Clash of Worlds

by Gunner59524

Taking the Fight to The Covenant

Four days later, Gunnar trotted along towards a pair of dual propeller vehicles with turbines beneath each. Majestic was already set up for the op and waiting for him in the vehicles. He recognized them as UH-144 Falcons from one of the equipment and vehicle oriented lessons the Spartans had given him with the help of holoprojectors and other display equipment in the UNSC forward base. The southern edge of town was bustling with activity all around the forward base. In the past week, human technicians had integrated some tech into Gunnar's armor, including coms, an advanced HUD, and a personal shield generator. Gunnar welcomed each of these upgrades, except for the shields since they made handling even weapons built for hooves a little more difficult. He quickly adapted during some training on a makeshift UNSC firing range, using his personal Plasma DMR the whole time. He stuck to the weapon, but also accepted a gift from the Spartans, an M6S Magnum modified to fit his hooves. Gunnar was more than grateful for it. The last modification to his armor was a Hardlight Shield that he could trigger with his mind thanks to neural linkup technology. Whenever he activated it, a barrier of solid light formed in front of him, which would protect him from attacks that could come from enemies in front of him. It also provided him another way to batter enemies simply by galloping at them and using it as a battering ram, as he discovered when using it against training turrets that were trying to get him with practice rounds. Not only did he avoid or block every practice round, he battered the turrets with his shield.

He looked to his right to see a group of curious ponies and fillies watching technicians work on the engine of a Scorpion Tank. He smiled when he saw three of those techs offer them drinks and chairs, not only letting them stay and watch, but offering means to be comfortable as they did so. The ponies were more than grateful.

He looked at the camp's HQ structure. He knew Twilight and her friends would be in there, along with Celestia and Luna. They would be watching the op through cameras mounted on his helmet and those of the Spartans. That reminded him to turn it on. Thorne offered a hand to help Gunnar into the lead Falcon, which he took gratefully with his hoof to be pulled aboard.

"Welcome aboard... 'Spartan' Gunnar," DeMarco said, calling him Spartan as a sign of respect. The soldier stallion smiled behind his helmet visor and saluted before shaking Majestic leads hand. He would gladly take orders from him.

He felt the floor of the Falcon shift as both vehicles lifted into the air and started towards Everfree Forest and the Covenant forward base camp.

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Twilight and her friends stood with the Princesses around a holographic display table that was split too show two holographic displays, One was of a large Covenant structure. Celestia was impressed with the architecture the Covies used. It saddened her that it was being used to wage war against her subjects and the humans and had to be destroyed.

The complex had a large central Citadel structure surrounded by smaller buildings, among them were two resource structures and a shield generator in the back, along with a barracks and vehicle depot up front, the Gravity Lift pad in front of the Citadel door was unlit and the base wasn't directly connected to a Covenant vessel. There were hovering weapons emplacements in the front and back. The front two, she identified immediately as the Fuel Rod turrets that had been described to her, the ones in the back were the heavy Needler Turrets for Anti Air.

The other half of the display showed two UH-144 Falcons moving towards the objective at rapid speed in the night. She noticed her student Twilight eying that half of the display with intense worry dominating her expression. She was concerned for the stallion she loved, hoping, praying that he would return safely. Celestia frowned sadly. It almost shattered her heart to see Twilight like this, but she knew it was for a very valid reason.

"This is Eagle One," a pilot said over the comms, "We're as close as we can get. Dropping the team off here."

"Copy Eagle One," one of the technicians around the ponies replied, "Drop your payload and remain on station, say confirm."

"Confirmed Eagle Actual, Eagle One out."

The holodisplay was dominated now by the covenant structure and the surrounding area as the Falcons dropped off their passengers: five Spartans and a heavily equipped Stallion Soldier. The screens above brightened as the priority of the individual team members' visuals increased.

"Eagle Actual, this is Eagle One, boots and hooves are on the ground. Falling back to a safe distance and remaining on station."

"Confirmed Eagle One, Eagle Actual out."

"Eagle Actual, this is Majestic Lead," DeMarco's voice reported through the comms, "We're on the ground and moving towards the objective. ETA, 15 mikes. Engaging night vision."

The screens above turned green as all team members turned on their night vission and the forest terrain ahead of them became much easier to see and navigate.

"Copy that Majestic, remember to protect your VIP and all come home safe, Eagle Actual out."

Twilight kept a keen eye on the screen with Gunnar's name on it. The motion tracker, his heart rate, ammunition supply, and essential vital signs were all displayed off to the right side.

"Majestic, split up, Thorne, take Gunnar and head east, Madsen, go west with Grant. Hoya, you're with me."

Six blips appeared on the north side of the holo display, splitting into three pairs, two heading to the west treeline, two headed to the east treeline, and two continuing straight forward towards the north treeline, attempting to surround the base.

Celestia recognized Wraith Tanks and Ghosts from when she was briefed on UNSC and known Covenant Tech patrolling the base. Her heart sank some, seeing the two Wraiths on patrol, and knowing they could easily eliminate all six members of the team if they weren't careful. Each Wraith was flanked by two ghosts on each side as they patrolled along the treeline around the base.

Twilight was noticeably disturbed by the sight of the Wraiths and Ghosts as well. Even her friends and Luna shifted uncomfortably.

"Eagle Actual, Majestic lead, this is Gunnar," the stallion's voice whispered over comms, "We're in position and awaiting orders."

"Eagle Actual, Majestic lead, this is Grant," the Scottish/Irish woman whispered over comms as well, "In position, awaiting orders."

"Eagle Actual, this is Majestic lead," DeMarco spoke up, "Majestic is in position, awaiting your go."

"Op is a go Majestic, good luck. Eagle Actual out," the technician replied.

"Copy that Eagle Actual, teams two and three, take out those Wraith patrols soon as they pass you, then advance. Hoya and I will disable the Fuel Rod Turrets."

Soon after, each patrol passed by the teams on the east and west at the same time. Thorne and Grant sprang from the treeline and immediately boarded and grenade planted their individual Wraith Tanks in the exhaust vents before jumping off to a safe distance onto one ghost each. Kicking out and killing the occupants everyone and everypony recognized now as Grunts before taking control. Madsen and Gunnar hit the Grunt occupants of the last two hostile ghosts, silencing the last of the hostile vehicle patrols. At the same time, Hoya had used a SPNKr Rocket Launcher to disable the fuel rod turrets, allowing DeMarco to sprint 500 meters unhindered and finish them off up close.

The whole scenario unfolded in a matter of 30 seconds and now Covenant Infantry were running out of the Barracks, Citadel, and Vehicle Depot. The base was alerted, now came the fight.

"Gunnar, Madsen, pop some of those hingeheads!" DeMarco yelled into the comms.

The Stallion and the marksman Spartan complied, easily popping the Elites 'shields with their weapons and dropping some of them with headshots. DeMarco engaged his liberated Type-1 Energy Sword and clashed with what looked like the base's leader in a rage. It was an Elite General, obvious from the armor the creature was wearing.

Hoya hopped from the treeline and engaged in close combat with other combatants using his shotgun, quickly dispatching a number of Grunts and what everyone and everypony recognized as Jackals from either briefings or experience. He even blew the head off an Elite that tried and failed to impale him with an energy sword.

Thorne and Grant used their captured Ghosts to bombard the enemy forces with rapid plasma fire, careful not to hit their teammates. They got in a few splatter kills too, treating groups of Grunts and Jackals like bowling pins.

Gunnar popped the Elite General in the head a few times, drawing its attention long enough to allow DeMarco to eviscerate the beast with his energy blade.

"Good hit Gunnar!" DeMarco yelled.

Then everyone and everypony saw something that made half the ponies in the forward base panic a bit. Two pairs of Hunters emerged from the base and targeted the Ghost's with fuel rod beam weapons. The Spartans in the two ghosts saw the incoming threat and jumped from the ghosts an landed on their feet before the fuel rods blew up the vehicles. One Hunter engaged DeMarco in close quarters combat, swinging its massive shield and trying to crush the Spartan, failing to hit the nimble target.

Too Twilight's horror, the last Hunter had spotted Gunnar and was getting closer on his screen.

"MY POSITION IS COMPROMISED, I GOTTA MOVE!!!" a panicked Gunnar yelled as he saw the incoming hulking creature, taking vain pot shots at the armored behemoth.

"Hang on Gunnar, I'm coming!" Thorne called.

The Spartan fought his way through Elite, Grunt, and Jackal as he tried to make his way over to Gunnar, who was now barely dodging rage fueled melee attacks from the Hunter. The creature tried to crush the stallion under its shield, failing to do so as the stallion rolled out of the way. He dodged again as it swung the fuel rod cannon at him. He tried to put some shots into the creature's 'skull' but the armor blocked the impacts. He was almost crushed by the retaliation, but dodged just in time, but just as he stood up, just before Thorne got there, the Hunter swung its shield around hard and it collided with Gunnar, sending the now unconscious stallion colliding with a tree. The vital signs display on Gunnar's screen spiked then showed gradually dropping vitals.

Twilight watched in horror, tears streaming as the Hunter came forward, about to crush the stallion's skull. That's when Thorne arrived, tackling the creature with adrenaline fueled and augmented strength and pushing it.

"GET AWAY FROM MY FRIEND YOU BASTARD!" everypony and everyone heard the now enraged Spartan yell at the creature. The Hunter identified the immediate threat as Thorne and visibly prepared for melee combat. The other Spartans had dropped one of the other Hunters but were busy with the last two in front of the base. That left only Thorne to dispatch this Hunter. He smirked, liking these odds. He would make this creature pay for hurting his friend.

The Hunter lunged, and the Spartan launched himself into the air, activating active camoflauge and becoming invisible as he flipped through the air and landed behind the Hunter. The creature turned to try and spot him, but didn't see a faint shimmer pass it by and get behind it. Then the sound of a Shotgun rang out as Thorne decloaked. The Hunter dropped when the hot lead embedded itself in its back. He fired one more time to make sure it stayed dead, then when he was certain, he ran to Gunnar's side.

Twilight saw on Thorne's screen, the condition of the stallion she loved and couldn't look anymore. She turned away and sobbed. Her friends approached and tried to comfort her. Luna and Celestia could only watch, heartbroken by the sight.

"This is Thorne! Gunnar is alive but we need a Medevac NOW!" the Spartan yelled.

Thorne, this is Eagle One! I'm en route!"

The Falcon quickly appeared and landed next to them, dodging some shots from the heavy needler turrets in the back of the base, showing the pilot's insane skill. Thorne grabbed a trama kit from the bulkhead as he pulled the stallion aboard and immediate got to work. He applied biofoam to Gunnar's wounds and set the damaged bones. He didn't see the Hunter coming up behind him.

"LOOK OUT SIR!" Eagle One's pilot cried out too late. The Hunter swung its shield and sent the Spartan flying. It had broken off from the fight with the other Spartans and charged him with Hoya and DeMarco in hot pursuit. Just as Thorne lost consciousness, the other two Spartan's dispatched this last remaining Hunter with extreme prejudice.

"Majestic Lead, Eagle Actual, this is Grant! Charges are set and the base is ready to blow!"

The last two Spartans ran out of the Citadel and past the two dead Hunters laying in front of the base. Quickly reaching the group around Eagle One. Hoya and DeMarco were tending to Thorne and Gunnar. Eagle Two flew in low and fast and landed nearby. The Spartan's put the wounded Thorne and Gunnar aboard Eagle One's Falcon and DeMarco went with them. Everyone else boarded Eagle Two's Falcon, and they took off, flying away from the base fast and low. When they reached a safe distance, DeMarco hit a detonator and orange and blue explosions rocked the Covenant base before it went up in a massive plasma explosion, obliterated.

"Eagle Actual, this is Eagle One. Mission is complete, two wounded but stabilized. Have medbay ready. We're comin' home."

"Copy Eagle One, paramedics are standing by to revive the wounded, confirmed zero friendlies KIA. We'll be standing by, Eagle Actual out."

Twilight felt a shimmer of hope when she heard that Gunnar could recover. It was faint.... but it was there. Celestia put a hoof on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. Twilight felt a little more confident that he would be okay. She galloped outside, intent on meeting up with the Falcons as they landed.

Author's Note:

For those of you who don't know, the design of the covenant base in this chapter is based off of a partially upgraded Covenant Citadel from Halo Wars.

Comments

[Safhell]

no shit sherlock

[NecronTombStalker]

Being a huge Halo Wars gamer/nerd, HAH, I knew it was a Covie base from my favorite game RIGHT when you described the buildings around it. Beautiful.

[Dive Bomb]

6894179 HALO WARS 2!!!!!!!!!!

[Dark-Quantum]

I'm really generally suprised the covenant haven't glassed ponyville there is little to nothing stoping them from orbital bombardment the planet has no forerunner tech so thed see no reason to keep it even with three ships the could glass areas with populace to force the UNSC to engage on there terms or force the ponies to surrender but it is your story lol sorry xD