//------------------------------//
// Combat Drop 
// Story: ODST in Equestria 
// by LightningBolt 
//------------------------------//

“Keep your head down or get it blown off, Storm!” I heard a voice over my headset implanted in my helmet.

I peeked up from my low wall of cover to scan the battlegrounds, seeing other ODSTs waging paint warfare on each other. This was only a training session of course, but if that paint hits you, you’re in for a world of pain. I vaulted over the wall with my M7S Caseless SMG at the ready, checking for hostiles. I sprinted up a stairwell, moving onto the catwalk. On the catwalk was an enemy ODST, my SMG couldn’t do jack from the range, so I switched to my M6S ‘automag’ pistol and looked down the iron sights.

I steadied my breathing, because of it being heavy, my aim went all over the place. I inhaled and took the shot, shooting the ODST in the his weapon arm and leaving crystallised pink fluorescent paint on his arm. He turned to me with his MA5C drawn when the buzzer sounded.

Saved by the bell, never thought this day would come.

I holstered my automag and the other ODST walked up to me and said “Good shot, Storm, but they’re ain’t going to be no bell in the field.” He said, taking off his helmet.

I nodded in agreement, standing idly and looking over the catwalk parapet.

“So what do you think of this New Mombasa mission they’re sending us into?” Dutch asked.

I turned back towards Dutch “Same shit, different day, Dutch.”

“Sergeant Lucas and Corporal Taylor Miles to report to Gunnery Sergeant Buck immediately.” A loudspeaker boomed.

“That’s our cue, Storm.” Dutch said.

“Indeed it is, Dutch.” I replied.

We quickly ran into the staging area where Buck and the rest of The Squad were debating over a holo-table. I noticed Rookie sleeping in his pod. Dutch was already talking with the rest of The Squad, while I headed over the weaponry rack and scanned its contents.

There’s more guns here than a NRA meeting.

“How about you show some respect, Romeo.” Dutch said, putting his helmet on the table.

“Just saying, Dutch. They missed one.” Romeo replied, pointing at the Covenant carrier that was displayed on the holo-table.

“No, they left it for us.” Dutch said as a orange light flickered and a buzzer sounded.

Buck and Veronica Dare emerged from the open doorway.

“You heard the music, time to dance.” Buck said, making the other ODSTs turn around to his voice.

“Hello, beautiful!” Romeo said smartly, glancing at Dare.

“Pods, now!” Buck said with sudden anger in his voice.

The ODSTs departed from the table to their pods, Romeo snatching his helmet off the ground. Buck walked up the stairs with Dare looking at him with concern.

“Replacements?” She asked.

Buck glanced over his shoulder and said “This many years into the war, who isn’t?”

“At least they listen.” Dare replied.

Buck hastily turned back to Dare, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, “To me, and they’re not going to like what they here!”

“Orders are orders.”

“C’mon, Veronica. What could be more important than that carrier?”

“My orders,” She poked a finger against Buck’s chest piece. “And Buck, call me Captain. I’ll pass on that dance, but you can show me where to sit.”

She walked up the stairs and into the main room.

You just got burned, Buck. Badly burned.

Rookie had his head slumped over, sleeping in his pod. Dutch, Mickey and Romeo and I were at the small armoury.

“What kind of armour was she wearing?” Mickey asked.

“Don’t know, Mickey. I wasn’t looking at her gear.” Romeo replied and slugged him in the shoulder pad.

You’re sick, Romeo. Mentally sick. I don’t think Buck would let you steal his girl like that.

Dutch was holding an M7S Caseless SMG and Romeo snorted and said “Seriously?”

“Well, got to be close-quarters.”

Romeo picked up a shotgun and held in front of Dutch. “Exactly!” Dutch pushed the shotgun away before they looked to where Buck and Dare were.

“Second to last, right next to mine.”

Romeo turned to Dutch and said “Cosy.”

You really do have the hots for Dare, don’t you Romeo?

Buck heard this comment and snatched the shotgun off of Romeo.

“You gonna tell us her name, Gunney.” Romeo asked.

“Oh, brother.” Mickey said under his breath.

“Miss Naval Intelligence, our new boss. Now check your mouths, find your chairs and get set for a combat drop!” Buck said angrily, shoving a sniper rifle into Romeo’s hands.

“The hell am I supposed to do with this inside a covenant ship?” Romeo asked sarcastically and moved towards Rookie sleeping in his pod.

Don’t tell me you’re going to do what I think you’re going to do.

Romeo swung the butt of his sniper rifle and hit Rookie in the face, waking him up abruptly. Rookie grunted from the blow and was shaken to his senses.

“Wake up, buttercup.” Romeo said before getting shoved by Dutch.

“Relax, Rookie. He don’t mean nothing, besides now’s one of those times, it pays to be the strong, silent type.” Dutch said, giving Rookie a M7S Caseless SMG, Rookie then placing the SMG into a weapon slot.

Buck noticed me still at the weapon rack and said “Sergeant Lucas, I believe?”

I turned to face Buck and nodded in acknowledgment.

“Welcome to the team, hopefully you’ve met everyone.”

“Not properly, sir. But I know enough, Rookie’s a little quiet though…”

“Don’t worry about him, he’s always like that.”

I took a battle rifle and spare magazines for it from the rack and hung onto them.

“Where’s my pod at?” I asked, turning back to Buck.

“Beside Dutch’s. You nervous?” He asked.

“Counting the fact that my pod could malfunction and possibly kill me? I’m may not be green, Buck. But I’m not exactly major experienced either.” I replied.

“Don’t worry, princess. I’ll hold your hand.” Romeo snorted.

“Keep it up, Romeo and I’ll jam this gun up your ass!” I shouted back.

“Pain in the ass, isn’t he?” I asked, looking at Buck.

“You can say that again, but a team’s a team.” He said.

“Hope you live to survive the experience, Sergeant. Heard you’ve been through a lot.” He continued.

“Wow, someone actually read my profile?” I asked in surprise.

“C’mon, Storm. My trigger finger is itching for some covenant blood.” Dutch said impatiently.

“I agree, lets kill us some covies.” I said, walking back to my pod and setting the weapons in their slots.

I got into my pod and it closed with a slam, the pod rotated from the room and turned to the outside, then rotating down outside of the pod bay. I could see Earth below us and I looked straight ahead, spotting dozens upon dozens of ODST pods at the ready. Two small screens at opposites ends of the hatch door blazed to life, showing Buck’s and Dare’s helmeted faces.

“Latest intel reports that Covenant are massing beneath the carrier.” Dare said over the pod radio.

“They’re pulling back, why?” Buck asked.

“We’re not gonna find out way up here.” Dare replied.

Dare’s and Buck’s helmet visors changed to regular plating instead of showing their faces.

“Troopers, we are green and very, very mean!” Buck shouted, rallying our spirits.

All of the other ODST pods shot off from the carrier bays, blazing blue smoke and light from the tops of them. Simultaneously, The Squad’s and I shot off too, propelling us down into the atmosphere. The down force of kinetic energy cause me to lift my arms but I gripped the two joysticks in my hands and stabilized the pod.

“I take it back, Navy got it’s butt kicked!” Romeo said.

“Hey, Romeo remember when I told you to shut your mouth?” Buck asked.

“Yeah?” Romeo replied.

“Consider that a standing order.” Buck said.

All was quiet afterwards, except for the humming of the pods and I stared down through my pod hatch window. Hundreds of pods were shooting through the atmosphere at extreme speeds, with nothing but silence coming from the pod radios due to Buck’s orders and there wasn’t anything to talk about. We got through the cloudline and the carrier was in sight.

“Standby to adjust trajectory,” Dare said. “On my mark…”

“What’d she just say?” Dutch said over the radio.

“And mark!” Dare said.

All of our pods shifted trajectory to aim for the Covenant carrier.

“We’re way off course!” Mickey said.

“We’re heading exactly to where I need to go.” Dare replied.

“We’re gonna miss the carrier.” Micked replied back.

I noticed a large blue flash emanate outside the carrier, I was stunned from the sudden event. I quickly picked myself and spoke into the radio “Did anyone just see that?”

“Radiation!” Dutch said.

“Covenant just set off a nuke?” Mickey asked as the blue flash turned into an orb and grew in size in front of the carrier.

“No, the carrier is going to jump!” Dare said with a tone of fear in her voice.

Looks like the shit just hit the proverbial fan.

“It’s a slipspace rupture.” She added.

“EMP!” said Mickey.

“Then pop your chutes, we’re going in hard!” I heard a crash over the radio.

I noticed Rookie’s and Mickey’s pods collided, Rookie pried at the controls to keep his pod stable. Out of nowhere, Dare’s pod hit mine and cracked the glass on my pod door. A warning sign grew bright red and I held onto my pod hatch handle to stop it from tearing off and sending me out of it. Blue light shone in on the pod and I kept one hand on the joystick to stabilise the pod. Panic grew within my head and I’m sure it did for the fest of the squad.

End of Chapter One