*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beep*
“Uhg, what now?” The lump in the bed stirred, a hand slipping out from beneath the covers. The hand waved around until it finally landed on the nearby desk, carefully feeling out for the glowing tacpad. Making contact, the tacpad was picked up and brought over to the bed. A feminine face peeked out from the covers and squinted, the harsh light irritating her retinas. Tapping on the pad, she ceased the beeping and replaced it with a voice.
“This is the Admiral,” she lazy spoke.
“I need to talk to you.”
“Luna? I thought you had boots on the ground in Newark right now.”
“No, I’m on the Grazer right now. I need your help.”
The Admiral rubbed her eyes and sighed, “What do you need? Did someone threaten to demote you again?”
“This is not funny Celestia!”
“All right, all right.” Celestia climbed out of the warm blankets. “What’s going on?”
“Ale.”
Celestia stopped, her eyes staring off into space before she slowly blinked. “We already checked the files. He disappeared four years ago when the Enduring Ember encountered a slip space anomaly. There were no survivors.”
“Celestia-,”
“Luna,” Celestia interrupted, “Are you sure you want to go down this path? The pain it caused last time-,”
“This is different! I saw him!”
Now that certainly caught Celestia’s attention. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that someone claiming to be Ale and wearing his armor is in my crew room this very moment!”
“Did he see you?”
“Yes, but he did not recognize me.”
Celestia thought for several seconds, attempting to think of any scenario where such a thing could be possible. “Did he say anything about Equestria? Was he confused or anything?”
“No,” Luna responded, her eyes falling as Celestia attempted to make eye contact through the video call, “He looked as if he was right at home.” Her face lit up slightly, “Maybe if I talk to him, he-,”
“No!” Luna jumped in surprise.
“Why not?”
“If it truly is Ale, then how did he get here? It should be impossible. If you were to question him directly it could lead to bad results. What if this is a trap Nightmare has created?”
“She has yet to bother us here sister.”
Celestia nodded in acknowledgment, “True, but there’s a first time for everything.” Celestia breathed deeply, attempting to collect her thoughts. “Is he assigned to your team?”
“He is a replacement, yes.”
“Then treat him no differently than you would any of your squad mates. You can get close, but be subtle. Ask him some vague questions, get to know him. If he expresses anything of importance, tell me. We’ll go from there. I’ll look up his records.”
Luna nodded slowly before locking her eyes with her sisters. Celestia could see the hurricane of emotions boiling in her gaze, too numerous to count. Blinking, the call ended, leaving Celestia alone in her dark quarters. Celestia laid back, staring at the ceiling with the tacpad in her lap providing a low source of light. After thinking for a few minutes she groaned, pulling herself out of bed. Swinging her legs out in front of her, she stood up and fumbled through the darkness. She reached the counter and turned on the cooking light. Programming the nearby coffee maker, Celestia shuffled in the cupboards for a mug. She placed it in its designated spot before moving to her wardrobe.
She had just zipped up her uniform when the scent of coffee filled the room, followed by the satisfying gurgle of the heavenly brown liquid falling into the mug. Her body already rapidly awakening in excitement over the nectar of the gods, Celestia rapidly made her way to the steaming cup and, without giving it anytime to cool down, took a single hardy gulp.
Releasing a breath of satisfaction, Celestia made her way to her desk, picking her tacpad off of the bed along the way. She sat down, taking a small sip of her coffee as she settled in.
“Alright, let’s see who this stranger is…” Celestia began throwing her weight as a one of the upper Rear Admirals around, bypassing several high clearance levels until she reached her goal, the service records of the Spartan II’s. She browsed through them quickly as most had large MIA’s stamped across their files. She quickly found the odd file marked, ‘HLV 02-05’.
She wasn’t all that surprised to see that the file read ‘Active’ as she had no doubt that Luna was telling the truth that there was indeed a Spartan II in her team. She set her coffee down as she rapidly scrolled through most of his record, mumbling along the way.
“Participated in numerous ground engagements… Stationed at Reach… Defense of Earth… Sydney… Patrols… Ember…”
“…”
“What?!”
It was a good thing Celestia had set down her coffee as she had saved herself the pain of scalding hot liquid pouring down her lap. She leaned closer to the tacpad, eyeing the wall of text intently. She scrolled through it quickly, eyes darting across the page.
“Impossible…” Leaning back from her desk, Celestia quickly began typing, her fingers pounding away on the durable glass. She only needed to send a few sentences. After coding the message heavily with CLASSIFIED and EYES ONLY she sent it on its way. Pulling her head back and rubbing her eyes, she reached for her coffee and drank deeply. She sighed before speaking.
“It’s going to be a long day…”
Ale glanced throughout the room awkwardly, watching as the ODST’s settled amongst their fellows with practiced ease. Ale shuffled towards the drop pods, mentally mapping which one belonged to whom. There were 16 pods in total, Ale having already found his pod as it was marked with his service number.
‘They work fast.’
Heading back towards the living area, he was greeted with the stiff stares of the highly trained hell jumpers. Ale met their gaze through his helmet coolly, slowly heading towards a large weapons case lying on its side. Ale sat down upon it, still watching the troopers. Ale pulled off his helmet and set it by his side, allowing his face to be seen. Several of the troopers grunted before breaking away, continuing their previous activities. Ale blinked before unclipping a tacpad from his side, extending the sides out and turning it on. He checked his most recent message, a more detailed briefing from Commander Typhoon.
“Hey, you’re sitting on my weapon.”
Ale looked up as one of the ODST’s approached him. He was wearing standard ODST armor with steel being the most prominent color. He chose an interesting color for decoration, violet. Wanting to prevent conflict and, as most Spartans were introverted, Ale stood, grabbing his helmet as well.
Ale was surprised when the helmetless trooper gave him a thankful nod before kneeling by the case. Ale sat down on another nearby crate, one of many that littered the room. Nonetheless, Ale was surprised when the trooper opened the crate, revealing a weapon that was centuries old. The trooper, noticing Ale’s gaze, smiled warmly as he gently picked the weapon up.
“It’s a beauty isn’t it? Cost me an arm and a leg to convince the weapons Sergeant to clear it for use. Been in the family for nine generations.” The trooper began stripping it down, checking the individual pieces for damage. “Name’s Sergeant Brenden Kuhlenberg. Yours?”
Figuring it wouldn’t hurt to get on the troopers good graces as he was now a part of the team Ale complied. “Ale.”
Brenden nodded, “Alright. It’s a pleasure to meet someone of your… specialization Ale. Don’t see too many Spartan II’s walking around anymore.” Brenden pinched his finger and swore loudly, shaking his hand quickly before finishing piecing the weapon back together.
Out of curiosity as to how such an obsolete weapon was still in use, Ale asked, “What kind of ammo do you use for it?”
“Ah, you’ve noticed. This, my good sir, eats 7.62x51 mm rounds. Before you ask, yes, I do have to get special ammunition. I used to be a gunsmith, so I know a few people who have the tools to make it for me.” Brenden placed his weapon back in its case before sitting on it, brandishing a shotgun. The Sergeant pulled out a cleaning kit before glancing up at Ale. “So, where did they drag you from?”
“I-,” that strange feeling flooded through Ale’s system again, making his thoughts murky.
Brenden paused in his cleaning, eyeing the Spartan curiously before shrugging. “It’s alright, I understand. Classified and all that hog wash.” Ale blinked before shrugging, his thoughts clearing up.
Ale looked to his left when he heard the door to the repurposed hangar bay open, allowing three additional ODST’s to enter the room. The three froze when they spotted Ale. Ale didn’t need to look twice to tell that they were scouts, the sniper rifles on their backs being proof enough. The new trooper’s demeanor was easily distinguishable. They were the cold and silent type; lone wolves. Ale watched them warily as they suddenly moved towards the other ODST’s, hardly giving Ale another glance.
“Guess they didn’t hear about me being the new replacement,” Ale stated as he glanced back towards Brenden.
The Sergeant shrugged before continuing his task, “Don’t worry about the rest of them. We’ve just worked with Erika for a long time. Nobody likes replacements.” Knowing that he wasn’t quite helping the situation, Brenden added, “Hey, they’ll get around to liking you. We’re all here for the same reason, kicking ass and the wonderful food.”
Ale gave a small smile, genuinely laughing on the inside. Brenden laughed and shook his head, taking a gamble by smacking the Spartan on the knee to grab his attention. “See them over at the table?” he gestured with his hand. Ale looked over in the direction he pointed and watched the group of five troopers play a card game, nodding in confirmation.
“The loudmouthed Private over there is an expert in field equipment, particularly vehicles. Ryan can drive pretty much anything.” Ale committed the Sergeants words for later use, watching as the grey and yellow ODST laughed with his comrades. In order to work as a team, you have to know one another like a family.
Brenden continued, “Corporal Alex Gunza. He is our short range scout.” The black and red armor hid his face as he calmly waited for his hand. “Nice guy,” the Sergeant added. “The blue one is Private Dan. He’s pretty much the pack mule, doing whatever anyone says. However, do not underestimate him. He’s got quite the tenacity in battle.”
The second to last group member at the table hit the table with a clenched fist, a frustrated look gracing her face. “That’s PFC Lilly Vena, but she prefers Vena. Don’t step on her toes. The red paint job isn’t all paint.” Brenden gestured to the final ODST at the table. “That bulky bastard is Sergeant James Hunter. He’s pretty much a cyborg, but don’t let anyone here catch you saying that. He’s been through a lot and has garnered a lot of respect.” As if he could hear them, the black armored form of James turned his head and nodded at Ale. Brenden nudged Ale, “He’ll be your best friend on the field. Do not betray his trust.”
“The two in the corner over there are Corporal Nisitra Eton and PFC Chuck.” The black and dark blue trooper seemed to be talking quietly with the black and red armored form of Chuck.
“Chuck have a last name?” Ale asked.
Brenden shook his head. “Doesn’t have one. He was an orphan. Anyways, the Corporal is quiet. We think he was placed with us as a form of punishment but the Captain hasn’t told us. The PFC is similar to Vena. They both have anger problems.”
“The war was long,” Ale wisely said.
“Amen to that,” Brenden threw his arms in the air. He quickly continued cleaning his shotgun. “The one damning that stew to hell is Corporal Rico Sanchez. Don’t ask about his nick name. He’s the cook when we can have a fire as well as the medic. Take it from me when I say you’re better off brushing off wounds than you are letting him treat you. Trust me, I have experience.”
Ale eyed the uniquely tan and blue colored cook as he accidentally dropped a blood congealing bag into the boiling pot. “I’ll pack extra bio-foam.”
“Wise decision,” Brenden nodded. “The Staff Sergeant in the corner tinkering with the bomb over there is Chronos. It’s not his real name. There was a computer error that wiped his existence from all records. His whole recorded life has been logged from his very first day at camp. Nothing they can do about it as he doesn’t talk much.”
Ale eyed the black armored soldier before asking, “When does he retire?”
“As far as we know, never. For an oldie he outpaces all of us.” At Ale’s questioning gaze Brenden simply shrugged. “You’ll see.”
Remembering his count of the drop pods Ale asked, “And the other five?”
Brenden pointed through one of the open doors, Ale clearly seeing a black and green ODST lying on his bed. Strangely enough, his weapon was lying on the other bed that occupied the room. Ale watched as one of the scouts walked into the room and stop when they saw the DMR. The grey and black trooper picked it up and tossed it to the other bunk.
“The one who is currently tucking in ‘Sally’ is Sergeant Sean North. We think he’s in love with that DMR. He’s had it for a long time. He’s a bit gutter minded, so he will get on your nerves. Corporal Leonardo Wright has the honor of sharing the same room with him, the poor bastard.”
The grey and black scout placed a pair of headphones over his ears before shutting the door, presumably wearing them to drown out the Sergeant before going to bed. “Leo has a tendency of sneaking up on people. So be wary of that.”
The two other scouts finished putting their gear away before heading into the same bunk room, closing the door behind them. “Shoot, we just missed them. Those two are like brothers when it comes to timing. They eat, sleep, and practically shoot at the same time. Corporal Emilio Vega was the one with the steel grey armor. He’s got a scar on his cheek from a close call with an energy sword. Also, don’t ask about his eyes. They are white because of a birth defect.”
Brenden shuddered. “That white visor of his gives me the creeps. He’s reserved but dependable. His partner in crime is Corporal Sergey Petrovich. He’s the one with the black armor and camo netting. If you need a cool head in a hot situation he’s your guy.”
Ale made a mental tally before asking one more question, “And the Captain?”
Brenden began putting his cleaning kit away as he responded, “The Captain’s name is Luna. Interesting name ain’t it? She’s the real deal. Listen to her and she’ll get you out alive.”
Brenden leaned back. “She is a real piece of work. She’s been promoted and demoted enough times that Fleet Command finally set her at one permanent rank. She would have been decommissioned a long time ago if it weren’t for her ability to get results.”
The Sergeant shook his head, “Hell, she was only a Corporal when they dropped the battalion in an effort to stop the invasion of Reach. Half of them died on the approach alone. They delayed one of the Covenant landing zones for three days. She was pulled out of Reach right underneath the noses of the Covenant. I heard she was the only survivor of the battalion.” Brenden looked left and right. “The details are covered in black ink, but from what I was able to uncover she had fought them off for 32 hours by herself. I don’t even know how that’s possible! One human against an invasion force?”
Ale stared at the Sergeant in disbelief. “Is that true?”
Brenden opened his mouth to respond before he was interrupted, “I can neither confirm nor deny those events.”
Luna briskly walked down the halls of the Grazer with an unmatched determination. The marines and other personnel who encountered her recognized her current state, rapidly parting to allow the Captain access. She had a reputation and the storm cloud on her face was not something easily missed. Her wrist mounted tacpad beeped, alerting her to an incoming message.
The Ember never disappeared. He’s been logged throughout several engagements throughout the past 4 years. Be wary, something is wrong…
Luna erased the message, strong emotions pulling at her being. ‘If the Ember never disappeared it’s got to be him.’
Luna stopped in front of her squad bay room, taking a moment’s reprieve. Straightening her face Luna opened the door. Within a second she already had her squad mates locations mentally mapped.
‘Five at the poker table, four in bed, two on the crates, two by the weapons rack, one in the corner, and the other one starting himself on fire,’ Luna smiled internally as the numbers matched. Intent on briefing Ale, she began heading towards him and Brenden. As she approached she heard the tail end of an excited conversation between Brenden and Ale.
“… -ow that’s possible! One human against an invasion force?”
“Is that true?”
“I can neither confirm nor deny those events.”
She watched as Brenden’s eyes comically widened before he rocketed into a stiff straight standing position. Ale quickly followed suit.
“Sir!” Brenden stared straight ahead as Luna slowly walked around him.
“What have I told you about digging through things you are not meant to see Sergeant?”
“That doing so will invoke a wrath in the likes I have never seen sir!”
“That’s right.” She glared at the Sergeant, letting him cook under her gaze. “This is your final warning. If I catch you again you will be reprimanded. Understood?”
“Sir, yes sir!” Brenden gave a stiff salute.
“Go prep the empty bunk in your room for your new roommate. You are dismissed.” Luna did not miss the gleam of excitement in Brenden’s eye. The Sergeant quickly policed his equipment before darting off to one of the open doors, Ale noting its position as he was no doubt the ‘roommate’ as the Captain had put it. Speaking of which, she was giving him a good look over, mapping his face with her gaze.
Ale could not tell if she found what she was looking for as she broke his gaze and tinkered on her tacpad. “Follow me.”
Ale did as he was told, scooping his helmet up with him as he followed the Captain over to the card table. “Gather up everyone! We got a mission brief!”
The troopers who were not occupied in the land of dreams dropped what they were doing and crowded around her. Satisfied that they were listening Luna began. “The UNSC has decided to press our efforts in taking back Newark from the Innies. Recent intelligence reports have found that the rebels have made use of the planets vast cave system. Since the Innies have struck a personal blow against us, Fleet Command has seen fit to insert Shadow Squad into the very heart of the rebels command and control.” The squad did not sigh or give any other sign of dissent. They had a grudge.
“Intel has given a rough idea of their location, but we will be playing hide and seek. Expect decent resistance in between long stretches of backpacking. We’re going to be packing heavy. We will have boots on the ground tomorrow at 0600. Any questions?” The troopers said nothing, prompting a smile from Luna. “Excellent. The others will be briefed in the morning. Get some rest.”
The troopers broke up, going back to finish up their previous tasks. Luna headed over towards the weapons rack and prepped her gear for tomorrow. The low thuds of the fully armored Spartan drew near. “What do you need Spartan?”
“Sir, I fear that I may be a liability to this team.”
“Why is that?”
“It is apparent that the troopers had strong feelings for Erika. They do not seem to take kindly to my presence sir.”
Luna turned towards him. “Do not worry. You do your job and they’ll do theirs. In time they will come to trust you. Was there anything else?”
“Permission to speak freely sir.” Luna nodded. “Sergeant Brenden did not mean any harm. He was informing me of the squad member’s sir.”
“Sergeant Brenden has a tendency to dig where no smart dog should, resulting in him seeing… delicate material. It is unwise that he bring attention like that to himself. Threatening punishment is for his own good.”
“Then why did you assign me as his roommate sir? He did not look disappointed in the slightest.”
Luna smiled, “Go to bed Chief Petty Officer.”
Ale stood straight and saluted. He about faced and headed towards a very happy looking trooper. Luna wasn’t sure if she should be relieved or not. When Ale had his helmet off, Luna had studied him intently, finding him to be exactly like her husband. She breathed deeply before letting it out. If he was indeed Ale, she had to find out for sure.
“Lights out in five!” Luna exclaimed as she walked towards her personal cabin.
“Wha-, but the stew!”
“Rico, you look like hell,” Ryan said. “You have some trouble there?”
Rico brushed off some of the ash from his armor. “It’s not that bad. You should have been at my family reunion.” Rico shook his head sadly, mumbling a prayer in Spanish. “Nana was never the same.”
Ryan stared at Rico in uncertainty. “Yeeeaah, okay. I’m going to bed now.”
Vena walked past Rico, patting him on the back. “Don’t worry, you can make… whatever it is again some other time.”
Rico perked up, his smile threatening to fracture the room’s cameras. “That’s it! No need to remake it! I’ll just seal it in handy bags to distribute amongst us on our journey!” The members who still had not made it to their bunks watched in horror as Rico pulled out blood bags and began filling them with the grey bubbling sludge.
“Are those unused or-,”
“Don’t ask!” James interrupted Alex, pushing him away from the scene.
Rico glanced about the room, confused as to why it was so empty all of a sudden. “Was it something I said?” The tanned trooper lifted a bit of his body suit and inhaled. He paused for a few moments before shrugging indifferently. “Eh.”
Fireteam Shadow moved quickly down the halls of the Grazer, headed towards the large hangar bay of the ship. The team was fully armored and each member sans Ale carried large rucksacks. Ale had a specialized tactical vest designed to snap onto his armor while several of the other troopers carried slightly more than just their rucksacks, the black duffel bags hauling extra equipment. Walking down a large ramp, they filed into a cavernous room. Two Pelicans sat waiting for them, their engines already running hot.
“You know the drill troopers! Ale, you’re with me!” Luna shouted, her team splitting into two groups of six and seven. The Spartan noticed Corporal Wright, Vega, and Petrovich split from the team and head towards a Falcon. Realizing they were going to scout ahead, Ale followed the Captain’s group into the far right Pelican, dull thuds emanating from his armored weight. The ODST’s secured their belongings before strapping themselves in, Ale copying their actions.
“ETA 12 minutes sir!” the pilot shouted, turning his head back to ensure the team was set.
“Leviathan one and two, you have a green light.”
“Roger, we have the sky.”
Ale felt his gut shift as the Pelican left the hangar floor, quickly thrusting outside of the ship. The Grazer was within Newark’s atmosphere, meaning the flight was already slightly turbulent. The voice of the Captain caught Ale’s attention.
“Listen up! We are landing at Checkpoint Zulu. Ground transport is waiting for us there as the birds can’t get us any closer. Chronos has already briefed the others, so I expect to get rolling seconds after we land. Clear?”
“Sir, yes sir!”
Ale double checked the condenser coils of his weapons, the blue glow in the ‘magazines’ giving the all clear. Daniel sat directly across from Ale, staring at the weapons through his visor with fascination.
“Are those the new prototypes?” Ale glanced up at the Private and nodded. Daniel looked along the weapons length, admiring it. “It’s quite a weapon. I was studying advanced weapon mechanics before I signed up. I knew that the UNSC think tanks were theoretically drawing up designs, but I never knew that they succeeded.” The trooper hesitantly continued. “Do you think I could have a chance to observe them?”
Ale saw no reason to deny his request. They weren’t exactly a secret that was kept hush-hush. Ale nodded, prompting the trooper to shuffle excitedly.
“You can do so when we get back to the ship Private. Focus on the mission,” Luna stated, secretly smiling under her visor. It would be good for the Private to stretch his mind. She could see that, at times, Dan would get a bit bored with the mindless off duty tasks of her squad.
“I don’t know why you’re so excited,” Sean remarked, the Sergeant thumbing the side of the barrel of his DMR. “Weapons like Sally here have their own elegance. She’s a real beauty, she’s deadly, and she has quite the kick.” Sean mock aimed his weapon, which Ale noticed even had the name ‘Sally’ stenciled just beneath scope mount.
“Oh god, if he keeps this up he’s going to start making out with ‘Sally’,” Corporal Alex finished, his fingers providing air quotes.
The troopers occupying the back of the Pelican laughed, brightening the mission atmosphere. “Aye, shut your bloody gob!” Sean rubbed his DMR with affection, “You’re just feckin’ jealous that you can’t find a woman with desirable traits like Sally.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize you liked cold, hard, an-,”
“Alright, enough of that,” James interrupted. “Leave Sean and his love alone. Besides, we all know he can’t talk to a real woman without spitting spaghetti everywhere.”
“Oh,” Luna spoke up. “Am I not a real woman?”
The squad turned and stared at James. Instead of panicking under the heavy gaze of his team mates James replied with confidence, “No sir, you’re a brutal son-of-a-bitch.”
If the atmosphere wasn’t quite enough, it most certainly was now. Luna, her expression hidden under the silent and cold gaze of her silver visor, leaned forward. Everyone watched with bated breath, waiting for her to tear into the Sergeant.
“You’re damn right, and don’t let anyone tell you any different!”
“Hoo-ah!”
Ale slowly panned his view left to right, realizing just how close this team, no... not team, family really was. The Spartan wondered if he could ever really become a part of something as alien as this. He noticed that the Captain had her head turned in his direction. Even though both his and her visor hid their eyes, Ale was certain that she was locking eyes with him. She nodded ever so slightly, almost as if answering his question. The Spartan turned his attention back in front of him. The room stayed silent as the team quietly mulled over their own thoughts.
“30 seconds!”Two loud clanks followed by the whirring of the ramp opening followed the pilot’s announcement. Ale turned his head to the left to stare out the slowly widening view of the sky, every other member turning their attention towards the same view.
“Gear up!” The troopers released their harnesses as they quickly began following their Captain’s orders. Ale ensured that his tacvest was secure, pulling on a few straps before tying them out of the way.
“Form up!” The five ODST’s and Spartan lined up in two rows, their Captain standing at the back of the right line with Ale at the back of the left line.
The ramp was lowered all the way, allowing Ale to watch as they flew meters away from the side of a dusty mountain. They continued to follow along it as they continued at a steady rate of descent. The mountain pulled away from them as they neared the ground. “Go, go, go!”
The troopers moved forward, the first two having to jump out and land on the ground running. Ale followed, the Pelican only touching the ground for a mere seconds before its passengers were off, allowing it to take back off into the air. They had landed in the middle of a small base, a few prefabricated structures surrounding them. Ale could see several Marines goggling not only at the legendary team, but the rare sight of a Spartan II as well.
The second Pelican came flying in, all though Ale noticed that it wasn’t approaching quite as nicely as the one he had ridden in on. The second bird landed hard, slamming onto its landing gear. Ale heard the metal groan slightly in stress as well as a few bolts popping. The ramp opened agonizingly slow, revealing the sound of shouting emanating from within. The gantry way wasn’t even fully open before the team of seven rushed out, still shouting. The Pelican rushed off as quickly as it had landed, roaring into the sky. Now that Ale could clearly see them he frowned. The team was covered in a grey substance, prompting the other troopers to laugh. They were instantly silenced when they could feel Luna’s stare burn into them. Turning back towards the new arrivals the Captain stormed up to Chronos.
“What happened Staff Sergeant!?”
“Sir, Corporal Rico’s stew from last night dissolved its containment bags. When the Pelican had to perform a high G turn to avoid a particularly nasty spot of turbulence, the substance breached his rucksack and sprayed the entire troop bay. The Pilot was not happy about that, sir.”
Luna turned her gaze to the Corporal who, strangely enough, was not covered in any of the rather smelly stew. After eyeing him for a few moments she sighed. “Corporal, while I understand that you were trying to be helpful, please refrain from storing your masterpieces with us on future missions.”
“Yes sir!” If Rico’s helmet was not currently fixed in place, the team would have seen the particularly large shit eating grin plastered across his face.
Luna turned to the unfortunate troopers. “Go find the supply Sergeant here and have him spray you guys down. I want it done ten minutes ago!”
“Yes sir!” The troopers ran off towards the barracks, Marines pointing where they should go.
Luna turned towards the others. “While the others are having a nice shower, go prep the hogs. We are behind schedule.”
Luna waved them off before they could respond, turning herself and heading towards the already departed troopers, intending on starting a fire underneath their ass’s.
Ale and the rest of the squad moved, following Sergeant James as they headed towards the motor pool. Two exiting Marines quickly moved out of the way as the ODST’s and Spartan jogged past. The team moved through the garage, watching as different vehicles were worked on. James stopped to ask a passing Marine where there NCO was. The Marine pointed towards a pair of boots that were sticking out beneath a nearby Scorpion. James thanked him and headed towards the large tank. Banging the side of the armored treads with a balled fist, James waited patiently for the man beneath to roll out.
The man was wearing a pair of dirty fatigues, no doubt unafraid of getting hands on with the vehicles. He stood up off the maintenance cart and wiped his hands on a rag. He pulled the large cigar from his mouth with his left hand while offering his right hand to James.
“I assume you’re the ones stealing my rides?”
James took his hand and gave it a firm shake, “Yes sir.”
The NCO glanced across the squad, his gaze not lingering on the Spartan in the slightest. The graying man put the cigar back in his mouth before gesturing for them to follow. “I got what you need. The boss had me slate a few rides for your arrival.”
The NCO led them around one of the lines of vehicles being worked on, revealing the launching platform. Two standard M12 Warthogs along with a M831 Troop Transport sat on their respective platforms. “I got three brand new ‘hogs’ for you.” He turned towards the squad. “I’d like to get them back in one piece.”
“No promises,” James replied.
The NCO grunted, “I expected as much.” He turned and waved his arm at the vehicles. “Well then, they’re all yours. Good luck.”
He walked over to the door controls and opened them, watching as the team climbed into the Warthogs. James, Sean, and Alex jumped into the driving seats while Ale and Dan simply hung off the sides of the troop hog, holding on tightly as the three vehicles moved off the platforms and up the incline out of the motor pool. They steered towards the last known location of the Captain and the rest of the squad, pulling up alongside the barracks. They rolled to a stop, allowing Ale and Dan to let go and land on their feet. They did not have to wait long as the Captain and a thoroughly soaked group of ODST’s jogged around the corner.
“Brenden, Alex, and James! I want you to take rear!” Luna yelled as she pointed at the last Warthog. “Ryan, Ale, and I will take point! The rest of you in the transport!”
The squad hurriedly followed her orders. “Where do you want me sir?” Ryan asked.
Luna did not miss the hope in his voice, knowing exactly what he wanted. “You’re driving Private. You are the vehicle expert after all.” Ryan swooned before beginning to excitedly sprint towards the Warthog. “But,” Ryan stopped as he caught the tone in her voice, “You will drive safely and with the team. No jumps. Understood?”
Ryan gave an audible whine of disappointment before giving a sloppy salute. “Yes sir.”
Luna shook her head. “You can listen to music, as long as it’s quiet and does not irritate the others. Alright?”
Ryan perked up, nodding enthusiastically. He continued towards the Warthog at a slower pace, albeit with a subtle bounce.
Ale raised his head at the Captain before shrugging his shoulders towards the turret. Luna responded, “I’ll man the gun Spartan.” Ale nodded before climbing into the passenger seat, the vehicle shifting slightly to the right due to the difference in weight. Luna placed her assault rifle on her back, jumping up in the bed of the FAV. She looked behind her and confirmed that the rest of her team was ready to go. She gripped the handles of the turret before commanding, “Let’s go Private.”
The hog jumped forward as the Private stepped on the accelerator, leading the convoy past the guard gate and out of the checkpoint. The mountains towered on their left while a great expanse of flat, rocky ground stretched to their left, eventually dipping into a valley on in the distance. The horizon in front of them was occupied by a large green smudge.
“Follow this trail on its current heading. It will take us to the edge of the mountains before dipping into the forest.”
“Yes sir!”
Ryan leaned towards the center of the Warthog, tampering with some of the controls. Ale watched from the corner of his eye as the screen prepped a file that was wirelessly downloaded. Ryan looked up at Ale with a smile. “If the Captain says you can do something, do it. You may not get another chance.”
Ale simply nodded his head towards the windshield, gesturing to something that the Private could not see. Ryan looked up and quickly jerked the wheel, barely avoiding a large boulder.
“Eyes on the road Private!” Chronos yelled over the radio. “We’re following your lead!”
Ryan laughed nervously before clicking play.
Ale placed his rifle upright on the floor and clamped his legs on it. Settling his hands in his lap, Ale allowed himself to peruse his surroundings. The tires of the Warthog threw dust up violently, choking the air behind it. His suit was sealed, meaning he was enjoying dirt free air. The vibrations of the hog prevented any body part from falling asleep, keeping him awake and alert. He could clearly see in front of him as the mid morning sun was to their backs. Ale turned his head slightly, observing the mountains approach from his left. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the Captain leaning on the turret as it was rather tiresome to stand there and hold the gun when there was no immediate threat of combat. She was facing forwards with her head slightly tilted down. Ale could tell she was lost in thought. The Spartan faced forwards and leaned back, relaxing the tension in his body for the long drive ahead of them.
Now while the Spartan may have been observant, he is by no means a mind reader. He was correct in that Luna was thinking, but he did not know what she was so lost on. Much less that he was what was on her mind.
Luna found her eyes tracing back to Ale yet again, quickly snapping them back in place. She could not get herself to focus. He was distracting her. ‘C’mon Luna! The mission comes first. We are moving into very hostile territory and need every ounce of focus if I want to get everyone out alive. Including Ale.’ Again her eyes deceived her body’s command, straying to the grey and red armored super soldier. She studied his form, remembering what he looked like under the unrelenting battle skin. She sucked in a quiet breath when a particular detail struck out at her.
‘How did I miss that?!’ The emblem, her emblem, that she had bestowed upon Ale all those years ago still sat upon his shoulder pauldron, glinting dully in the sunlight. She stared at Ale with all the more ferocity. ‘It’s got to be him. He did not have that before his arrival in Equestria.’ Luna stopped herself, reigning in her emotion and urges. ‘I need more evidence. I will not jump to conclusions. Not just for his sake…’
Luna filed away the new information she gleaned just from simple observation, mentally planning her first report to Celestia. She would do exactly as her sister told her. Besides, as far as both Luna and Celestia could tell, they were indeed in an alternate dimension. Who’s not to say that this was a different Ale?
The convoy continued along the small trail, the forest growing much larger and the mountains on their left almost upon them. The ground in front of them dropped away for hundreds of feet before leveling out. The ancient lake bed eventually sloped back up towards the forest. The Warthogs turned left and finally reached the mountains. There was a small ridge that traveled along its base, following the contours of the extinct lake.
“Steady on Ryan. I do not want to fall off.”
Ryan did not answer as he slowed his speed, snaking the hog onto the narrow road. Ale slightly leaned to his right, peeking over the edge of the Warthog and realizing just how close the wheels rode to the edge.
“This is a good place for an ambush,” Ale said aloud.
“Let them try! I got a nice surprise for them!” Lilly’s voice reported over the radio.
“Private, put that down! I do not want to be blown clear off the ridge understand!?”
There was an audible sigh over the radio, “Yes, Chronos sir.”
The convoy continued moving along the ridge, steadily closing the distance between them and the forest. Ale suddenly straightened, his head perking to the right and away from the mountains. Reaching over, he turned the music off.
“Hey, I wa-,” Ale snapped his fingers, halting any further speech from the Engineer. The sudden pause in music grabbed all of the trooper’s attention, causing them to pay close attention to their surroundings.
“Two bogies four o’ clock, high!” Nisitra called out, dragging the team’s eyes in that direction.
“Friendlies?” Luna asked?
“Can’t tell, sun’s causing too much of a glare.”
“Do not open fire until it’s confirmed. Remember, there are civilians here,” the Captain commanded.
The group continued to watch the aircraft, the machines moving at a parallel course to theirs. They did not move any faster or slower than the convoy, keeping a constant distance away from them. Ale heard the faint clicks of the safety being disengaged on the turret behind him. Ale shared the same feelings and grabbed his rifle. When he looked back up the world slowed down.
Moving at a speed incapable of being seen by the human eye, Ale reached for the wheel of the Warthog. A massive shower of dust slowly rained down several meters in front of them, barely hiding the form of a massive boulder in front of them. The second Ale’s hand made contact with the wheel he clenched his fingers, crushing the metal. Time sped back up as he jerked the wheel towards him hard, steering right and launching the Warthog off the edge of the ridge. The hog roared loudly as it became airborne, floating in free fall for several short seconds. Ale’s visor bounced violently off the dashboard as the vehicle made contact with the steep grade. The glass windshield shattered and sprayed glass over its occupants. Rocks thudded loudly off the metal frame as the FAV tore its way downwards. The vehicle slammed forward and shifted right, almost flipping sideways into a dangerous barrel roll.
“Son of a bitch!” Ryan mashed his foot to the floor as he straightened the Warthog, saving them from disaster. Ale quickly looked behind him, confirming that the Captain was still on the turret. The back of the hog was crumpled, Ale finding the reason why as the massive boulder from before continued to chase them down the slope, albeit losing ground to them.
The air suddenly became deafening as red streaks barely missed the Warthog, throwing up even more dust. The roar of two Pelicans flew overhead, missiles flying from them towards the ridge.
“Move or you die!” Luna yelled over the radio. Twin columns of dust signaled that the other two Warthogs were racing along the ridgeline and towards the forest. Ale marked the two Pelicans as hostile, watching as they rose into the air and away from the mountain. Luna swung the turret around and tracked them. “They’re coming in for another run! Ryan! You floor it to the forest!”
Ryan was well ahead of her, the speedometer failing to register their speed as it exceeded the normal max going down the rocky slope. The gun opened up, brass shells spraying into the air as Luna lobbed penetrating death at the two hostiles. Two missiles cleared their pods, rocketing towards the hog.
“Move!”
Ryan jerked the wheel hard, barely keeping the vehicle from rolling. The Pelicans over shot and roared past, Luna chasing them the entire way. They reached the bottom of the slope, skidding into a left turn as the Private floored it towards the forest. They could see the other two hogs crash through the forest brush up ahead. The Pelican’s were just passing over the forest, using the airspace to loop back around, when a rocket screamed out of the foliage and collided with the wing of one of them. The bird went down quickly, steering sharply in one direction due to the loss of control. It disappeared in a plume of flames on the side of the mountain. The second Pelican dodged a second rocket, ignoring the source as it raced head on towards the Warthog, intent on stopping it from reaching the safety of the forest.
Luna was still firing, ignoring the rapidly over heating weapon. Taking slow breaths, Ale placed his foot on the edge of his ‘door’, leveling it with his body. Quickly propping his assault rifle between the armored joint of his thigh and kneecap, he steadied his aim with the makeshift brace. Pulling the trigger in controlled bursts, he fired through the empty space in which the windshield once occupied and sprayed the cockpit of the Pelican with super condensed plasma.
The hardened glass melted under his assault. The molten glass sprayed the pilot, burning any exposed flesh to the bone. The Pelican, its pilot having quickly died under his fatal injuries, stopped firing and continued flying overhead, eventually hitting the ground behind them and sliding along it, eventually stopping with smoke billowing out of its engines. A few seconds later, the hog slid into the underbrush, effectively hiding it from sight. The other two hogs were waiting nearby, slipping behind Ryan as they quickly continued down their path.
Ale let out a slow breath before setting his foot back on the floor, still clutching his weapon tightly. The underbrush was whipping past, the hog rocking sporadically as it traversed the rough terrain.
“Ryan, ease up,” Luna commanded. “Chronos, James. Sitrep.”
“We’re fine here,” James called in.
“Chuck got a faceful of exhaust from the rocket sir. Other than some blackened armor he is fine.” The sound of loud arguing could be heard in the background. “Although Chuck isn’t too happy with Lilly.”
“Excellent. Button down the kids Staff. We still have a little ways to go.”
“Yes sir!”
Luna cut the comm and relaxed her hold on the turret. She glanced down at the other two occupants. Ryan was tense and gripping the wheel hard, his eyes tunneling on the small path. Ale had an air of indifference. The Chief Petty Officer slowly turned his head left and right, scouting for threats in the heavy underbrush.
“Private, relax.” Ryan took a deep breath before slowly leaning back in his seat, allowing his stress to bleed away. Satisfied, Luna took in the state of the hog. The windshield was gone, but it was hardly needed. The back of the vehicle was severely damaged, pushed in a good foot and a half. If it had been just another short foot, she would have been in trouble. The Warthog wobbled in the back, Luna realizing that the axle had taken damage as well. Other than the dented steering wheel faulted from the super soldier, there was no further apparent damage. They had been lucky. If the boulder had landed on them…
Luna erased those thoughts and cleared her mind. She had survived worse. The dimension in which her husband had grown in was far from safe. Over the centuries she had learned to avoid or deal with danger quite well. The wars she and her sister had fought in were numerous and hardened them more than any other vet in existence. If she had questioned her place here, she no longer did.
Her thoughts came to a close as they reached a clearing, the canopy of the trees arching over the empty space. They could not be seen from the air. The convoy rolled to a stop near the middle and lit up the other side with their headlights. A large rocky outcropping disappeared into the brush on either side of the forest in front of them, splitting into a massive hole in the wall.
Luna, Ale, and Chronos dismounted the hogs and approached the cave. They barely stepped inside and scoured along the edges of the cave entrance, their tactical lamps providing an additional light source. A brief transmission was suddenly beamed into Luna’s comm system, a low blue light and gentle pinging sound alerting her. She opened the written report and smiled.
“Alright, mount up. Scouts have been here and report that the system is traversable by ground transport. We’ll move until we can’t.”
The three ran bag to their respective Warthogs and slowly drove into the cave. “Eyes peeled, they could be anywhere.”
“Captain, any word on what we’re doing after this?”
“Your only concern should be the mission, Sergeant. But when I hear something you’ll be the first to know.”
“Will do. Oh, and Captain?” Sean stated, “I forgot my night light.”