, upon which stood Roland’s avatar once again, along with the 3-D map of the planet. “Roland and I may have just found where they’re keeping her,” Luna finished. Celestia looked back at the ship Captain. “You may be able to inspire him yet,” she said. . . . August 10, 2558 0845 hours UNSC Infinity Sgt. Alex Thompson’s Sleeping Quarters “Well, it ain’t no farm,” said Sgt. Alex Thompson in his southern accent. “But it’s home.” Applejack simply trotted in front of him as he stood at the entrance to his sleeping quarters; she took a look around her at the small room, containing a standard locker on one side and a cot with a mattress at the far end. “It’ll hafta do,” she said acceptingly. “I don’t have another mattress, but I do have an extra pillow and blanket,” Alex continued. “Hope you don’t mind the cold, hard floor.” “Ya can’t jus’ lemme sleep on that?” “Uhh, it’s dirty?” “Oh yeah, Right…it’s fine, I’ll jus’ sleep on the blanket. Not like it’s cold in here anyway.” Noticing Applejack’s demeanor as a mix of sadness and anxiety, Alex sat down on his cot and brought himself to eye-level with the cowpony before sighing. “Look, I’m sorry about your friend,” he started. “And I know this situation ain’t ideal, but it’s not like this is your first rodeo, right? We’ll find her, and we’ll get her out, whatever it takes. That I can promise.” “I appreciate the kind words,” said Applejack, still looking down. “Is sometin’ else going on?” “Well, yeah actually. See, there’s this pony I’d never seen before who shown up ta ma home yesterday mornin’; she said she’d lost everything, an’ she probably hates me fer not makin ‘er feel welcome, an’, I apologized an’ everything but, then I had ta leave ta come here before she could tell me about herself an-” “Wait, hold on. You say she’s a stranger?” “Yeah, why? Why’s that important?” “I mean, it just seems like everyone in Ponyville knows each other. Am I wrong about that? Or was she actually from outta town?” “Heh, that’s more’a Pinky Pie’s job ta know everypony. But now that you mention it, she definitely did seem from outta town.” “Who would travel around Equestria after it had just been attacked? I guess news didn’t spread that quickly?” “Equestria’s also pretty big, ya know?” “Right…umm, just outta curiosity: what did she look like?” “Well, she was blonde, kinda like me, and ‘er mane was in a single braid; she has this dull, grey coat and eyes as blue as the sky on a clear day.” When AJ looked back at the marine, his face was a mix of concern and confusion. “What is it Alex?” asked the cowpony. “Have ya seen ‘er before?” “…What’d she say her name was?” answered Thomson with another question. “Abigail…Grey I think she said, but that may or may not be her real name. I ain’t sure jus’ yet.” Alex simply looked to the side at nothing in particular. Could it be? The same mare he had pinned the floor just two days earlier had showed up at Applejack’s doorstep the next morning? A lot of ponies could have been displaced from either Manehattan or Stalliongrad that day. “Why’s all that so important to ya?” asked Applejack, interrupting his thoughts. “Oh, no reason, the name an’ look jus’ rung a bell is all,” said Alex. “Prolly jus’ coincidence.” . . . August 10, 2558 0845 hours UNSC Infinity GySgt. David Alvarez’s Sleeping Quarters “A far-cry from your treehouse, yeah?” asked Gunnery Sergeant David Alvarez, standing in the doorway next to Twilight Sparkle. “Yeah,” was her only reply. Gunny walked in after a moment and began setting up a sheet and pillow on the floor. “I gotta go check on Jenkins after I set this up,” he said. “Poor guy’s gotta be taking this real hard.” He then paused and looked back at the purple alicorn. “Not that any of you aren’t, of course,” he said bashfully. “It’s fine,” said Twilight. “I’m not surprised you’d think of your men before any of us.” Alvarez dusted off the sheets on the floor with his hands as he finished up, before looking back at Twilight again as he knelt. “You know we’d do anything for each other,” he said before pointing at her. “But make no mistake that we’re all prioritizing you guys.” Twilight nodded as gunny stood up. “Thanks for making my bed, by the way,” she said as he walked past her and out the door. “Oh, yours was already made,” said gunny, pointing at his more comfortable-looking cot. “I’d just forgotten to make mine, your highness.” “Oh! No, you didn’t have to-” Gunnery Sergeant Alvarez? The Captain is requesting that you and your squad return to the bridge immediately for a mission briefing. interjected Roland’s voice over the room’s intercom. Oh, and make sure you all bring the Elements of Harmony back with you. “Shit, looks like Jenkins will have to wait,” said Gunny. “So soon?” was all Twilight could ask. “Gunny!” said Sgt. Thompson, suddenly appearing at the door. “Alex? Why’d you come to my room?” asked a mildly incredulous Gunnery Sergeant before pointing up at the ceiling. “Did you get that message too?” “Yeah, we all got it, but before we go, I thought it best to send this up the chain,” said Alex, noticing Twilight and deciding to be more discreet with his words. “A…particular pony that we’d met a couple days ago, may’ve shown up at Applejack’s farm yesterday.” . . . August 10, 2558 0833 hours Ponyville Sweet Apple Acres “Yer a PRINCESS?!” said Granny Smith in astonishment. “Shh! Keep it down!” hissed Greyblade. “No wonder yer so gorgeous!” Granny exclaimed, more quietly this time. Greyblade blushed slightly. “Oh! Well, th-thank you,” she stuttered. “But if yer what you say ya are,” said Granny. “Then ain’t it more important that ya go back?” “No! My father made it very clear that if I failed, I’d be exiled.” “That makes not a drip’o sense! Your country wud need leaders now more than ever!” “I’m no leader…” Greyblade looked back down at the ground. “…Them ponies you led, they followed you,” said Granny. “That don’t mean nothin’?” At this, Greyblade remade eye contact with the elderly pony, before simply looking back at the horizon. . . . August 10, 2558 0850 hours UNSC Infinity Bridge “Glad you could all make it back on such short notice,” said Lasky. “Roland?” “Bringing up the map now, sir,” said the AI, his avatar standing on the holo-table between the Captain and the rest of the gathering. The globe zoomed in on a patch of land highlighted in transparent red. “We may not have found an exact building or complex, but we have found the next best thing,” started Lasky. “Both Luna and Roland have managed to narrow down Rainbow Dash’s location to a twenty square-mile area in the northernmost part of the Boarean Tundra, west of this mountain range here.” Lasky pointed at the area on the map he was referring to. “At the moment, we’re moving into orbit above this location,” he continued as he looked at Fireteam Icebreaker. “Where the six of you will be dropping in to rescue her.” At this, Private Shifty held up a fist to Private Sidney, to which he bumped without looking; the rest of Icebreaker simply looked at each other with apprehensive glares. “But sir, we haven’t dropped in years!” said gunny. “Aren’t there ODSTs onboard who are fresh?” “No one else can know of Rainbow’s abduction,” Lasky stated. “As far as any marine or ODST on the frontline knows, this is just a rumor, assuming they’ve heard anything about it at all; the goal here is to get in and out as quickly and as quietly as possible.” “Permission to speak, sir?” perked up Jenkins. “Granted,” Lasky responded. “If that’s true, then why not call up another ODST squad in the first place?” asked the PFC. “Why us?” “Well, it’s because of you, Private,” Thomas answered. “Full disclosure, I know you and Rainbow have, a connection, on some level.” Jenkins, was taken aback. Even the Captain knew?! “Correct me if I’m wrong about that,” said Lasky. “Now’s probably your best time to do so.” “No sir,” said Ogden simply. “You’re not wrong…you’re really not.” While everyone was looking at Jenkins, Lasky looked back at the holo-map to see a yellow dot, indicating the ship’s current position, heading towards the area in red. “We’re still some time away from the drop-point,” he said. “I hope none of you mind a quick story?” “Ooh! Ooh! Story time!” yelled an exited Pinky Pie as she hopped into the air three times in a row. No one else had any complaints. “Way back in 2526,” Lasky started. “I was enrolled at the Corbulo Academy of Military Science on Circinius IV to begin my officer training. There, I met the love of my life. I’ll never forget her name for as long as I live, Chyler Silva.” Right after Lasky said this, the ponies in the room began to “awww” him. He smiled at this before continuing. “She was smart, kind, beautiful, and our squad’s best shot. She really inspired me to bear through the tough training,” said Thomas as he smiled at the fond memory of his friend. “But as we all know, at that time the Human-Covenant war had entered its first year; however, for reasons of security, the entire school had been left in the dark about it. So when the attack came, none of us were prepared.” Lasky paused, his face darkened before stating his next point. “I barely made it out with my life,” he said. “Chyler wasn’t so lucky.” Everypony’s mood changed instantly with a simultaneous *gasp* from each of them. Fluttershy soon could be heard sobbing. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” he continued solemnly. “She had taken a needler round to the stomach. I remember desperately wondering where it had come from, and holding her hands as she slowly slipped away from me…Ogden…” The Private First Class immediately lifted his head at the Captain addressing him by his first name. As Lasky walked up to him he said, “I lost my girl to that war.” He then placed both his hands on each of Ogden’s shoulders, looked him straight in the eyes, and said, “Do everyone here a favor, and don’t lose yours to this one.” Jenkins looked right back into his Captain`s eyes. “Aye, aye, SIR!” . . . August 10, 2558 0839 hours Somewhere 200 miles southeast of Ottapaw Rainbow Dash was thrown into her cell after its door was burst open; she landed on her face and slid a small distance, before her legs finally fell flat with the rest of her body. The black bag was removed, but the gag was not. While struggling to sit back up, she was quickly pinned back down onto one side of her face by a changeling. “We'll teach you to speak out of turn, maggot!” he hissed into her ear. He then kneed her in the gut, prompting a muffled squeal from Rainbow. “Take that gag off!” said another changeling. “I want to hear those pathetic screams! It’s not like she can call for help anyways.” The sky blue pegasus breathed shortened breaths as her bloodied mouth was relieved of its former restriction. “P-pleas-AAH!” she attempted to beg as she was stomped on. The two changelings continued to punch, kick, even bite her for about a minute before General Hives, who had been watching the whole time, ordered them to stop. “Chain her back to the wall,” he commanded soon after. One changeling gave Rainbow a final, swift kick to the lungs before he and his partner both obliged. They left her on her knees, her sagging form breathing slowly out of exhaustion; the other changeling grabbed her by her multi-colored mane and started kissing her. Her eyes quickly grew wide in shock and disgust as their mouths made contact, until he spat normal saliva down her throat. She immediately fell to the floor, coughing and squirming as that last changeling left; Hives waited until she had caught her breath (after swallowing of course). “You heard my ultimatum,” said Hives as he forcefully lifted up Rainbow’s chin, making her broken face look at his own. “I almost hope your alien friends don’t stop, so that we can have all the fun we want with you!” “B-Buck you!” she spat with blood. “I don’t know anything!” “Don’t act tough,” he said, turning her around and shoving her into an adjacent corner. “And do you really think I want information from you? This isn’t about proving that one of Equestria’s best is weaker than a changeling.” She could be heard sobbing softly as he held her on the corner by the back of her head. “This isn’t even about you being the element of Loyalty, not that we’re testing it anyway,” said Hives before grabbing and squeezing her broken wing with his free hoof. “AAAah! Aah!” squealed the shivering pegasus, keeping her mouth agape in pain as said wing was brought up to her face. They locked eyes for a moment, and Rainbow witnessed one the most evil grins she’d ever seen as her captor stated his true intent. “We just wanna watch you suffer!” he said before releasing her wing, leaving her on the corner to catch her breath. He left Rainbow on that horrific note as he wordlessly exited her cell, motioning a subordinate to slam the door shut, leaving her quivering form whimpering quietly in the darkness.