Applejack's shotgun really came into play in the Truth's corridors. She blasted an unsuspecting Jackal in the face, transforming his head into a bloody fountain.
Big Mac had put his sniper rifle away and used his pistol to pick off the Grunts.
Elites were riddled with MA5B ammo, their corpses falling into pools of murky purple blood on the deck.
A few expended clips later, the herd came to a door, and as it opened, the intense buzzing of a Covenant drop ship entered their ears. They had entered a hangar, and one of the Covenant's weird Spirits was just departing.
The hangar was huge; big enough to daunt Fluttershy, who gulped at the sight of the incredible room. A vast open floor strewn with Covenant containers was split by a chunky purple wall topped with a platform that a couple of Jackals and one Elite patrolled. That platform connected to a balcony at the back of the hangar, currently being guarded by Grunts. Above the balcony, was an even higher balcony, with no visible Covies.
The hangar's main doors were just to the Ponies' left, and were colossal. They were two square, translucent force fields that shimmered and rippled. They were both separated by a thick column that stretched up to the ceiling. When the Covenant drop ship left, it simply fazed through the weapon proof window.
Big Mac prepared his sniper rifle before Twilight even gave the orders.
"Big Macintosh, you stay here and snipe the enemy. Be sure to take care of the Covenant on the balcony first. If things get too dicey, retreat into this corridor. Comet and Sprinkle will back you up."
"Eeyup," came the Earth Pony's reply.
"Everypony else, split into two groups and proceed around the central wall. I'm detecting another Wraith tank on the other side that we can use."
Not again, thought Fluttershy.
"Roger that, Twilight," Applejack saluted. "Fluttershy, yer on me. Now let's get you in that tank! Yeehaw!" She reared up and spun her hooves before charging out into the hangar, Fluttershy and everypony else following her.
Once amongst the purple crates that scattered across the deck, the Ponies began to take fire from the Covenant from almost every direction at once. Fluttershy screamed as she dove behind a crate and listened to Applejack bawling at the Covenant, letting her shotgun off its leash.
The limp body of a Jackal fell before her, prompting a squeal of fear from her. When she realised it had been shot dead, she still didn't feel any less afraid.
The aliens roared, and the Ponies roared back, their weapons vibrating the whole hangar and deafening her ears. She watched as Big Mac plucked the Covies off the balcony as best he could, one at a time.
Before taking a bullet from Big Mac's sniper rifle, an orange armoured Grunt hurled a plasma grenade down onto the equines. One of the soldiers wailed as it latched onto the top of his head, and he sprinted eagerly away from the firing team and towards a couple of Jackals at the back of the hangar. They shot him down before he could get too close, the grenade detonating and killing no one but himself.
Those two Jackals soon got their comeuppance as a live frag grenade rolled between them, sending them flying in opposite directions.
A veteran Elite snuck up behind a tan Unicorn Mare, and with ease, he snapped her neck. Using his crazy needler weapon, he fired an insane amount of crystal needles into the side of one Earth Pony Stallion. The multiple knives stabbing into him killed him long before they detonated, tearing his body in half. Blood and guts spilled onto the pristine, metal deck.
It was a nightmare, and Fluttershy just wanted to wake up.
"Fluttershy!" Twilight urged. "There's an enemy squad coming your way, around the wall!"
An explosion sent shrapnel and red blood raining down upon the yellow Mare's head.
"Get ready to attack!"
Doing her best to hold in her terrified sobs, she aimed her shaking rifle at the end of the hangar's central wall where the nasty monsters would emerge. Once they came into view, she screamed feebly and fired her assault rifle on fully automatic into the lead Elite. It fired back at her, his plasma shots draining her shields as her bullets drained his.
Luckily, her shields beat his, and victory went to the whimpering Pegasus. The Elite had a Jackal and a Grunt with him though, and as soon as he dropped, they spun to face her.
The red armoured Grunt landed one shot of green plasma onto the frightened Mare's shields, draining them completely. Before he could fire again, a lethal sniper round sent him flying.
The remaining Jackal was armed with a needler, and he fired it at Fluttershy.
"Take cover!" howled Twilight in alarm.
As Fluttershy scrambled her way to the other side of the container, she heard those needle rounds smashing against the purple metal. A second sniper round from the big, red guardian angel put an end to the bird-like biped.
On the other side of the alien container, Fluttershy came face to face with the veteran Elite. With her shields down, the crimson armoured warrior could smash her dead with a single blow.
He growled in her face, but thankfully, Applejack stopped him from doing anything by bucking him to the ground. A following buckshot sent alien blood and brains spattering up into the farmer's already freckled face.
To Fluttershy, Applejack demanded, "Fluttershy! Follow me! I'll take ya-"
-BOOM! A grenade detonated, and an increasing yell followed it. Landing between the two Ponies, Derpy crashed into the deck with a thump. Soot and blood decorated her grey coat and blonde mane and tail. Jumping to her hooves, she shook it off, her lazy eyes rattling in her head. With a grunt of what could either be pain or determination or both, the Pegasus shot off into the air, plasma bolts and needle rounds criss-crossing after her.
"Where's she going?!" gasped the panicking Fluttershy.
"I dunno!" Applejack replied hectically. "But we gotta get to the Wraith so you can put an end to this riot!"
Applejack ducked in time to avoid an overcharged orb of sizzling green plasma. She fired her shotgun repeatedly in the direction it came from, eliciting a cry from an unseen Grunt.
Once the golden lights began to surround Fluttershy, charging her shields, she set off with the orange Earth Pony and a handful of other soldiers from the rapidly dwindling squad.
On the other side of the wall, it was as if they had entered a different world. It was still the inside of a Covenant ship, with purple metal everywhere, the Wraith tank sat vacant on the deck, and an unmanned Spirit drop ship looming over the vehicle, but there were no Covie soldiers here, and all the gunshots were muffled by the thick central wall.
Unbeknownst to anypony, Twilight sent Big Mac and his defenders a message, telling him to make his way to the other side of the hangar.
AJ paused to call back to the few Ponies in the bad half of the hangar, beckoning them to follow. She winced at the sound of a dying Pony's cry and a needler super combine explosion.
Nearing the tank for the taking, Fluttershy came up short upon hearing something creak loudly overhead. The leviathan Covenant drop ship spurred into life and wobbled dangerously in the air. She gawped at the huge aircraft above as it swung around and scraped its two hulls across the central platform, destroying alien telemetry and making purple boxes come raining down. Fluttershy had to jump back to avoid being crushed by a crate that spilled what appeared to be some sort of alien fruits around her hoovsies.
With its bows resting on the platform, the rear of the Spirit began to loose altitude.
"W... what is that thing doing?!" Fluttershy begged to know, frightened by the noisy alien vehicle.
It was as if the pilot was drunk.
Gaining altitude, the drop ship lifted itself up off the platform and leaned dramatically to one side. It almost crashed into the pillar separating the two force fields, but the pilot sent it leaning the other way, and caught it again before impacting the back wall.
Over the fire team channel, Derpy's voice warbled, "How do I fly this thing?!" as the Spirit rocked around like a boat on a stormy sea.
"Derpy?!" grated Twilight, mind blown.
The AI groaned with increasing frustration before ordering, "Blossomforth, get to the Spirit and take over from Derpy! Land that thing safely! Fluttershy, get in the tank! Applejack, you're on the turret!"
There was a quaky, "Yes mam," from Private Blossomforth, who flew up on her wings to the unstable Covenant aircraft.
"Sure thing, Twi," responded Applejack, leaping up into the seat for the Wraith's secondary gunner.
Fluttershy crawled up to the Wraith's hatch and used her hooves to slide the lid open. Just like before, she jumped down into the seat, pulled the lid over her head, and made contact with the controls.
"Do you remember what you did before?"
"No!" Fluttershy broke.
"Ugh! Turn the holo-dial to your right!"
Following the AI's instructions once again, Fluttershy fired up the alien tank, and felt it rise up off the floor.
This was insanity! She had only driven a vehicle once in her life, and that was a long time ago. She hated driving; thought she was dreadful at it. Was told she was dreadful at it by her superiors at Spartan training. And now she was about to drive a Covenant tank for the second time in one night, inside a Covenant ship.
The Ponies' numbers were falling; only seven soldiers remained, and if the overwhelming Covenant forces didn't kill them, they'd all end up in one hell of a plane crash.
Flitter and a Unicorn Mare called Amethyst came bolting around the wall and dove into hiding amongst some Covenant crates. Trailing blood, Big Macintosh dragged himself across the floor, gritting his teeth.
"Big Macintosh!" cried Applejack, worried sick.
In an instant, she pounced out of the gunner seat and rushed to help her brother.
"Applejack!" Twilight shouted after her, but the orange Mare didn't listen. "Nnnng! Flitter! Man the turret!"
As said Pegasus manned the Wraith's turret, Applejack hauled her big brother over to Amethyst, who held her position within a square of Covenant crates.
The captured Covenant drop ship actually started to rise instead of fall, getting closer and closer to the hangar's ceiling. The two Pegasi inside could be heard panicking over the radio; no clue what they were doing.
Around each end of the central wall, Elites, Jackals and Grunts came pouring in, firing their array of alien weaponry at the surviving Ponies.
A door opened up behind the Wraith, introducing two tyrannical Hunters to the show.
Fluttershy was in a tank...
Using what she'd learned from her previous experience, as well as following Twilight's directions, Fluttershy sent an orb of plasma into a large pack of Covies to the right of the wall, eliminating most of them. The two surviving Grunts ran away as fast as they could, screaming with terror.
The batch of Covies at the other end of the wall became wary of the tank, and those Hunters soon ran lethargically into cover by a support column.
As Applejack, Big Mac and Amethyst kept their heads down, Fluttershy pivoted the MBT and hurled another blue, fiery mortar at the aliens at the end of the wall. Flitter on the secondary gun fired away at the Covenant soldiers.
Unfortunately, as Fluttershy did this, she had the Wraith's back turned to the Hunters, who proceeded to bombard her with fuel rod projectiles.
Inside the tank, Fluttershy screamed as she was jarred around by the green explosives.
"Turn the tank around, Fluttershy!" demanded Twilight, concerned.
She began to swivel the vehicle around to face the giant aliens, however she had taken a lot of damage to her tank's back plating, and smoke began to billow out of the holes and cracks in its purple armour.
As soon as she made it around to face the dreaded Hunters, the Wraith stalled and plonked to the deck with a jostling thud. A shrill alarm wailed within the confines of the vehicle.
Exposed, Flitter shrieked and fired the Wraith's plasma cannon left and right, left and right at the behemoths. She was a sitting duck.
Charging up, the Hunters' fuel rod guns glowed green, and as the climax came to a near, an incredibly loud groaning noise echoed around the hangar.
Derpy and Blossomforth screamed over the radio from behind the controls of the Covenant drop ship. That drop ship came plummeting down to the deck with a CRASH that shook the whole Truth. The two "prongs" of the alien troop carrier had straddled a support column and converted the two monstrous Hunters into blue armoured pancakes, with what looked like south west sauce.
The craft's central compartment, where the cock-pit and armament were situated, had come down hard on top of the Wraith's main gun, reducing it to a scrambled mess of purple metal. Safe inside the broken down tank, Fluttershy was shivering like a young chick missing its mother's wing. Flitter was doing ok too, barely; her exposed head just millimetres away from the underside of the Spirit.
A moment of silence passed before Twilight stated, "All is clear... for now."
The Unicorn called Amethyst muttered, "I hope the Covenant are insured."
Derpy chortled from within the Spirit wreck.
No time to loose, Fluttershy, Flitter, Derpy and Blossomforth hauled themselves out of the wreckage and regrouped on Applejack, Big Mac and Amethyst. The Stallion was injured and hissing with pain. A plasma bolt had found his side.
Applejack cuddled her brother whilst everypony else looked on in worry.
"Oh dear!" exclaimed Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy, yer a medic! Can you please help ma brother?!" AJ pleaded, placing her front hooves together.
All eyes were on Fluttershy.
Silently, she drew out her med-pack and got to work. The plasma bolt that had struck the red Earth Pony had melted through his sniper rifle, soldier saddle, and his armour. Removing the equipment, she saw the steaming patch in his scorched skin.
"Sorry to interrupt," Twilight stated. "I'm just letting you all know that Rainbow Dash is on her way."
"Oh good!" Applejack breathed out, wiping sweat off her brow. To Big Mac, she mentioned, "Looks like you'll be getting flown outa here, to safety."
"Of course. She will also be dropping off reinforcements," Twilight informed. Then, in a sad tone, she added, "We definitely need them."
This worried Fluttershy. "Reinforcements?"
"Yeah."
After the mass slaughtering of Ponies in the hangar, Fluttershy felt certain the mission would be called off. Boarding a Covenant ship was a stupid idea. There was no way in heck they could succeed. She didn't want to give up, she just didn't want to die, and she didn't want other Ponies to die either.
As she soaked a cloth with her drinking water and held it in place on Big Mac's wound with a bandage, she thought if all the suffering was worth it... The Covenant were keeping her dear friend Rarity prisoner on this ship. Of course it was worth it.
The thought of the reinforcements being mowed down as easily as everypony else was demoralising. However, the fact that Rarity needed their help more than ever spurred her on.
"She'll fly straight into this hangar and deposit the marines on the second level," Twilight explained, still talking about Rainbow Dash. "We have to get up there to meet them. We can use the corridor behind us."
"Well alright then," Applejack pronounced, glancing at the door Twilight was referring to. "Once Big Mac's ready, we'll be on our way."
Precious time was consumed as Fluttershy worked the bandages around Big Mac's torso. Time that Applejack killed by ranting at Derpy.
"And you," she started, pointing a hoof. "What in tarnation were ya thinkin', Derp?!"
Confused, the grey Pegasus answered, "Oh, just now? I was thinking about pretty birdies!"
"Not just now! I'm talkin' about the drop ship!" She pointed at the wreckage behind them. "What on earth possessed ya to get in that thing?!"
"I thought I could help you."
"Yeah? Well now look!"
All the Ponies, save for Fluttershy, stared at the crashed Covenant drop ship. Its stern had come to rest on top of the broken down Wraith, and its bows laid on top of two dead Hunters at each side of a purple metal pillar.
"Yer lucky Fluttershy n' Flitter were in that there tank, otherwise ya'd've squished em like bugs!"
"I... I'm sorry, Applejack," Derpy trembled, looking downcast at her hooves.
The Sergeant sighed and looked around before growling, "... I accept yer apology."
Over the moon, the derped one leaped up and cheered, "Yay!" giving AJ a constricting hug.
Growing impatient in the bowels of the Covenant Cruiser, Applejack asked, "Fluttershy, ya done yet?"
"Just about... There!" the yellow medic exclaimed with accomplishment, pulling away from the bandaged up Pony. "He'll be fine. He just needs plenty of rest."
"Oh, thank you kindly, Fluttershy. Don't know what we'd do without you."
"Happy to be able to help."
To her injured brother, the hat wearing Earth Pony checked, "You feelin' alright there?"
Straining himself off the floor, Big Mac wheezed, "Eeyup."
"Good. Don't you fret; I'm sure you'll recover in no time."
Flitter was still heartbroken over her sister, and she sat sniffling, looking down, being comforted by Blossomforth.
Raring to proceed, Applejack asked Twilight, "Alright, so... that door right there?" and pointed at a door to the side of the hangar.
"Yep," came the AI's reply. "Although, there is a second way."
"And which way's quicker?" Applejack demanded.
"Which way's safer?" Fluttershy wondered.
"Which way's fun-er?" Derpy derped.
"The second way's quicker, the second way's fun-er, and we're on a Covenant ship, so there is no "safe.""
Frowning, Fluttershy hung her head.
The soldiers muttered, confused. What was this quick, fun way to get to level two?
Twilight; "Y'know, this Spirit drop ship is still operable."
Fluttershy gasped. "Oh no... You don't mean..."
And so, into the Covenant drop ship it was for the seven remaining base invaders. Much like the Wraith, Fluttershy sat in her seat and made contact with the controls so Twilight could find out how to fly the damn thing. Only difference this time was; Fluttershy was in the co-pilot's seat. Applejack had opted to do the work, both to take the strain off of Fluttershy, and to make doubly sure control wouldn't be delegated to the derped one... again.
Like a trainee, Applejack followed Twilight's guidelines, and successfully brought the damaged yet intact Spirit up to level two. Lined up with the platform on top of the hangar's central wall, AJ dropped one of the long side doors open, allowing everypony to exit.
Twilight told Applejack to engage what must be some sort of alien parking brake that kept the troop ship still in the air, even when the engines were switched off. With the giant, horseshoe-like vehicle floating in position, Applejack and Fluttershy could dismount.
"Aahh, perfect timing," Twilight spoke. "Look outside."
Gazing through the semi-transparent hangar doors, the Ponies witnessed a Pelican speeding towards them through the starry night, its red and green strobe lights blinking like odd coloured eyes.
"Alright, I gotta make this quick!" mentioned Rainbow Dash over the radio, sounding a little uncharacteristically frazzled.
Fluttershy couldn't blame her though; she was literally going to fly her UPSC Pelican inside a Covenant battleship.
"Here goes!" the pilot tensed as she throttled her aircraft through the alien force field and spun the drop ship as quickly as she could, the gangplank already lowering.
Now there's a talented flyer.
As soon as the Pelican was in position, Rainbow yelled, "Go! Go! Go!" in an effort to get the new arrivals to disembark quicker.
Once the Pelican's troop bay was empty, Big Mac hoisted himself into one of the waiting seats with a grunt, and only had about one second to wave farewell before the gangplank was raised and the Pelican was shooting its way out of the hangar, free of the Truth and Reconciliation.
Well, that was quick. The new soldiers looked around nervously, not liking the idea of being inside one of the enemy's warships. One Pony however, didn't seem to care. Amongst the reinforcements, a bulky, gruff Unicorn Stallion stood with an irritated expression on his face. Sitting side saddle on his back, was a certain Mare...
"... Trixie?!" Twilight's voice rang from Fluttershy's armour. The AI couldn't display her avatar right now, but if she could, she'd be gawping along with the others. "What are you doing here?!"
Trixie the Unicorn continued to sit on her Stallion, her hind legs dangling over his side. "Why do you think I'm here, genius? Trixie is here to help," she stated, tilting her head up.
"Really?" puzzled Twilight, disregarding "genius." "Well... glad to see you've come to your senses. We could really use your help."
"We could a' used her help from the start," Applejack grumbled, annoyed at the late arrival.
Flitter, Derpy and Amethyst nodded in agreement.
Concerning Twilight, Trixie lectured, "The great and powerful Trixie was already at her senses. Lieutenant Commander Zecora ordered Trixie to come here against her will." Glowering at Fluttershy, she stomped a hoof and added, "She didn't hold up her end of the deal."
"Oh, so yer not here cos ya wanna help us? For a second, I thought you were here cos ya wanted to help us!" Applejack was being sarcastic. "Hahaha! How silly o' me! I should've known that the only reason you'd be here would be because somepony made ya. Not because ya care about anypony but yerself or anything like that, hehehe!"
Trixie didn't answer, just gave AJ the evils.
"Trixie, it's great that you're here. I'm sure this rescue mission will be a whole lot easier with your help," Twilight back scratched in hopes of motivating the extremely powerful Unicorn. "I'm sorry Zecora broke the deal, but to be honest, she broke it for the greater good."
Thinking for a while, Trixie recognised the compliments. "... Hm, she did, didn't she."
Moving on, Twilight adjured, "Now that you're here, can you please help us?"
Trixie sighed, "Hmph. Of course I will." As her Stallion began walking, she muttered under her breath, "It's not like Trixie has a choice or anything."
"Oh and Trixie?" Applejack piped up.
"Yes?"
"Get off that Pony."
Annoyed, Trixie sighed and hopped down from the Unicorn Stallion.
The blue Unicorn still donned her pointy hat, as well as marine armour and a soldier saddle. She gazed around her surroundings. The gleaming purple walls. The scattered Covenant containers. The banged up Spirit floating in place.
Surveying the devastation below, she pondered, "Oh my. What were you doing here?!"
"Loosin'," answered Applejack distastefully.
"Alright, to get to the third level, we can just use the Covenant drop ship again," Twilight informed, prompting Fluttershy, AJ and the rest to make their way to the open Spirit.
"Wait! We're getting in that thing?!" Trixie seemed mind blown.
Unwilling to waste anymore time, Twilight shot back, "Yeah. You got a better idea?"
Trixie thought for a beat before revealing, "... Yes! Yes I do."
"Well as much as I'd love to hear your idea, we don't have ti - woah!" The AI was cut short by her transporter being lifted up into the air, as if in a gravity lift.
Fluttershy yelped with shock as she and everypony else began to levitate up off the deck and towards the third floor. A faint purple aura tingled around each Pony, and Trixie's horn emitted an intense purple light that hissed with her effort.
The blue Unicorn gritted her teeth and squinted her eyes as she performed her magic, placing everypony safely onto the top balcony at the back of the hangar.
Once the hooves of each Pony were safely on the deck, the light around Trixie's horn died, and she panted.
Between breaths, she said, "... Easy... peasy..."
The rescue team cheered and whooped, with the exception of Flitter.
"Wow! Thanks Trixie! That was very helpful!" celebrated Twilight.
"Yes," Trixie replied with the air of a celebrity talking to an irritating fan. "Now where do we go?"
The AI directed, "Right, Rarity's signal seems to be getting stronger the closer we get to the ship's bow. There's a door at the end of this balcony, on the back wall. We should go through it."
The Ponies had just broken into a run when Twilight resurfaced, "Woah, hold on. I'm detecting Covenant forces closing in on each side of the balcony!"
Gasps echoed around the hangar.
"Oh no!" panicked Fluttershy. "We're trapped!"
The great and powerful Trixie just chuckled, "Hahaha! No problem."
In the centre of the third floor balcony, the Ponies stood back to back, aiming their weapons out at where the Covies would emerge from. Fluttershy shivered with trepidation, her MA5B and soldier saddle rattling. Applejack had pulled out a frag grenade, ready to pull the pin and throw. Not really caring, Trixie sat on her haunches and smirked.
Making their appearance, the Covenant troops came spilling out of two doors; one ahead and one behind. The Ponies were well and truly flanked on the balcony.
Along with the immediate clattering of everypony's assault rifles, AJ tossed her grenade into the group of aliens up front.
Trixie set her horn in gear once more, flinging the Covies at the rear off the balcony. Screaming, they fell to their deaths on the hangar floor.
No sooner had Applejack's grenade detonated than Trixie began focusing her attention on the Elite, Jackals and Grunts ahead. She sent the rookie Elite off the balcony first; the blue armoured biped howling all the way down.
Picking up two Grunts at once, she laughed manically as they squealed with fright, and she sent them flailing on their way.
One of the Jackals had already died, leaving just one Jackal and one Grunt. Before any of the aliens could fight or run, Trixie snatched them up, and just like all her other victims, she carelessly flung them over the edge like the garbage they were.
The magic show was getting Twilight all giddy. "Woohoo! Way'da'go, Trixie!"
"Yeah, you made that look easy," admired the soldier called Amethyst; she clearly hadn't met Trixie before.
"Trixie makes everything look easy."
Fluttershy and Applejack rolled their eyes.
Getting on with it, Twilight stated, "Ok, the coast is clear. Let's continue."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Derpy hinted.
"Oh? Why not?"
"Last time I was at the coast, it wasn't clear at all. It was all rainy and full of boats and seagulls!"