Chapter 6 - Another day at the beach
Chapter 6 – Another day at the beach
The Zealot pushed a switch, gaining a familiar hum as the energy began to flow through the circuits. Satisfied with her work, Tarya closed the panel and turned toward the pilot at her side, handing him a datapad.
“Alert me when the values will reach the optimal level,” she instructed him.
Gusay, a young yet skilled pilot clad in a blue Flight Harness, nodded. Tarya left the cargo bay of the Stealth Phantom and cracked her neck, resulting in a series of audible ‘pops’. She knew that the maintenance crew was composed by competent individuals that were perfectly able to perform their job on their own, but she had preferred to help them overhaul the systems of the dropship. Considering the task that she and her team were about to perform, she wanted be sure that everything was working.
“Always busy, uh?” a male voice commented.
“There's always something to do and besides, I've slept enough today,” Tarya said.
“You weren't sleeping, you were unconscious,” Nax pointed.
“That's the same,” she replied with a click of her jaws, turning to face the physician. It was only now that she noticed that Nax wasn't wearing his Combat helmet. Instead, he was holding a green Assault helmet under his artificial arm.
“By the way, what are you doing here?” the Zealot asked in curiosity. “And why that helmet?” she added, clearly confused. The only ones that usually wear that kind device were the members of the assault teams and some spec ops units, Nax obviously wasn't one of them.
“Oh, you don't know? The shipmaster allowed me to join the expedition.”
The Zealot cringed inwardly. “Please, tell me that he didn't assign me another babysitter.”
Nax chuckled. “Don't worry, I'm coming just for personal curiosity,” he reassured her.
“Really?” she asked, tilting her head.
“Sure! I'm a scientist and for nothing in the universe will I miss the opportunity to visit a new planet inhabited by sentient creatures!” he exclaimed with enthusiasm.
The Zealot sighed in relief, but she was also genuinely glad to have the doctor with them. The Spec Ops that will accompany her on the surface were trained to perform military recons in hostile territory, not to observe and study a new society, so she could definitely use someone as Nax to help her. Sure, sometimes the doctor could be really annoying due his sarcastic personality, but she knew that he was also intelligent and curious, both important qualities to be a member of the Seekers of Truth. Maybe, once back home, she would have proposed his name to the order of the Zealots for a promotion.
“Do you have any kind of experience in infiltrations?”
“Of course! I did eight missions as Ossoona during the last two years of the war,” he said proudly.
She was about to ask him more about his operative past when Gusay approached them.
“I'm sorry for the intrusion, ma'am, but I wanted to inform you that the analysis is complete. All systems are perfectly operative."
“Excellent,” she nodded.
“Uhm, why is the doctor here?” the pilot asked, clearly confused.
“I'm part of the team now, as scientific staff support,” Nax clarified, before looking around. “Speaking of the team, where are the others?”
“I sent the two Spec Ops Minors to the armory to take our weapons, while the Major went to the Huragok so that they could check his armor,” Tarya answered.
“And the Spec Ops Officer?”
“He's somewhere hunting for poor souls to devour,” she replied dismissively.
“Am I detecting hostility towards him?” he asked with a frown. His tone had suddenly changed, most of his usual warmth gone while his posture become stiffer.
“What makes you think that?” she responded without even trying to hide her sarcasm.
“It doesn't take a genius to get it. Shoot, what's the deal?”
“Nothing, beside the fact that my uncle assigned the task to control me to a bloodthirsty-emotionless monster.”
“Oh, for Librarian's sake, don't tell me you are one of them!” Nax exclaimed shocked with a tone that oozed exasperation, but also delusion, as if he didn't expect a similar comment from her.
“If for 'them' you mean those who think that he's a loose cannon, then yes. Seriously, have you ever seen one of his mission logs? I swear, I've gotten nightmares for several nights after I've seen what he's capable of doing on the battlefield.” She shivered. “I dare not even imagine what would happen if he were to lose control in an inhabited zone. The last thing that I want is a massacre of civilians just before the first official contact.”
“If I were you, I'd be more careful with your words,” Nax warned her.
“Why? It's not like he's here.”
“I have to disagree,” the Commando declared, dropping his clocking system and appearing right in front of her.
“Whoa!” Tarya exclaimed, backing off in surprise at his sudden apparition. “Zhar, what the hell is wrong with you? Why were you cloaked?”
“I'm hunting for souls to devour,” he replied without a minimal trace of humor.
'So he had heard the whole conversation. Great.'
“Oh, my. I hope you won't start with mine,” she joked provocatively.
“Spare me you sarcasm, Zealot. You're not the only one who doesn't like this situation. You don't want me in the team, while I prefer to work alone. Nevertheless, the shipmaster gave me the task to assist you during the mission, and I have to obey his orders. As should you.”
Tarya straightened her posture, part of her bravado lost.
“I'm not questioning the decision of the Shipmaster,” she said, irritated by his insinuation, “but personally I think that I don't need a supervisor, nor your boot camp lessons.”
“Given your limited experience on the field, you'd better take advantage from this opportunity.”
“Don't treat me like a rookie, Zhar,” she hissed in a warning tone. “I'm not new to the battlefield.”
“Yet, despite your rank, you still don't deserve to be treated like a veteran,” he remarked.
The Zealot covered the distance that separated her from the black armored Sangheili in a blink, roaring menacingly.
“Are you accusing me of being unworthy of my rank?” she snarled. The difference of height and mass between them was evident, but the Zealot didn't seem to care about it. Like any other Sangheili, she was ready to defend her honor, no matter whom or what her foe was.
“No, I think that you are not the right leader for this mission,” he stated, totally unperturbed by her display of aggressiveness.
“And who else should be? You?”
“Lacking better suited candidates? Yes.”
Tarya emitted a low, menacing growl, barely managing to control her levels of anger. “We have to talk,” she said with a glacial tone.
“I agree, but I suggest having this conversation in a more secluded place. The crew shouldn't see the officer’s quarrel amongst themselves,” he said, nodding sideways.
She looked around slowly. All the eyes in the hangar were fixed on the two officers.
“What are you looking at?! Go back to work!” she barked to the crew members, who hurried to avert their gaze and frantically resuming their activities.
“Follow me,” she said with a tone that sounded more like an order then a request. Both their ranks corresponded to that of Ultra, although they came from different branches of the armed forces, but the Spec Ops Officer didn't seem minimally bothered by her tone. The Zealot led him through the hangar until they reached a door hidden behind a damaged Seraph that lead to a storage room. The room was small, but also almost completely empty, save for a few weapon crates and a couple of devices used by the Unggoy to refill their methane tanks in the field, making it the perfect place to have a private discussion away from prying ears.
The moment that the door closed, the Zealot exploded.
“Was it really necessary to say those things right in front of the crew?!” she yelled.
“Really hypocritical, considering that you openly described me as a mindless beast driven by his desire for blood,” Zhar replied calmly, managing at the same time to sound threatening; as usual. Everything, from his jet black commando harness, to his posture, seemed to infuse fear in enemies and allies alike.
“However, we're going off topic. I'm the first to admit that my methods, although effective, are quite brutal, but I think that's not your bigger issue with me,” he said, scrutinizing her intently. Despite both of them wearing integral helmets, Tarya felt like his eyes were able to pierce through her mind. “So, tell me, Zealot, what is it that really bothers you?”
So far she had managed to maintain a minimal amount of control, but now, as if he had opened a dam, all her frustrations went down like a waterfall.
“You really want to know? My career, if not my entire life, simply sucks,” she spat. “The instructors made my training a hell just because I was a female; I've spent the last three years working as a technician despite my rank being equivalent to that of an Ultra, forced to overhaul vehicles and ships damaged in battles to which I should have attend, or to examine damaged Forerunner artifacts recovered by morons that haven't the slightest idea about how to handle them properly; and as if it wasn't enough there are those horrible rumors that insinuate that I reached my rank thanks to my uncle, only because he's the commander of the ship on which I serve! And now that I finally have the chance to prove my real qualities and skills, not just to my uncle but also to my damn detractors, a bloodthirsty and paranoid psychopath dares to insult me in front of the whole crew, pretending to be better suited to lead the mission!”
She closed the distance between them until their helmets almost touched and locked her gaze with his, trying to appear as determined and fearless as possible.
“Listen to me carefully, Zhar. If you think you can put me aside and assume the command of the team, well, you're completely wrong. I will not lose the opportunity of my life to a stupid killer like you. This is my command, my team, and you will follow my orders!”
The scene was impressive. Given his reputation as a ruthless killer, very few people would have ever dared to speak that way to the Spec Ops Officer.
Tarya was clearly very brave.
'Oh shit, I'm going to die!' she thought, panicking when the adrenaline rush faded away and she realized what she had just done. 'I've just ranted against the deadliest warrior of the fleet in a secluded room where nobody can hear me scream. That's it, first he will kill me and then he will eat me while I'm still alive.'
The Commando spoke, interrupting her train of incoherent thoughts.
“If you think that I want to lead the expedition for my personal glory, then I have to disappoint you. I stopped caring about crap like that a long time ago. I respect what you had to endure to reach your rank, and I can assure you that I have no issue following the orders of a female,” he said, ignoring her blatant surprise. Honor and glory were at the base of their very culture. To hear a warrior say that they didn’t care about them was like hearing an insult or heresy.
“Then where's the problem?” she asked with caution.
“ 'Intelligent and skilled, she performs her tasks with efficiency and enthusiasm, but despite this she has the flaws of being impulsive and too confident of her own abilities.' Does that sound familiar?” Zhar asked almost casually.
“That's my final evaluation at the academy,” she said shocked. “How-?”
“Don't be so surprised, all those who have the right authorization can access the files of the crew. I prefer to work alone, but when I'm in a team I like to know everything about my teammates.”
She didn't know why, but the more Zhar talked, the more uncomfortable she felt.
“I have to admit, your curriculum is really impressive. Your scores at the military academy are excellent, if not even above average, as well as your scientific knowledge. But the section of your file that remained particularly impressive in my mind was your roster of service. As you said previously, you've took part in several war operations, but I couldn't help but notice that most of the time you fought in the first line or you were committed to retrieve technological artifacts in already conquered areas. All situations where the cloaking device was only used for short amounts of time. When it comes to stealth recons, like the one that we're about to perform, your file lists just three missions, in each of which you were just a gregarious. I could have overlooked this particular mission if you were a just a Minor, or even a Major, but you are the officer in charge of the mission. You are the leader, the one who is supposed to know how to keep the team undetected and continue with the mission in case of a sudden turn of events. This requires cold blood and the ability to think fast and clearly, otherwise not only does the mission go to hell, but so does your team. I've seen enough arrogant idiots be killed just because of their overconfidence and their thirst for glory, worst of all drawing their squads to their same fate.”
He stepped forward, towering over her as a black demon.
“You are an excellent element, Tarya, I'll give you that, but listen to me really closely: if you put the team or the ship in danger because you fucked up the mission in your eagerness to prove yourself, then you'll have to deal with me.”
His tone was low, controlled, bare of any trace of emotion, yet it was one of the most threatening things she'd ever heard in her life.
Despite all of her own will, she couldn't stop the chilling sensation that she felt run through her spine. Gathering all her courage, she managed to reply to his words with a voice more firm and secure than she had.
“Trust me. I will not fail.”
Zhar remained silent, simply staring at her. She couldn't tell if he was reflecting about giving her a chance, or the best way to kill her and make it appear as an accident.
“We'll see.”
Without any other words, Zhar left the room, leaving Tarya alone with her thoughts, still surprised to have survived despite her own stupidity.
Tarya found the courage to leave the room only after several minutes. She felt like a complete idiot. She had allowed her emotions to drive her mind, engaging a stupid discussion with Zhar, with the only result worsening her relationship with the Commando.
“Glad to see that he didn't severe your head with a bite,” Nax said casually. The doctor was sitting not too far on an exhausted plasma battery with his helmet put on the floor next to him.
“He knows the right spots to strike, both physical and mental,” she said wearily, leaning against the wall and taking off her helmet.
“He's a Vadam” the physician replied simply. “Their minds are strong as their physique.”
He took something from a side pocket of his armor. It looked like a small tablet covered in tin foil that emitted a pleasurable aroma once he unwrapped the casing. She immediately recognized the smell. Chocolate. One of the few good things that the Great War had brought.
“Want some? It will lift your mood,” he offered as he threw in his maws a piece of the brown substance.
Tarya nodded and took a piece of the tablet. She closed her eyes and inhaled the smell of the human food before she put it in her maws, enjoying the sweet taste as long as possible, before swallowing. Nax wasn't joking. She felt more relaxed almost immediately.
The two remained to watch the progresses of the repair work in the hangar without saying a word, until Tarya decided to finally break the silence.
“You seem to know him well,” the Zealot said.
Nax nodded slowly. “Ever since he was just a Minor.”
“How did you meet?”
Nax took a moment to recall the far events. “It was several years ago, on the carrier Defender of Faith. He had just arrived on the ship when he spotted this group of morons that was having fun by beating for the third time that week a member of the 'medical scum',” he said, pointing at himself while wearing a sad smirk.
Tarya couldn't help but cringe inwardly. She thought that her life sucks? Nax, and probably many others like him, had to endure a far worse situation for a longer period, doing an unappreciated yet important job, and with an almost complete lack of respect from the members of their very species. She felt once again sincerely happy for him that things had changed after the Schism.
“Well, long story short, after having understood what was happening, the boy knocked out all six of them in a matter of seconds. You can imagine my surprise in front of the scene. Not just for how easily with which he dismissed so many opponents in so short of time, but for the act itself. Until then, most of the warriors that I had met treated me like I was the worst form of dregs in society. When I asked him why he had helped me, despite not knowing me and that I was a medic, you know what he said? 'Because it was the right thing to do.' "
The Sangheili in green armor smiled. “After that episode, we became good friends. We often talked when he came back from a mission. He liked having somebody older than him with which to confide, especially regarding his doubts. I think that in the end he considered me like one of his uncles.”
Tarya was absolutely speechless. She never imagined that the dark officer was not only able to socialize, but also care about others. Sure, he was universally respected on the ship not just by those under his command, but he seemed to keep his distance from anyone, spending his free time by training himself or in solitude in his cabin. Strangely, it was also almost impossible to see him without his helmet besides meal time.
“I find it hard to believe that under his armor there's a living, breathing creature,” she finally admitted. “He's always so cold, almost emotionless, and he seems to radiate an aura of darkness that makes you wonder if the rumors about him being the embodiment of death are true.”
“Trust me, he wasn't always like that.” Nax sighed, shaking his head. “Not until Tribute...” he added in a lower, bitter, tone.
“What do you mean?” she asked, turning towards him.
“Well... no, I'm sorry, but I can't. I promised him that I wouldn't tell it to anybody without his approval. Let's just say that a part of him died in the subway tunnels of the planet.”
Although the topic had attracted her curiosity, Tarya knew that it was better to not press the doctor for more details, so she decided instead to change the subject of conversation.
“Thanks again for the chocolate. Where did you get it?”
“I've bought it from the Rangers of Fireteam Heretic.”
“Those two weirdos?” she asked surprised. The duo was famous for being excellent marksmen and pilots, but also for their unusual lack of discipline that grazed the level of insubordination.
“I admit that they're a bit strange, but they're good guys. And besides, they have several contacts scattered on dozens of worlds. If you need something, they can get it.”
“You know that contraband is, how can I say, illegal?”
“I'm not the only one on the ship to avail to their services,” he replied dismissively, snapping his jaws. “Who do you think sold those human books to the shipmaster?”
His assertion left her completely dumbstruck. “No way,” she finally said in disbelief before she burst out in laughter. “My uncle, the shipmaster, resorts to the black market?”
Nax chuckled. “Welcome to the post-Covenant era.”
“The repair teams are doing an excellent job, don't you think?” Haka remarked as he and Vraal crossed the hangar.
The atmosphere around them was bustling with activity, with many members of the crew busy working on the several aircraft that filled the compartment, from the small Banshee interceptors to the mighty Phantom gunships.
The Shipmaster nodded, visibly pleased. This kind of sight filled him with pride.
When the Covenant Empire had fallen, its logistic network had disappeared forever, alongside with a large number of Huragok, taken away by the San-Shyuum(1) during their hasty flight. The following period had been particularly hard for the Sangheili, no longer able to build or even repair their ships and equipment. Many on Sanghelios had feared that in the long term this would bring their society back to a pre-space situation (assuming that the ONI didn't try to wipe them out first), but thankfully an increasing number of Sangheili, especially females and members of the younger generations, decided to dedicate their existence to the reconstruction of their civilization, learning not only how to repair their technology, but also how to do several other things that once were an exclusive preserve of the San Shyuum.
Vraal was optimistic. He was aware that it would be a long and difficult process, but he was sure that one day his race would reacquire the independence and the power that they once had before they joined the Covenant.
The two high rank officers soon reached their destination. The green coloration of the Stealth Phantom stood out against the purple alloy of almost everything made by the Covenant, but Vraal didn't mind it. Actually, he liked it. He considered the chromatic choice a tribute to those that had fought on the Ark.
The six members of the team were waiting near the Phantom, busy studying the topography of their target from a holotank.
As expected, Zhar was the first one to notice the incoming officers. The Commando seemed unable to be caught unprepared. “Shipmaster on deck!” he roared while snapping to attention, quickly followed by his teammates.
“At ease,” Vraal ordered. “You were all debriefed about your mission, but I'll summarize it to benefit the doctor,” he said, glancing briefly to Nax. “The continent below us is inhabited by an industrial civility composed by a race called ponies. In view of a future contact, your primary objective is infiltrate in what we presume is their capital and discover as much you can about them. If the opportunity arises, I also want you to gather information regarding the eventual presence of deposits of Helium-3 or Forerunner artifacts that may be related to the anomalous nature of the planet. Am I clear?”
“Sir, yes sir!” the members of the recon team roared.
“Good. Remember, your task will be to observe and study. In case your cover was to blow, you have to disengage.”
“In other words, sir, we have to run away?” one of the two Minors asked, clearly uncomfortable. Even if they were Spec Ops, they were still Sangheili, and a true Sangheili never fled.
“Think of it as a strategic retreat.”
“And that is?” he asked, tilting his head in confusion.
“It's like run away, but manlier,” Nax joked, earning a short laugh from the team.
“You have all heard the doctor,” the Shipmaster said with a hint of amusement, before becoming serious. “Now, without further ado, go and bring me all the data you can gather. I want a professional job, not some kind of crap that I can expect from a bunch of Jiralhanae Stalkers.”
The team hurried to climb aboard the Phantom. Tarya was about to do the same when her uncle called her.
“Tarya? May I have a few words with you?” Vraal said, beckoning for her to approach.
“Yes Shipmaster?” she asked coming closer. She noticed that Haka had moved away, giving them some privacy.
“I just wanted to let you know that I have complete trust in your abilities and to wish you good luck,” Vraal said, placing a hand on the shoulder of his niece.
“Thank you, uncle,” she said with sincerity. “You'll be proud of me.”
“I already am.”
Tarya smiled before putting on her helmet and began to walk to the dropship.
“Tarya?” he called with hesitation, making her stop and half turn. “Be careful.”
“Don't worry. I'll be,” she said, than she resumed her walk.
The Shipmaster looked on with his arms crossed as she hopped inside the Phantom and gave him a nod before the side doors of the shuttle closed.
With a subsonic hum, the Phantom lifted from the ground and headed to the blue force field that divided the hangar from the cold vastness of space.
The dropship crossed the barrier with a single fluid motion before accelerating towards the planet's surface.
“Are you still worried about her?” Haka asked him, approaching at his side.
“She's all that remains of my family, Haka. I have all the rights to be worried,” the shipmaster replied, still looking at the energy barrier and the shrinking spacecraft.
“You can't protect her forever, my old friend. You can only prepare her to face the challenges life will put on her path.”
“I know,” Vraal replied, finally facing the Ultra. “And that's what scares me the most.”
“Activate stealth mode,” the Zealot ordered once the Phantom reached the atmospheres limit.
“Aye, aye, ma'am,” the pilot replied, pressing several commands. “Sound suppressors, online. Radar jammer, online. Active camouflage system, online. All systems are operating one hundred percent. We are completely undetectable,” he informed her.
“Excellent,” she said satisfied. Now the dropship was really a phantom. “Keep the current route and speed,” she ordered, returning to the cargo bay.
“We will reach the LZ shortly. Give a last minute check to the cameras in your helmets. We must be sure to record everything,” she instructed the rest of the team.
The order could appear superfluous, considering the excellent maintenance performed by the Huragok, but they all knew that it was better to not take any risks.
“I wonder what kind of government they have,” Minor Legek asked to nobody in particular while checking his camera.
“We're still uncertain about the details, but according to their broadcasts, they have at least one of what the humans call a princess,” the Zealot explained, pronouncing a human word.
“Frinsess?” the other Minor, Felmak, tried to repeat with difficulty. Given the anatomy of their mouth, many Sangheili have difficulty pronouncing some sounds of the human languages.
“It's an English term used to indicate the daughters of the sovereigns, so we have to assume that they are ruled by a monarchy. The closer term that we have to translate it is the word eihkadan.”
“Do you think that she lives in that fortress?” Felmak asked.
“Most likely,” the Major Huram replied. “Certainly an individual of such importance wouldn't live in a small village.”
'They sure have been busy,' Flash Sentry thought with marvel, looking at the union between science and arcane arts that was the laboratory in the basement.
Books about physics shared the same bookshelves with manuals of alchemy, while modern electronic equipment were located not too far from crystal balls and vials containing magical potions.
Scattered all across the room were blackboards with intricate formulas, lab desks filled with mineralogical samples, and countless spreadsheets.
At the center of the room towered two massive tesla coils, between which there was a pedestal on which rested a power geode. The spherical rock was connected by several multi-colored wires to a vacuum tube computer. The sophisticated machine was currently writing on a long paper scroll a series of data that a certain purple alicorn was studying with attention.
Not wanting to startle her, he coughed politely.
“Oh, Flash, it's you,” Twilight said looking up from the huge scroll. From her voice, her mood seemed particularly good.
“Sorry to disturb you, I was just curious to see how you were doing.”
“Oh, you couldn’t have arrived at a better moment! I've probably found the solution to the power problem,” she said with a wide smile.
When Time Turner had left the library several hours before to go get his daughter from school, Twilight's research on the power geodes had reached a new stalemate. His knowledge in advanced physics had helped her make several steps ahead, but at the same time he had showed her a series of new issues related to the process of conversion of the raw magic in electricity. Calculation showed that the mana present freely in the environment tended to be more unstable compared to the one emitted from the mana spots, behaving in a highly unpredictable manner if not regulated by a unicorn's horn.
The earth pony stallion was confident that in time they would find a solution, but in the meantime he had highly recommended Twilight to pause the experiments until further studies were conducted on the interaction between mana and energy.
Given her attitude to never give up, the alicorn had decided otherwise.
“It took me some time, but looking at the studies of Starswirl the Bearded about the ability of pegasi to generate lightning bolts by manipulating clouds, I was able to find the information that I needed to complete the spell!”
After giving a last check to her equipment, she positioned herself in front of the geode.
“If I succeed, we'll be able to recharge the power geodes everywhere, without having to depend from the mana spot,” she said, invoking the magic inside her. The mana started to flow through her body, conveyed towards her horn, which soon was enveloped by a familiar magenta glow. “If I'm wrong, well, I'll have to completely review my studies.”
The spherical rock began to glow gently with a magenta light that matched the color of Twilight's magic, emitting a low humming sound. Twilight watched the geode in increasing trepidation, biting her lower lip in tension. It was the moment of truth.
Then, it happened. Electric bolts leaked from the geode, at first weak, then getting stronger, dancing briefly in the air before they were attracted by the two metal columns.
“Yes!” Twilight exclaimed with pure joy, clapping her hands and jumping in happiness. “It worked, Flash, it worked!” she said, turning towards the orange pegasus, smiling like a happy filly that has just received the present she wanted so much for her birthday.
Flash smiled back, sincerely happy to see her in such a good mood. After all the effort she had put herself through, she had been well rewarded.
His smile turned to a frown when he noticed that the brightness had increased noticeably, while the electric shocks become more and more violent.
“Twilight, is this supposed to happen?”
The alicorn looked at him confusedly before turning towards the contraption.
She gasped at the sight then she ran at her measurement devices. “Oh, no, no, nononono! This is bad, this is very bad!” she exclaimed at the sight of the readings.
“What's happening?”
“The flux of magic is too strong! The geode absorbs a large quantity of magic at such a high rate that it fails to convert all of it into electricity!”
“Then where does the excess magic end up?”
“The geode will continue to store it until it reaches the point of maximum capacity. Cross that limit and it will release the energy all at one time!”
Flash's pupils reduced to the size of pin pricks. It was like a dam unable to discharge the excess water, or a pressure cooker without a safety valve. The whole contraption was about to explode.
“Can you stop it?” he asked, just to find that the alicorn was already trying to severe the spell, her eyes closed and her horn glowing intensely.
She remained in that pose for almost a minute, beads of sweat beginning to run down her face, but in the end she had to desist.
“I can't stop it; the spell by now is self-powered! Unless...”
She lighted her horn once again, this time to generate a purple energy shield around the whole contraption. “There, maybe this will work. The force field will stop the flux of magic, or at least reduce it, giving the geode enough time to disperse the excess energy. Once the levels become low enough, I'll be able to nullify the spell.”
It seemed be working at first. The light produced by the spherical rock decreased noticeably, so much that she ventured to breathe a sigh of relief. Then the first cracks appeared. At first they were almost unnoticeable, but soon they became bigger and bigger, spreading across the surface of the shield with a noise of cracking glass until they formed an intricate network of fissures from which poured out rays of light. The shield itself began to change, shifting its coloration in a kaleidoscope of colors with a frequency more and more violent and hectic.
“What's happening?!”
“Electromagnetic anomalies! They interfere with the magic,” Twilight shouted, trying to shout over the sharp groan of the geode in overload. “I don't know how long I'll be able to hold the force field-”
The shield broke with a thundering sound of shattered glass, revealing the glowing geode in all its dreadful and powerful beauty, like a miniaturized sun.
The whine increased until it reached a level that hurt to hear.
Twilight's eyes widened in fear when she realized that the geode was about to explode.
“Twilight!” Flash Sentry screamed. Without a second of hesitation, the young stallion overturned a nearby desk and he tackled Twilight to the ground. They both fell behind the makeshift shelter, then, for higher precaution, he shielded his charge using his own body.
Not even a second later, the geode exploded with a deafening noise, releasing a light so intense that it hurt even with their eyes closed, while the air around them became suddenly hotter at the heat wave released by the explosion. Flash felt a strong tingling sensation pass through him, and his ears started to ring, but he didn't care. He lay still, entirely focused on protecting the shivering body under him, trying to offer maximum protection by using his wings.
The world around him finally stopped shaking after what seemed to be hours, but probably were just mere seconds.
The orange pegasus dared opening his eyes, blinking several times to readjust his vision. The sight that welcomed him made him blush. Twilight's muzzle was so close to his that they were almost touching. She too seemed to have realized their awkward position, because she was blushing furiously as well.
'Damn, she's cute when she blushes,' he couldn't help but think, unable to avert his gaze from her lavender eyes.
“Uh, are you alright?” he asked hesitantly in a concerned tone.
“I- I think so, just a bit dazed. You?”
“Just a slight tingling, but it's fading rapidly,” he reassured.
“Good.”
They remained still for several moments.
“Uh, Flash?” she mumbled, keeping her eyes locked with his.
“Yes?”
“Could you, uhm, you know...”
“Uh? Oh, sure!” he exclaimed, rising abruptly and carefully helping her get up. “Sorry if I pushed you,” he apologized sheepishly, diverting his gaze.
“D-don't worry, it's OK. You did the right thing.”
They both remained in silence for a minute.
“Thank you,” she finally mumbled.
“For what?”
“For protecting me.”
“Oh, well, it's my duty after all,” he said, rubbing the back of head with a hand.
“And you're doing a great job,” she said, giving him a kind smile that he soon mimicked.
The door to the basement banged open.
“Twilight! Flash!” Spike exclaimed worriedly, rushing towards her. “Are you alright?”
“Don't worry Spike, we're fine,” she reassured the young dragon hugging him.
“I was so worried, I heard that strange sound and I was gonna take a look when suddenly there was that loud explosion and- wow, that is really one big hole,” the dragon suddenly interrupted his worried rant when he noticed the one-meter-wide opening in the ceiling. Apparently, the reason why Flash and Twilight were practically unharmed was because, by sheer fortune, most of the energy of the explosion was released upward, crossing the entire library up to the roof, and continuing its route in the sky.
The three of them remained looking at the late afternoon sky through the sequential holes for a long time, then Twilight lowered her gaze. It was just then that she seemed to notice how badly the explosion had reduced her basement. She remained still as if she was entranced, she then used her magic to adjust a nearby overturned chair and she sat on it, hanging her head and resting her face in her hands.
Spike and Flash soon heard her quietly sobbing.
“Hey, hey, what's up?” Spike asked her gently, kneeling beside her and putting a hand on her shoulder.
The young alicorn looked up at him, showing an expression that made his heart clench. It was an expression that Spike had seen rarely, but that every time had struck him deeply. An expression that spoke of failure and resignation.
“I should have listened to you and Time Turner, and quit my experiments. I could have avoided all this,” she said, gesturing at her lab. Almost every surface was blackened and partially burnt, while many of her sophisticated equipment were visibly damaged, if not destroyed.
“Aw, c'mon Twilight. It could be worse,” Spike tried to cheer her up.
“How?” she snapped. “There's a hole that runs through the whole library, my equipment is destroyed, Flash and I could have been seriously injured or worse, and I risked hitting a pegasus or even a passing airship with an improvised death ray. Tell me, how could it be worse?”
Spike paused to reflect attentively, trying desperately to find an answer that wouldn't put him in trouble or upset Twilight more.
“Err, you could have unintentionally started a war with an unknown alien race?” he offered, bracing himself for her reaction.
To his relief, his big sister as well as oldest friend merely rolled her eyes and shook her head chuckling, clearly amused by the absurdity of his assertion. “Oh, Spike. You read too many science fiction comics. The probability that something like that could happen are so low to be practically nonexistent,” she said with absolute confidence.
The blinding energy beam would have surely gotten lost in the dark depths of space, but Fate seemed to have other plans for it.
The Stealth Phantom trembled violently when it was hit, before it started to fall in an uncontrolled nosedive.
“EMP!” Gusay yelled as he struggled to resume control of the dropship. Tarya and Zhar were the first ones to recover their balance, struggling against the vibrations to reach the cockpit. “The thrusters are in emergency shutdown,” the pilot said, causing Tarya to feel a strange sense of dejavù.
“Activate emergency thrusters,” the Commando ordered while holding on to a handle.
A red warning light flashed when the pilot pressed the switch. “The EMP damaged the commands! They don't work!”
“Leave it to me,” the Zealot said, opening a panel under the instrument panel. 'Hope the Huragok didn't modify the disposition of the circuits,' she mumbled as she fumbled with cables. 'Come on, come on, come on...'
She was rewarded by the warning light that beeped twice before shifting from red to blue, alerting that the emergency thrusters were functional again.
“Emergency thrusters online,” the pilot shouted over the noise of the alarms. “We're too close to the ground; I can only slow down the ship, not stop it. Hang on to something; it'll be a harsh landing!”
The sky was cloudy and dark, a clear indication that soon it would rain. A lone tall figure wearing a black hooded cape walked along one of the muddy streets of the small town, smiling darkly at the sight of her soldiers that carried away the spoils of their work. Everything went as planned. They had arrived in the town all at once, striking hard and fast, without giving the inhabitants the time to react or even realize what was happening until it was too late. In a matter of minutes, it was all over. Sure, there had been that little nuisance given by that team of Royal Guards that arrived to investigate but despite their pathetic attempt to fight, her soldiers had dealt with the issue without a problem.
'Mother will be really pleased with my results,' she thought with grim satisfaction.
The mighty howl of something falling from the sky made her look up, just in time to see a big green object that crossed the sky just above the level of the roofs, before it crashed in the market place leaving behind itself a long and deep trail of loose soil.
The hooded figure headed toward the crash site, followed by some of her troops, stopping at a safe distance. She studied the strange bulbous aircraft for a long time, trying to recognize the design, but in vain. The aircraft was unlike anything she'd ever seen in her life. It was almost alien. She shrugged. It doesn’t matter who had built it. Whoever was inside, they were just intruders that had dared to interrupt their harvest.
“The queen was clear,” she hissed to her soldiers. “Don't leave witnesses,” she ordered, showing a malicious smile filled with sharp fangs.
The Phantom slammed against the ground and bounced, before bumping again and continuing its run on ground for several meters, until it finally stopped.
Several seconds passed before the occupants of the dropship were able to rise from the floor of the cargo bay. Tarya was one of the last to get up, groaning as she tested the various parts of her body to make sure that nothing was broken. A headache was killing her, and she tasted blood in her mouth but apart from this everything else was fine.
A suppressed grunt of pain captured her attention. Legek was lying on the floor, bleeding copiously from a wound on his left leg. The limb was bent at an unnatural angle in correspondence of the ankle, with what looked like a fragment of bone that stuck out from the undersuit of his armor.
Nax immediately reached the injured soldier. After a quick diagnosis, he carefully removed the shinguard before he injected a painkiller near the wound. The Minor couldn't help but emit a sigh of relief.
“What a dishonorable wound,” Legek managed to grunt while Nax medicated his leg.
“Cheer up, you're still alive and soon you'll be back on the ship, surrounded by sexy nurses,” the doctor joked. After he finished applying the medication, he addressed the rest of the team. “Anybody else hurt? Nobody? Come on, don't be shy.”
The response from the rest of the team as well from the pilot was negative, but he noticed that the voice of the Major seemed forced.
“I'm fine,” the officer in red spec ops armor replied when the doctor addressed him specifically.
“Uh-uh, sure,” Nax said, clearly not buying it. The physician then raised his robotic arm towards the Major. From his wrist, where it was supposed to be his energy dagger, appeared instead a red laser light that quickly scanned the body of the other Sangheili.
“Ah, there it is,” Nax hummed once he had examined the scanner readings on his HUD. “You have three broken ribs, one of which pierced your left lung, and also a slight internal hemorrhage. I can give you something to stabilize your condition, but you need to be operated on as soon as possible.”
“Provided that we're able to come back to the ship,” Zhar pointed out while the doctor injected in the wound a reverse-engineered version of biofoam by a slot in the Major’s armor.
“He's right,” Tarya had to agree. “Gusay, give me the report of our status.”
“Affirmative,” the pilot replied through the speakers in their helmets. “The Phantom didn't suffer excessive structural damage besides some dents on the hull, but all systems, including the external sensors and the radio, are in reboot. The procedure will require several minutes. Until then we are basically blind, mute, and deaf.”
“And the good news?”
“That was the good news. The bad one is that we crashed in the worst possible place.”
“Which would be?”
“Right in the middle of a village.”
Tarya did the only appropriate thing in this kind of situation. She facepalmed, cursing the universe. The mission hadn’t even begun and things were already going to hell.
“And there goes the surprise effect,” she hissed with irritation.
Something knocked on the hull with force.
“We are not alone,” Zhar growled.
The zealot sighed with resignation. “We might as well get acquainted with the locals,” she was about to activate the command that opened the side door of the Phantom, when Zhar stopped her hand.
“Hold on,” he said. “Don't be impulsive.”
“Look, we cannot remain here without knowing what's going on outside,” she said, annoyed.
“True, but that doesn't mean we have to throw ourselves into a trap.”
“What do you mean?”
“I'll assume that you hit your head during the crash and the subsequent commotion has made thinking difficult,” the Sangheili in black armor said flatly. “They have just shot down our dropship using an EMP weapon. Do you really expect them to welcome us with open arms?”
“We have no proof that they are involved,” she retorted.
“Oh, sure, in fact the odds that a random electromagnetic pulse could hit a cloaked Phantom in the most delicate moment of re-entry in atmosphere are very high,” he said with sarcasm.
The Zealot blinked. She tried to argue, but to her dismay she realized that he had a point. Again. Damn.
“Alright.” She turned towards the rest of the team. Gusay had joined them in the cargo bay and was now wielding his plasma rifle.
“Gusay,” she said, pointing at the pilot, “You, the Major, and Lekeg will remain here to protect the Phantom and provide us cover fire with the turrets. Felmak, grab a carbine. You'll be our marksman while the doctor will cover your blind spots with his needler. Zhar and I will be ahead and will engage eventual close targets. Clear?”
The others nodded in agreement.
“Good. One last thing.”
She breathed deeply, trying to collect her thoughts, before she spoke again.
“We don't know who's waiting for us outside, nor their intentions. If they're a threat, we'll neutralize them. But there's the possibility, even if it could appear incredibly remote, that they are not related to the EMP and so that they are not hostile. In this case, they'll probably be scared, curious at least, so we'll have to act in a way to not cause panic, or otherwise things will start to go really bad.” She sighed. “We cannot allow history to repeat itself by starting a conflict with a species we have just discovered. We need friendly relationships with the inhabitants if we want to have a chance to go back home, so I'm expecting to see all of you showing them the best of our race and behave with respect and honor.”
Her teammates nodded again, but this time they did it slower, almost solemnly.
Satisfied, she turned towards Zhar, discovering that the Spec Ops Officer was staring at her with his head slightly tilted.
“Is something wrong?” she asked with a hint of hesitation.
“Till now, nothing. Keep going that way,” he responded, taking her aback with surprise. Was that a compliment? Difficult to say, given his emotionless tone.
Tarya coughed, trying to not sound embarrassed. “Alright, let's go.”
The zealot unsheathed her plasma pistol and took a deep breath; bracing herself for whatever was waiting for them outside before she pressed the opening command.
She didn't know exactly what she was expecting to see. A platoon of soldiers with their weapons pointed towards them? An angry mob of farmers armed with torches and pitchforks? A lone child that starred with a mix of awe and amazement at the sight of the mighty space warriors?
It didn’t matter what she could have imagined. What she saw instead caught her completely off guard.
The town looked like a war zone.
She stepped out of the dropship and began to walk cautiously on the muddy road, observing her surroundings attentively.
The buildings were in a horrible state, with strangely familiar round burn marks on the walls made of wood and bricks. Many windows were broken, while the doors were off their hinges or even smashed. Judging by the position of most of the wooden splinters and glass shards, they had been broken from the outside, as if someone or something had broken into the houses.
Several burned vehicles dotted the road. The fires were gone, but the smoke and the thermal scanners of her suit confirmed that it hadn’t happened too long ago.
Something shiny on the ground captured her attention. She bent to grab it, discovering what seemed to be a small brass cylinder. It took her an instant to recognize it. It was a cartridge case. Looking with more attention, she saw that there were many others scattered in the mud, along with hundreds of hoofprints.
Until not too long ago, there were surely hundreds of citizens committed to carry out their daily routines through these streets, but now these same streets were completely deserted.
“Looks like a ghost town,” the Minor Felmak muttered.
“Ghosts don't knock,” Zhar replied, scanning the landscape with his plasma repeater.
“My scanners don't detect signs of life from the nearby buildings,” Nax reported.
“Then where are the inhabitants?” Tarya wondered out loud.
The unnerving silence was suddenly broken by a series of screeching sounds, not too different from the ones produced by the Yanme'e when they were enraged, but more creepy.
“We're about to find out,” Zhar growled, assuming a battle stance as several red dots suddenly appeared on their motion trackers.
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Those changelings are going to regret big time.
4698313
fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/151/5/8/58a3606f12693778dc27f88149e4ef8d-d51gkpt.png
I have no idea what you're talking about...
My guess to be changelings... And they are not prepared for the for the butt kicking they are about to receive! >:D
... GOD FUCKING DAMN IT TWILIGHTTHE ANGER I HAVE AT THIS MOMENT IT UNTELLABLE THROUGH TEXT AND FLASH YOU HAD TO OPEN YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
4699183
... let me guess: not a Flash Sentry fan, eh?
4699256 no I love flash, it's just Twilight just started a flipping war with aliens because she was getting cocky... but flash just add insult to injury is all.
4699330 Oh, now I get it. Your previous comment was a bit, uhm, confused.
Anyway, don't be too harsh with the poor girl. She couldn't know what would have happened
Plus, the sensors of the ship have not yet intercepted the origin point of the ray. Not yet >:D
4699359 stream1.gifsoup.com/view/81900/grinch-grin-2-o.gif I can't wait >:) let's see if Twilight can talk her way through this one.
4699359 I can just see The Elites and Ponies becoming friends and Tarya talking shop with Twilight and asking about the hole in her roof while Twilight gets embarrassed and admits what happened. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SHOT US DOWN???"
"I SHOT YOU DOWN???? OH CELESTIA I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO *goes into worry rant about starting interstellar war* 
chik-chik
Shit just got real
4699180 butt kicking
more like ten thousand gallons of un treated elite style whoopass!
4733316 Exactly! >:D
4733379 Whoever they are , they will regret attacking them so much as the
Sangheili are gonna kick theyr asses back to the badlands if they are changelings , seriusly if they cant fight much against Ponies , what are the chances they can even defend themselves from
a 2,5 mt tall alien with armor and plasma weapons?
i.imgur.com/NnoGhN1.gif
They're so FUCKED.
I just REALLY hope that Twilights little "accident" doesn't completely ruin the ponies relationship with their visitors. Too many stories about the covenant races (the well written stories such as this anyway) always end up with them being the enemies. Would really be nice to see a "good elites" (and engineers and hunters as well) story where they actually befriend the equestrians (even if it is for something as simple as getting fuel for their ship to return home such as how this one seems to be playing out so far).
But yeah, very well written and I'm excited for the next chapter.
4873560 Thank you
I won't spoil too much the story, let's just say that the relationships between ponies and Covenant Separatist will be complicated, for several reasons.
Well Twilight, once again you have created a mess with your fanatic research.
On a side note, great story.
Oh no.
5084426 Nope
5084732 Oh yes
i.imgur.com/3gU26.jpg
I don't mean to be rude and all and I do understand these things take time but WHERE THE FUCK IS THE NEXT CHAPTER!?
Sincerely, from your clinically insane zealot;
~ The Lonely Rhode.
5165954 I'm currently working on it, it should be ready within the end of the month.
P.S. nice profile picture
5168478 Why thank you good sir
. Now if you excuse me, I have to get going. Contact me if there is anything you may need!
Riok kri Khu Kiya! (Translation: You can do this!)... I used a translation source on halo.wiki
5169544 I'll keep that in mind
Hmm, by the way, where did you have found that translator? I was planning to insert some dialogues in Sangheili later in the story, but the only sources that I've found so far are some transcription from the Spartan Ops on Halo Waypoint
5169577
... also, on a side note, could you check out a story I've been writing? I need all the input I can get. Its called 'Recollections of the Rhodes'
Here it is, I hope it works well
This is most certainly one of the best Halo crossovers, a fantastic sci-fi fic and perhaps the singular best first contact fic I have ever read. The only issue (that isn't really an issue at all) is that the elites don't particularly act and speak within the thresholds that the Halo series presents us, they carry themselves in a much more casual, human manner than in the games. This proves to be yet another benefit to the story as it greatly helps building a personal relation to the characters in the story, and to appreciate the situations they are in. All the OC characters are extremely well written and reasonably fleshed out with a healthy amount of backstory and development, and the ponies are accuratley portrayed while given certain personal quirks to the situations they find themselves in, not just following a stony stereotype that the show might depict. Overall this story presents a healthy and colourful selection of well written characters who react in very reasonable and believable ways to difficult and uncomfortable dilemas they encounter.
The God Emperor Approves! Please continue writing, far too few authors that produce this finer material.
5251998 Wow, thank you very much
your words flatter me 
I'm really glad to know that you appreciate my story so much (although there are some aspects that don't satisfy me completely and that I'm planning to edit in the future).
The reason why the Sangheili don't act and speak like in the games or in the books is mostly because after the fall of the Covenant followed a period of 'laicization' of their society, so many customs related to the religion of the prophets (like the elaborate way of speak, or certain ways of acting) have been abandoned in favor of a more practical mindset (this at least is what I think, the exceptions are the fanatics groups like the Servants of the Abiding Truth, or the followers of Jul Mdama), especially in the younger generations.
5252062 It's not beyond the realms of possibility that the elites society would adopt more practical mannerisms, it certainly is a big contrast to the strait up 'taliban' theme the storm covenant have going on. Also, I was wondering what pattern of armour these guys are wearing (Halo CE/Halo 2/Halo 3/ Halo reach/ Halo 4/ Anniversary remakes), I've imagined it to be somewhat Halo Reach style so far.
5252357 The armors are an aspect that I admit to have neglected a bit, apart for the Ultras in the scene in control room. I think I will describe them more deeply more ahead in the story or in a dedicated post. To summarize, most of the armors are of the ones seen in Halo Reach, like the General armor of the shipmaster, but there are also armors coming from Halo 3 (the models Commando, Pilot, and Assault), and from Halo CEA (the red-white armor worn by the Major Domo).
It wasn't very clear in the first chapter, but the armor that Tarya wears is basically the Reach spec ops model but with the colors of the zealots of the same game (purple with electric blue decorations on the edges of the shoulders and the helmet).
5252524 Great, thanks. If I have time I'll draw a quick character reference sketch for Tarya, she's a good enough character to give her some visualisation to. Haven't drawn elites in an age, will be nice to give them another shot ^^
5252569 If you need more details about her character, let me know
5252687 Just about Sangheili female heads and faces. I may just draw her with her helmet on, but if I can help it I'll draw her with it off, and I just wanted to know how you'd visualise a female. I'm going to assume to disregard the depiction is -wretch- Halo: Legends, and was wondering what differences she might have to a male like pronounced features, thinner head, smaller mandibles, longer neck, maybe some ridges in the skull or a small crest like protrusion? Go nuts, just wanted to make it personal to the story.
5252806 You're right, I disagree with the portrayal shown in The Duel (Hairs? Blasphemy!). In my vision, their faces are a bit less intimidating of the ones of the males: their teeth are smaller, the maws are able to close almost completely (giving them a more human resemblance), and the head is less bulky. Here's some pics that are pretty close to my idea:
http://slaskia.deviantart.com/art/Head-profile-Sani-150450327?q=favby%3Awebsplorer%2F57277700&qo=53
http://methados.deviantart.com/art/New-Female-Elite-quot-ARMOR-quot-153651559
http://methados.deviantart.com/art/Female-Idhe-Color-116263962?q=favby%3Awebsplorer%2F57277700&qo=17
EDIT: Oh, and they have also a thin line of scales where are supposed to be the eyebrows in humans (you know, as ridge-brow)
5252883 Got it, thanks! ^^
Zhar: looks like a secreted resin.
Tarya: yeah, but secreted from what?
reaction 1:WHY DO THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO JINX IT????????
reaction 2: You could, you wouldn't, you shouldn't, but you did
reaction 3:
Oh boy, things just got interesting
is this why Zhar fights alone? Because he's afraid he'll get his team killed?
8047650
Spoilers to his past i guess.... *LE GASP* I JUST REALIZED WHY “Some part of him died that day” FOR ZHAR!!
*Vine boom sound effect*