//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Diplomatic "Solutions" // Story: The Helljumper *Objective Updated* // by Addunexus //------------------------------// Diplomatic "Solutions" I stood to my full height of six feet tall, and looked straight at the tall, regal, white pony before me. She had a pastel blue, green, and pink mane and when I got a look at her eyes, they seemed to be cutting through my visor and staring into mine. Her gaze unnerved me, which I fixed by looking at the other regal pony next to her. This other pony was also tall, but she was not as tall as the white one she had arrived with. She was a dark blue, with a mane and tail that was almost navy blue surrounded by what looked like a light blue glow. As if I didn't have a helmet on she also caught my gaze and gave me a look to pay attention to the one next her. Moving my gaze back to Celestia, I saw her waiting for me to say something to her. Upon realizing this fact I decided to make a motion towards my helmet which she somehow understood as asking if I could remove it, which was my intent. She nodded, even though I could sense some reluctance behind it. Once permission was granted I set the shotgun in my hands on the ground at my feet, then stood back up to full height and brought my hands up to my helmet. I pulled the helmet off slowly, and as I put the helmet under my arm my eyes scanned the ponies before me. Their mouths were agape, for reasons I did not know. "Is my face that bad?" I asked slowly, "Cause I knew I was never pretty to look at before." Celestia was first to speak, "I was expecting something a lot more, terrifying." "I’m not terrifying?" I asked shocked, "Because last time I checked I was pretty damn scary, especially since I’ve been fighting for the last thirty-two years in two different wars..." "What do you mean by that?" asked the dark blue pony next to Celestia. "Exactly what I said." They all just stared at me, save for Shining who was still passed out on the floor, which caused an awkward silence to fall on the room. Before three minutes passed there was the sound of a door opening. All of our heads turned to find the source, which turned out to be the door Twilight was just closing. She turned her head at us when she heard the conversation we were having stop. Her eyes went wider than I thought possible for a creature with eyes as big as hers. Then she slowly made her way down the stairs as we all watched, I was holding back a smirk. "Sorry," she sheepishly said under all of our gazes. When Twilight got closer to the group Cadence moved over to make room next to Celestia, where she took her place. I had decided to stop staring and find a chair. I found a small stool, and after making myself comfortable, I then placed my helmet on the floor, and got back to the situation at hand, but only to be derailed again when there was a loud groan from the lump the floor to my right. The group, save me, then moved to his side to try to resuscitate him. "What did you do?" asked dark blue pony. "I defended myself," I began, "after he threw me against a wall." "You still didn't need to hit him with whatever you hit him with!" yelled Twilight. "Don’t tell me I should have just let him kick the crap out of me after I stopped him fr-" I began to shoot back before I got interrupted. "Twilight," Cadence said, "He did have Shining in his personal space. Plus he was screaming at him, so he felt threatened." While Twilight and Cadence were talking my eyes were focused on Shining. As I watched he was slowly being helped to his hooves by Applejack and Celestia. From what I could tell, I had given him a concussion. Celestia was giving him a quick medical diagnosis as he stared at her, not even turning to look over at me and the others. After two more minutes of medical examination Shining finally noticed me again. His face instantly went sour, and he took a fighting stance. "Shining," Cadence shouted, "leave him alone! He isn't going to hurt anyone, so just stop." "Bu-" he began but was cut off by Celestia. "Captain, listen to your wife and stand down!" He gave them both a look saying he didn’t believe that I wouldn’t hurt anything. Then as I thought he was going to go against the others insistence, he relaxed and went back to laying on the floor. Which made everyone turn back to look at me, as I tried to rack my brain for how UNSC first contact procedure worked. Upon feeling all eyes in the room on me, I met their gaze. This time I didn't let any stare unnerve me. I bent down and picked up the shotgun. When I looked back up, the group was glaring at me. "Now hold on," I quickly blurted as I slung the weapon over my shoulder, "I’m just picking it up, no need to worry." "After what’s already happened," said Applejack, "Ah don' trust ya." "Before we all get too far off topic, I’m starting a new one. So on that note, I want to let you know that I don't remember the UNSC first contact procedures in any way." As I said this, I reached into the small pocket in my chest piece and pulled out a cigarette and popped it in my mouth. "And sadly since I don't remember them, we are just going to have to wing it." "You are not lighting that in here," snapped Twilight, “you could light the books on fire." "Hey, since I gave up drinking I’m allowed to smoke, and you aren't my superior officer so I don't have to listen to you." "Twilight let’s not bicker anymore and get back to the situation at hoof," said Celestia as she kept her gaze focused at me. "Do you mind telling us who you are?" "I’m a Helljumper, and I am here because I need help." They all stared at me with a look of confusion as I continued trying to explain the situation I was in. "I honestly have no idea how I arrived at my drop site in the woods. But I got lucky enough to land next to a downed Pelican dropship, which I guess showed up here the same way I did." My mind did an instant shift into reverse as I remembered Rawley needed medical attention, when the dark blue pony spoke. "So you have comrades in the vicinity? Did they arrive with you, or did they arrive before you?" "The ship was here before me, but I found the Pelican's pilot. She had a piece of shrapnel in her side; I did what I could for medical treatment, but I came here to find her proper treatment. So since I have no idea on how to deal diplomatic situations, can I ask for your help trying to save her life before I dig myself into a diplomatic hole?" Celestia looked at me in shock, almost like she didn't believe a word I said. But surprisingly enough Applejack came to my rescue. "Fer the first time today Ah actually believe him," she said as she tapped Celestia on the leg. "Applej-" began Twilight before the pony cut her off. "Twi, Ah’m the Element of Honesty," she began as I tried to think of what she meant, "so you know I know when somepony is being dishonest and he ain't." "Can I interrupt here, there is a woman dying in a dropship in a pool of her own blood, we need to hurry up here." The silence that fell on the room was so quiet I could have heard a suppressed M7 from a mile away. Then the entire group shuffled away from me and began whispering to each other. I was unable to pick up a single word they were saying, which gave me a chance to think of my current situation. I was in some strange place, surrounded by strange talking ponies! And even worse I was asking them for help to save a soldiers life, which meant I was relying on them to say yes. I couldn't believe this insanity! I picked up my helmet and put it back on before getting up and making my way over to the wall to my right. I had flown a bookshelf when I was thrown, and I had knocked a few books off of the wall and broke a shelf. 'How hard was I thrown? I should have a few broken ribs if not more.' After a few seconds more of mindless pondering, I decided I’d had enough. I spun on my heel and walked right up to Celestia and tapped her on the base of her neck. "Alright, I’m done with this mindless talking. Which one of you is good with medicine?" Celestia, Twilight, and the dark blue pony all raised their hooves. "Alright good, you three are coming with me, we’re saving the Captain's life right now." Shining spoke up as the three ponies that ‘volunteered’ began to follow me to the door, "I‘m going with you, I still don't trust this creature. Applejack, you and Cadence stay here and get the rest of the Elements before we get back." They were about to object but the look that Celestia gave them said 'don't argue and don't follow'. As I came up to the door I removed the shotgun from my back and set it by the door in a corner. When I finally opened the door I saw that the once lively town was absolutely desolate. I looked up at my HUD and noticed the time said 21:20, which did explain why nobody came searching for the source of the noise that I made when I hit the wall. When the ponies and I left the library, I drew the pistol on my leg and held it at my side, then we began out hike back to the crash site. Walking through town I kept to the shadows while everyone else calmly walked down the street. When we reached the outskirts of the town, I saw the cottage I knocked at on the way in. "Does anybody even live there," I asked as we walked past. "Yes," said Celestia, "the Element of Kindness lives there, Applejack and Cadence should be by shortly to get her." "Well I should probably tell you all two things before we get there. This is going to be a long trip, because when I left the Pelican it was about fourteen hundred hours," I said as we entered the forest. "And the second thing is that when I left her, her technical chief was laying in the bay with her. And before you ask, he was already dead when I arrived. So if any of you aren't comfortable with seeing a dead body, I suggest you wait outside in the clearing." "Since we agreed to help you," began Celestia after thirty minutes. "Can you give us some other information about yourself? Where came from, and what you can remember from before you got here?" "I'll tell you," I said as I made sure my weapon was loaded, "when we save Captain Rawley." We walked the still familiar trail back to the clearing where I had woken up. I kept silent, occasionally looking back at the group following me. They kept up with me and the white and dark blue one kept trying to make me talk. After a half an hour we arrived at the clearing, I made my way over to where my pod sat. When I came close to it I rested my hand on the side, then I noticed the group kept their distance from me. "Why are you standing all the way over there," I asked turning my helmeted head towards the group. "You’re standing in Poison Joke," Twilight stated, "We would have to be insane to walk in there." "Okay," I sighed as I walked out of the blue flowers that surrounded me. "Back to the reason we’re here, who here is the best at medical treatment?" Celestia and the blue pony stepped forward. "Good I’m going to ask you two to come with me. And before you two get angry with me," I said as I pointed at Twilight and Shining, "I need you two to dig two rectangular holes. They need to be eight feet long by two and a half feet wide, and eight feet deep." "Why are w-," Twilight began before she was cut off by the blue pony. "Just in case we don't accomplish our task." As Shining and Twilight bickered on where to put the graves I asked them to dig, I walked with Celestia and the blue one to the where I remember the Pelican sat. When I uncovered the rear landing gear of the bird I heard a gasp from the two behind me. Motioning for them to follow me though the brush I pushed through. "Wait here," I mumbled, "I’m going to open the rear door." I left the two ponies at the rear door and made my way around to the nose. I ignored Twilight and Shining's calls of where the graves should be and pushed through the tree limbs to reach my destination. When I saw the nose, I could understand the wounds on Rawley and her tech chief. The nose was crumpled in and the canopy was shattered, and when I climbed inside I saw what was left of the flight stick coated in blood. Scanning the display around the broken flight stick, I saw the entire ship was still operational save for the engines. I used what little knowledge of UNSC aircraft to find the rear door release, and I pressed it. Upon hearing the hiss of the hydraulics I hurried out of the cockpit and went around to the rear door where Celestia stood. "What did you do?" she asked starring at the slowly lowering ramp. Not giving her a reply, I waited for the door to reach a height I could climb. When it finally reached the point where I wanted it, it stopped leaving a five foot gap from the ground and the end of the ramp. I took the first jump and managed to get up on the ramp, while the two ponies with me watched. I then turned around and holstered my sidearm with one fluid motion, followed by extending my hand to Celestia. She put her hoof in my gloved hand and used her wings to help herself up into the troop bay. I helped the other up as well then turned to look for the woman we came to help. My eyes fell on the tech chief first as I scanned the bay, then went over to look behind the crate of C-12 and other supplies but I still didn’t see the one person I was looking for. Finally I saw her sitting right in front of the door slumped to one side, pale and lifeless. I crossed the bay faster than the regal ponies beside me, and tore my helmet off and checked for a pulse. I couldn't find one as I heard the hoof steps on the metal floor come closer. "I am sorry Helljumper," Celestia said as I turned to her, "I am so sorry we didn't make it in time. We sho-" "M-marine," I heard a raspy voice say, "What the hell did you bring in my bird?" "Ma'am, I brought someone to help you," I started before she interrupted me. "You can't save me, I’ve lost too much blood and I told you to only come back here when you need the gear." I turned to Celestia as she closed her eyes, and gave her a look asking for help. She sighed and her horn glowed as she walked closer to her and bent her head to the sitting figure next to me. I took a moment to step back from Celestia as she did her thing and I turned to the other pony in the bay. "Help me find a pair of blankets," I said rather coldly. "Very well," she replied quietly, “and We didn't have a moment for an introduction earlier, We are Princess Luna and you have our condolences for your loss." "Thanks Luna," I replied completely confused on why she used the word 'We'. I eventually took my helmet off and set it on the crate of C-12 and continued my search for a blanket. Five minutes into our search Luna found two sitting underneath one of the seats. I then took one of them and walked over to the one body. I laid out the blanket and made sure it was nice and flat, then set him on top of it. I pulled his dog tags off his neck and looped the chain around my belt. I then proceeded to remove the glass shard from his chest, but before I did I motioned for Luna to turn around. When she did I placed both hands on the chunk and pulled. It came out with a sickening pop and I winced as the end I was holding slit my hand when it finally gave from the man’s chest. "Damn that hurt," I mumbled. "Here," Luna said, "We can help." Her horn began to glow and my hand enveloped in a dark blue glow, as the slice began to heal. I looked at her in shock as she smiled back at me. My expression slowly turned to one ofworry as Celestia tapped my shoulder. "I did everything I could," she said almost at a whisper. I looked past her at the pilot. She motioned for me to come over to her. "Ma'am?" "Thank you," she said with a small smile on her face, "for trying to save me. Now just be careful and if you do get in contact with the UNSC make sure you tell them that we’re here." I stood to my full height and saluted, and she weakly returned it then went limp. I turned around and looked at Celestia and Luna. They nodded and laid out the second blanket, then I gently moved Captain Rawley's body to the blanket and removed her dog tags. After tying the tags around my belt, I wrapped the bodies up and picked up the blanketed form that was once the Captain. "Can you two get the chief," I asked without looking back. When I heard the sound of hooves on the metal again I walked to the edge of the ramp. I hopped off and landed on a small pile of twigs, which snapped as my feet crushed them. Celestia and Luna then joined me on the ground by gracefully gliding down with their wings. I looked to make sure they had the other body, and sure enough they it floating in the air between them, surrounded in the yellow glow that I could only assume belonged to Celestia. We then made our way out from under the Pelican's rear thrusters and into the clearing again. As we emerged, Shining and Twilight turned their heads and saw me holding the wrapped body. They instantly knew what was going on as I walked over to the two holes I asked them to dig. I set her down gently next to the grave as Celestia set the other body in the other grave. Once they set the Captain's body in, I found two large rocks and placed them at the heads of each grave. When I turned around I saw the holes were filled with dirt and the ponies standing at the feet of the newly filled in graves, and I reached into my kit bag and pulled out a small roll of the always useful duct tape. I then untied each dog tag from my belt and taped each to the respective grave. "These two died trying to evac a man who saved the universe," I began as I turned back to the group, "and they faced the worst thing I can possibly imagine while trying to do it." "Well they sound like two of the greatest people I can imagine," said Twilight. After a moment of silence Luna floated my helmet towards me with a smile. I decided to keep it off, after I went to the front of the Pelican and shut the rear door. Upon returning to the group I looked at them all and said one thing, ""Let’s get back to the tree house thing and I will tell you whatever you want to know." Then we set off.