Don't the civies know that the Covenant will kill them once you find them. Idiots. I may be less than optimal at the moment, but I have a duty to protect them. Of course, the civies don't listen to anything told to them, living in their own paradises away from them and never fighting against them. They are the one who have brought the Covenant right on our own intergalactic doorstep. The damn cowards.
Marking the smoke for easier navigation in the forest I set out to save the dumb cowards. Getting the mountain was easier than getting up at points. I was able to slide down much of it but had to be careful of the sudden drops. The sun was getting low, if they were smart, they should have let the fire burn out. Civilians don't know how brutal the Covenant can be, how many lost their lives in vain attempt of defense for more time. The ignorant fools. I still have three-point-six kilometers out from their last know location, hopefully they are still there, or they're dead.
The forest had thick enough foliage to be hidden from the air and thick enough that the dying light does not pass through. What a great place to hide. The problem is that it is flammable, a problem when one side has super-heated plasma. Even if the Covenant didn't spot them, the fire they started could be seen or even burn down the entire forest thus negating the point of being in a forest. Not to mention that you could get lost if you're not a good navigator.
If they were heading toward the mountain, it might have been a good plan with cave providing shelter. Careful not to disturb branches as to give away my position and keeping my eye on the motion sensor for threats, I began my trek towards them. Most animals that even got near were scared off, not many wanting to risk it. The birds from high above were curious and chirping, good I need them to stay calm here. It was dark enough here that if any regular marine or ODST were here wouldn't be able to see without their equipment but due to my augmentations I could, so I kept my equipment off to save power and to not store up heat.
My black armor will keep me camouflage in this mess, I never understood why my brothers and sisters had such vibrant colors, your armor is meant to keep you safe not to get you spotted and shot. Movement up ahead, ten o'clock, twenty-five meters, multiple targets. Shit, the Covenant are moving towards the civies, moving to intercept. Moving as quiet and silently so to not tip them off that they are now the hunted and not the hunters, I got closer. Twenty meters, fifteen, ten. I can hear them quietly shuffle towards their target. With a thought I enable active camouflage and my visor to get a better look at my new targets.
What do I have here? Ten equines in muted green armor with mud plastered all over them though that didn't hide the fact very well that they came in many different shades of a rainbow. It would be funny if they didn't have serious looks and spears in their hoofs. They are definitely military though if left in the medieval past with a mix of modern. The leader in front tells the others to spread out with a hoof and does a circular motion. The others spread out to surround an area, a trap to encircle an unknown enemy no doubt.
I look to see what is in the middle and found five more equine but this time they were different. They had much the same as I with their large fangs, holed horn and black like chitin surface layer but had some major differences. One of them was that their eyes with insectoid, like what you would see on some flies back on earth, and they had thin almost transparent wings that could have never get them off the ground. They even had holes in their legs which doesn't look good for strength. There were two standing guard with spears and their armor was minimalist at best with it only covering the front of their chest and head with an opening in the front.
Two alien species never discovered, and they're still stuck in medieval stage of technological development. This would be a scientific marvel back home but right now it is a problem. I don't remember any papers saying we discover an unknown alien race anywhere back home, though I could be wrong as most of my time was killing other alien bastards. The good news is that I'm not on Reach, the bad is that I'm nowhere never UNSC space to be picked up to return to the fight. Guess my only choice is to see how this ambush works out for the green equines.
Actually, let's even the field, picking up a stick I snapped it as loud as I could. Everything stopped for a second before the black insects quickly started to set up a defensive line. It was no use as the next all of the eighteen green colorful equines flooding springing the trap. Even with a second of warning the insects never stood the chance. An upside is that it looks like all were captured, if a little bruised. Honestly not too bad of a defense for the warning they were given but defiantly needs improvement.
After securing their new prisoners, what I believe to be their commanding officer, a dark blue and yellow maned equine, turns and questions, "Which one of you damn idiots snapped the branch, if you did that a few seconds earlier, we could of have a blood bath on our hooves. We need them alive not dead you morons! Hey greenie if you ever do that again this spear will go so far up your flank because I know my highly trained men did not make a simple mistake as a snapping branch, understand?"
"YES SIR!" this so-called greenie responded. Huh, they speak English, how convenient. I pick up another branch for later and start to circle them, they must be some type of trained professionals to operate in this environment. For now, let's see what happens to see if I need to get involved.
The officer goes up to one of the insects and pulls off the muzzle preventing them from speaking. This only brings tears into its eyes.
"Hello little bug, my name is Captain Breaking Point, you will tell me what I need to know as this is not a negotiation. I won't result in torture if I get my way, though if I don't you could say I would bring you to your breaking point, understood?" captain Breaking Point spoke sinisterly. The insect through the sobbing nodded, I don't think that one is a soldier at all. What the hell were those soldiers with civies, are they some sort of VIP? Either way I don't have enough information to do off of.
"Good, don't want a little accident to happen to this little bug now would we. Now back to business, how did the invasion get past our defenses?" the captain questioned.
"I don't know, I-I-I wasn't in Canterlot. I'm just a nymph mother. I don't know please!" the feminine voice pleaded.
"What do you think boys because I think we caught a liar, a trait found in all of the Changeling race. Now tell me the truth little bug. I won't ask again."
"Please I don't know, I only take care of the little ones, please don't hurt me."
"Maybe this little bug needs some encouragement, greenie get me my favorite knife," The captain ordered. The greenie looks like he is about to throw up. I don't like where this is going. He was even hesitant to give the captain his knife. "So little bug, I suppose you had this coming."
He drew closer, the changeling started squirming as an attempt to get away, begging for him not to do it.
*snap*
All things stopped; the only sound was the sobbing of the changeling. "Greenie, that better not be you."
"No Sir!"
"Then who the hell did it, if any of you did it, I will personally send you back to basic!" all of his men confirmed that they didn't snap anything. It then hit them like a brick. "Soldiers defensive line zero eight bravo."
They all moved into a tight circle surrounding their captives. It won't help them. *snap* No response though they turned in that direction.
"You're not very stealthy bug. We know you're here." I considered not responding. I picked up another branch.
"That was not the point, the lady obviously doesn't know how they got past, I stopped you from torturing her for your own sick pleasure," I won't let him do something evil without a purpose. This may not be my fight, but I know good from evil when I see it.
"That's all? Well, you succeeded. Now what? We let the love-suckers go and cause problems later. No! They will pay for what they did to Canterlot."
"What happened in this Canterlot is not my problem. I won't stop you from bringing justice unto those who deserve it, but I won't let those bring injustice onto this land."
"Ahh, a philosopher. We're saved boys from all the injustice brought onto this land by talking. It must have saved Canterlot too!" his words dripping with sarcasm. Just back down idiot, you can't win this one.
"That 'bug' is a civilian, she took no part in any military operation. The only thing she looks capable of with how thin she looks is move small amounts of equipment. Now back off, I won't give you a second warning."
"Says the coward in the shadows, I want to know how you would make us 'pay' as even if you're a merc we outnumber you and train professionals. You are interfering with official Equestrian operation, now I want you to think about what you're doing before you get yourself killed. You understand? Final warning."
I did warn them. There are eighteen in total, the one in the middle is the commander, three guarding the prisoners and the others surrounding them in a defensive line. Easy enough, just take out the commander and the whole structure tumbles over. Tossing a branch to create a distraction to move in closer. It didn't quite work as intended as only a few turned to defend from that direction while the others held their composure. They're trained decently.
First one was a piece of cake, I was at the tip of his spear, and he didn't even know I was there. A quick move to disarm and then immobilize knocked him out of the fight. Next was the same with a winged female, she never stood a chance.
"Flash Point, target has an invisibility spell! Use a flash spell to overload the spell matrix!" the commander yelled to one of his subordinates. Unable to react in time this 'flash spell' was cast and overloaded my active camo, revealing me. Both sides were surprised by this new reality, I was confused by how they were able to achieve this feat with their level of technology and they were confused by a being twice the size of them in full black armor.
The confusion didn't last long. "Target the joints, there is less armor there!"
Now revealed, the soldiers moved to surround me. One by one they would take small stabs and feints towards me. Each time they would loss one of their own until there were only the ones defending the prisoners. The commander looked horrified by, if I was lethal, the massacre he witnessed "I recommend you stand down commander, no one else need to get hurt today. Let the prisoners go and your men will survive."
"You made your point; these love suckers are yours. Know that Equestria will remember this defiance," the commander finally agreed. Releasing the prisoners from their bonds and pointed towards me. I can feel the hate he had for them, "Get out of here before I change my mind."
I ushered the now released prisoners towards the mountains to find some sort of shelter in a cave. The female had been injured enough that she had to be help. I made sure they were quiet enough so that we were not followed. Finding a cave, I made sure it was safe and deep enough to sufficiently hide them. I made sure they were comfortable here and began to keep watch.
One of them got curious, the female who I saved, "Who are you, what are you?"
Slowly taking off my helmet to have them feel safer, I started to speak, "I am Spartan G-172, my name is Theo."
My appearance seemed to shock them and with a sign of hope, all they could say was, "You're a noble class."