Chapter One
First Day
0500 HOURS, SEPTEMBER 20 2569 (MILITARY CALENDER) \
SYSTEM: CLASSIFIED, CAMP IRONHORSE
PLANET: CLASSIFIED
“SQUADRON! Fall in!” Major Young called out through the camp wide PA system. He stood waiting as the camp came to life as it usually did in the morning. Humans, Ponies, and Elites all stormed out of there respective barracks and quickly fell into there squads with almost machine like precision. This was PROJECT THUNDER, a secret sub sect of Dr. Hasley’s SPARTAN IV program. However most of the people who just fell in are not the Spartans that are being trained. They were already on there eighth lap around base for there morning PT. No, these were the bases staff. Drill Sergeants, Medics, Pilots, Teachers, and the all important Cooks that kept this base running. The Separatists were even kind enough to provide them with a few extra teachers and some Covenant tech to help make these Spartans the best of the best.
After dismissing the camp staff to go about there duties Major Young waited for the Spartan team to arrive. Looking at his watch he smiled “Five... Four... Three... Two...” he started counting down, till he was interrupted by the sound of ponies running towards him. Looking up he saw five ponies, all wearing standard PT gear form up not five feet away from him. A black colt built like a grown pony walked up to him and saluted “Major Young! Sergeant First Class Brimstone reporting!” He said, dropping the salute crisply and not moving at all. It was almost as if he was looking at stone.
“Very Impressive Sergeant! You and your team are turning out to be the best Spartans humanity has ever created, being as you are the first pony Spartans to date” The major said chuckling at his own joke. The Spartans before him didn’t even blink at the joke, knowing movement was a quick way to be assigned 400 push ups, to be done in 5 minutes or else you have to do 800 in ten minutes. The major was harsh, but he got the job done.
“Anyway, we have decided that since it is your squads fourth birthday today, I will allow you and your squad allowance to take the day to catch some rest and maybe relax a little. Four years of straight training can really start to take its toll on foals like yourself. Run to your barracks and rest for the day, for tomorrow the Elites have lent us a few of there most skilled troops to put you guys through some real tests, so get ready” The major said, taking a step back and dismissing them. He watched them run back towards the barracks, catching them all smiling a little. He knew that today was a good day, and would be well worth the training lost.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Brimstone and the rest of his team sat around in there barracks, unsure of what to do. They had never really been given a day off before and after four years of nothing but training this was almost mind numbingly boring. He looked around at his team and chuckled slightly. It could only really be thought of as funny, how the males on the team got there names changed to suit there position on the team, and the females opted to keep there original names. Amethyst, Star shine, Smash, Click, and himself made up the SPARTAN IV Thunder Program.
Amethyst was a Zebra and the the teams medic. Medic was only the name the team gave her because she might as well be a full on surgeon. She didn’t have a normal cutie mrk, but if she did it would be a red cross with a combat knife and a scalpel crossing each other over top. She would have gotten it when a drill sergeant had some heart troubles on an exercise and she decided it would be a fun opportunity to practice open heart surgery while on the field. In stead, she get a Zebra cutie mark and let’s just say she was successful, because that’s a long story that is really best suited for another time.
Then there’s Star shine the Earth pony. If you want quiet, there’s your girl ‘cause she won’t make a damn peep if you tell her too. Brilliant with a rifle up to one thousand one hundred yards, give her the right tools, and she can reach out and touch you from up to three miles. Yea we’re all a little scared of her when she’s shooting because she takes some risky shots, but has only really hit Brimstone, and only when he makes a stupid remark that may or may not have to do with the position and where about of her flank. Sexual endeavours are forbidden on base and on missions, but he still manages to piss her off some how without getting in trouble with the camp.
Next there’s smash. Five guesses as to what his role on the team is! You got it, he breaks shit. He is the resident CQC expert of the team and self proclaimed ‘interrogator’ of the team. You put him in a room with any less than seven guys and the room will be clear in no time, eighteen if he has a gun. He’s an earth pony as well, and also the same pony Brimstone got into a fight that very first day, making them competitive with everything, including flank jokes. Only difference is he gets razed by the drill instructors every time, when Brimstone just does it without a consequence, other than taking a stunt round to the ass or head every once in a while.
Next there’s Click, and boy is he something. Click in the teams’ multi purpose engineer, who has a thing for explosives. His camp nickname is Click Boom for that very reason and when he makes things go boom, they really go boom. He is also a sarcastic douche bag most of the time but once you get used to it everything is fine. He only got into trouble once, and that was because we were once on a war game and he blew the C and C using nothing but a few flash-bangs and some animal shit. His reasoning? If you blow up the command center the troops go into disarray. Luckily no one was seriously hurt by the explosion but hey, they won the game.
Finally there’s Brimstone, and you all know what he is. His position on the team is the squad commander. He’s nothing extraordinary when it comes to using a weapon or placing explosives, but if you want a job done he’s your man. From the very first day of training he has taken the role of leader and has done an excellent job. His flank jokes have also become a good laugh with the squad, well for all except Star Shine, who is usually the object of the joke but even she laughs sometimes.
The five ponies sat in there barrack looking around aimlessly before Click broke the silence.
“Well you know guys, we can sit here like idiots twiddling our thumbs because they gave us a free day, or we could actually do something with our free time” he said laying down on his bed patiently. Star Shine suddenly perked up with a smile “Oh! I have something I wanna do!” She said excitedly. Brimstone sighed and got up slowly “Well we’re not allowed, but I’ll go find us a secluded place and...” Brimstone couldn’t finish what he was say before he got hit in the chest by a hoof and Major sent wheezing “That’s not what I meant you idiot!” Star Shine yelled at Brimstone, who still trying to draw breath. “Totally... Worth... It” He wheezed laughing slightly.
Smash was rolling on the ground laughing "Oh my goddesses" He said clutching his sides "That reminds me of your very first flank joke" He said trying to suppress his laughter. Brimstone, finally managing to start breathing again was laughing too "You mean that one on the very first day of training? I swear that was the only one that I got caught for and I NEVER got caught again" He said sitting up. The team started laughing as they remembered that one evening, four years ago.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brimstone stood inside a Pelican with the rest of the kids that were paired with them. Six to be exact. This was supposed to be there 'initiation' to the Thunder Program, and if they couldn't do this then they would be sent back to join the marine core. Near the back of the crew bay the scary man from the ship stood, looking at the six foals before him. Brimstone watched him hit a button off to the side, causing the main door to open. The Foals screamed and scurried to the back of the crew bay, trying to get as far away from the dark emptiness outside.
Major Young looked at the kids as if they were rats "Now listen here! Those of you with wings, learn to you them. The rest of you have been outfitted with modified Falcon Wing Aerial Decent Units like the one I am wearing myself! You will all form a line, and you will jump! After ten seconds, you will pull the red handle that is dangling across your chest. Some confusion will be normal, and is expected. For those of you with wings, you will fall for ten seconds and then open your wings. You are all old enough to have developed wings that can support your weight in a glide. When everyone jumps, you will attempt to land as close to the lite field as possible, to aid in the retrieval. Now, who wants to go first!" He asked looking around.
A small girl, hardly older that three took a few small steps forward "Sir, I will go first sir!" She said, a look of forced bravery on her face. The major just smiled "Excellent! Form a line behind her and prepare yourself!" He said standing to the side. The small girl took a few baby steps towards the edge and took a deep breath before disappearing into the night with a small squeak. The next girl, a cocky Pegasus walked towards the edge and scoffed "Watch how a pro does it" She said jumping off and unfurling her wings. This was her mistake, for the crosswinds created by the Pelican cause her to lose control, and sent her right through the blast of the Pelican's propulsion outtakes blast killing her instantly. The major watched the even indifferently "That is why we listen to orders! Ten seconds and unfurl! Next!" He said.
Now it was Brimstones turn and he was terrified. He had never flown before and after seeing what happened to that last girl, he started to walk away from the edge but bumped into the kid behind him. "If you would please jump out so that we can continue that would be wonderful" The kid said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Brimstone just gaped at the hole unable to move, causing the kid behind him to sigh "Hey kid! The major wants to talk to you" He said, causing Brimstone to turn to the major who was not paying attention. Using this moment the kid pushed Brimstone out of the Pelican.
Brimstone fell through the night sky screaming. A million thoughts stormed through his head before one very important one remained. Open your wings! he though as he fell. Using every last drop of will power he quickly unfurled his wings, and they immediately caught wind, sending him into a peaceful glide. Looking down he saw the other kids ahead of him and his blood started to boil. They all watched him chicken out and have to be pushed out of the Pelican when even that one girl landed. Well he was going to show them. He angled his wings so that he went into a shallow dive and aimed right for the center of the lit field. The only thing he didn't expect was another pony to land right where he was going to land!
CRASH!
Brimstone collided with the other pony, landing right on top of them, causing them to lose there grip with there front hooves and fall forward. "Hey! Get off me!" The voice said, allowing Brimstone to identify her as the girl who jumped first. "Huh what?" He managed to say before feeling the girl buck a little, making him realize how they were positioned. "Your hurting me!" She squealed trying to get him off. Brimstone couldn't help it "I thought you would like it!" He said suggestively, causing her to start screaming nonsense about cooties and other girly things. Brimstone was just about to get off before he felt a hand grab him by the back of the neck and lift him struggling into the air. He quickly found himself face to face with the major and he did not look happy.
"I didn't think foals like you were capable of such joke" He growled, shaking the now crying Brimstone. Making the foal look at him he growled "If I ever catch you making a joke like that again I will tie your wings to your back and drop you out of a pelican from lower orbit you understand me son" He snapped, causing Brimstone to just start nodding and begging for mercy.
The Major put him down and looked at the other kids who were now gathering around him, some of them glancing at the whimpering Brimstone but quickly looked back at the Major who ordered two of the Drill Instructors to was carrying uniforms for the foals "Welcome to the SPARTAN IV program. Now the other SPARTANS did not go through what you did, for you are to be the elite of the elite. You are all now part of Project Thunder, and will become the very best we can make you. Get to know each other because from now on this is the only family you will ever have. Now get to your barracks and you all better be ready for tomorrows training regime, or your going to be sorry" He said before dismissing everyone. The remaining DI's herded the foals to the barracks where they all quickly fell asleep.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The whole team was now on the ground laughing at the recall of that night. "I swear Brimstone, when the Major pulled you off of me and threatened you I thought you would have died right there just from a heart attack" Star Shine laughed. Click got up and looked at Brimstone "I swear pushing you out of that pelican was the greatest thing ever and I need to do that again one day. The look on your face and the sound of you screaming was priceless let me tell you" He said getting up off the ground. Brimstone just waved a hoof at him "Yea, and the the Major eviscerates you for not going by the book" He said, causing Click to rethink his plan.
They all just sigh "You know, when we first got here, I thought the Major was going to kill us all, but now I see what he is did and I thank him for it" the usually reserved Amethyst pointed out. They all nodded in agreement and relaxed for a moment. Too bad the peace could not last however. Suddenly a large explosion sounded right outside there door causing them all to jolt up. Without wasting a second Brimstone got into action.
"Click, Identify that explosion" He said as the team rounded up the gear they had. "Sounded like a plasma based explosion sir, similar that to a fuel rod projectile" He said, gathering up his gear. Brimstone checked the mag of his assault rifle and cursed "Alright team, we're running with stunt rounds, so this must be a set up! Leave it to the Major to surprise us!" He said bucking down the door.
Taking a step outside he froze. This was no test and they were going to need much more than simple stunt rounds and training gear to get out of this alive.