Recovery ten

by Carmine Prophet

Jericho VII

“A message to the director of project freelancer mark two. From the UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence.

Dear Director

Do to the covenant’s relentless assault. We have be forced to instate the Reliance protocol. Do to the immense cost to produce Spartans, and there limited survival rate, and field service do to their few numbers. We are reinstating the Freelancer Program. We will be authorizing the use and fragmentation of the AI Made from the consciousness of the captured Spartan III Emile A-239 Noble Four who was registered MIA during the battle of Reach. However The Spartan III who has been Presumed MIA at the battle of Reach and Current Beta-5 operative Daniel B-312 Noble Six will be assigned to Train, Operate with, and select the new Freelancer Agents.

One such Recruit is a Beta-5 mercenary training with Mark one Freelancer agent Washington. Unfortunately something happened the details of which will be included in this report As well as his BIO. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him will it director?

Good luck Dear Director.

And Remember Honor Noble. And Remember.”

August 5, 2552

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December 13, 5559

Reach sat there in the cargo bay of the Ship with the nine mares and one dragon. Pinkie pie had fallen asleep. The Mono-eye on his helmet was currently pointed at cadence who was currently trying to ‘stealthily’ check him out by sneaking peaks at him like she had been doing for the past two days.

“So what can you tell me about the planet we are going to? Is it your home world?” Twilight asked causing his eye to go to her

“Yes agent Reach I would like very much to see this new place.” Celestia said impatiently as the trip had been mostly uneventful do to the humans’ unwillingness to reveal much to the peace loving equines

“Well it was a farming planet. Named Jericho seven” Reach explained

“Well I recon they must be real friendly. A bunch of Hardworking Farm ponies.” Apple Jack said

“Where are we currently?” twilight asked

“We are in slipstream space. A method of Faster than light travel.” Reach explained as he cleaned his MA5D.

“WHAT! That’s imposable!” The bookworm yelled in complete astonishment.

“No it isn’t. Both Humans and Covenant ships can both do it.”

“Reach we are entering the planets gravity well, exiting slip space. But I’m getting some wired readings.”

“What kind of wired readings.” Reach asked making the Ponies, Changeling and dragon a little nervous had there been a problem.

“Hang on…. (Growl) and you’re sure? (Hiss) Ok… Reach it’s an ONI transponder signal coming from the surface.” Onyx said

“But there was never an ONI base on Jericho 7, anything else?” they saw reach ask.

“Ya I’m not getting any Human lifelines on the planet just local wild life? But the something isn’t right?” Onyx said

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m not getting any of the larger species. Almost like there was a mass extinction, like everything died all at once?”

“Roger that. Take us in and get us as close to that transponder as possible. But be careful! I don’t want any surprises”

“Reach?”

“’sigh’ yes Pandora?”

“The signal is 2,729 years old.” The female AI said.

“What? You are telling me that this transponder had been going off since 2830?”

“You can do math congratulations.”

“Ok we will be careful.”

“Alright girls listen up.” Reach said

“What is it Mister R-r-reach?” Fluttershy asked

“Two things. First if you want to see the planet we are going to look out the window. An…” Before he could finish nine of them sprinted to the window and if the many oos and ahs were any sign they were amazed.

“It has Green Oceans!?” Twilight asked amazed

“Four moons?!” Chrysalis asked

“They look like silver.” Fluttershy said

Other comments like that were said by the nine of them resulting in him sighing and looking to his side and noticing that Rarity had not decided to go over to the window. And when asked why she replied “I can see it later when we arrive darling.” She said as she grabbed his arm and stared into where his eyes would be and the Mono-eye looked into her eyes. The two were completely unaware that the others were watching them from the corner of their eyes. Over the past two days the two have gotten to know each other a little more and have started to form what could be called a relationship. And it was somewhat humorous to her friends that the fashionista mare had finally had a special somepony even tho it was an alien Mercenary.

“ANYWAY!” Reach yelled getting their attention

“We should be entering the atmosphere now so back away from the window.” He said and as they did they saw a metal cover slide over the window. They then turned back to him as he loaded his weapon.

“Ok people listen up. While we are here you follow my orders. You do whatever Maine, Onyx, or I say. Is that under stood?” he asked getting various methods of agreement.

Five minutes later

“Foxtrot-actual on final approach.” Onyx said to no one.

“Hay open the rear doors.” Reach said over the Radio

“You got it. Hay Maine I’ve got this you can go back with them.” He said

“Growl.” Maine replied before stepping down from the copilot’s seat and walked back into the Blood Tray or cargo hold as it was officially known.

“Ok people. Stay low, Stay out of our way, let us know if you see anything! Let us know, Grab your gear, Stow your fear and get set! For a Recon op.” Reach said earning nods from the mares and dragon as they saw down and strapped themselves in. He stood up and grabbed the hand hold over Rarity’s seat who was sitting at the rear of the ship as the door opened and revealing the rolling beautiful land scape.

There were vast rolling plains of palm grass. They flew over a small abandoned neighborhood. As they flew the mares and dragon in the back saw a strange vehicle when they heard Reach tell Pandora to put a way point on his H.U.D where they were headed.

“Hay Zeta? Think it still works? It could come in handy.” He asked the AI

“I have done author scan and it still seems fully functional. But it will take two to get it running.” The Blue and Gold AI said.

“Never mind then.”

“Five Mikes out.” They heard Onyx say over the

“Solid copy.”

“Maine! Weapons check.” Reach ordered to the mute freelancer getting a growl in response as they both got there weapons ready.

Five minutes later

The Pelican sores around a mountain pass and they rounded a perimeter wall and a gun emplacement and starts to hover an ONI symbol in the middle of the base.

“What are we waiting for why aren’t we landing?” Rainbow dash demanded getting a gloved hand covering her muzzle.

“Shhhhh… You talk to loud. Look I don’t know about you. But I don’t want to be turned to dust by those things.” Reach whispered pointing to three AA cannons pointed at them.

“This is Freelancer Reach, Access code alpha- bravo-six-six-actual-niner. Serial number 71828-39917-AR.” He said and half of a minute later a loud Bass heavy synthetic male voice came over the loud speaker in the pelican.

“Access Code accepted, serial number accepted, welcome beta- Five Freelancer Agent Reach.” The voice said before the Guns that were trailing them turned around and deactivated.

The ship lowered to the ground and Reach hopped out. Followed by the mares and dragon, Maine and onyx who powered down the engines, however as they all got out the aft starboard engine burst into flames.

“Fuck! Maine bubble shield NOW!” reach yelled prompting the Mark one freelancer to raise the domed energy shield around the thirteen of them as the pelican exploded as the fire reached a fuel tank.

“NOoo! My things were still in there!” someone screamed but the three freelancers weren’t paying attention

“Damn it! We are stuck here now.” Reach yelled earning a series of growl's and hisses from Maine.

“You know what maybe your right? But what are the chances of one being here?”

“What are you talking about?” Celestia asked concerned

“How can you be so calm Auntie!? WE are stranded on an alien Planet!” Cadence yelled

“For once I have to agree with Cadence. Why are you taking this so lightly!?” Chrysalis yelled

“Any way, There might be a ship here we can use.” Reach said calmly ignoring them shutting them up.

“Hang on I’ll try a scan?” Reach said and held up his right wrist but only got a disrupted staticy hologram.

“Hm too much interference out here, we have to try again inside.”

“Alright let’s split up into groups so we can search this place faster.” Onyx ordered. Getting nods from them all.

“Ok But who goes with who?” Rainbow dash asked

“Okay well since I don’t want to start an incident with you killing our client, again. I will take Cadence, Chrysalis, Twilight, Rarity and Celestia.” Getting ok’s from the mares in question as they walked up to him.

“Strange?” Pandora commented to Onyx inside his head.

“What?”

“I am getting elevated pheromone levels from the onees known as cadence and chrysalis.” She said to him.

“Well that’s wearied what does that mean?”

“Well I would assume that they are attracted to someone. Rather they knows it or not is unknown.”

“Ok who then?”

“Reach.”

“That’s retarded, your retarded.” He commented on his AI’s expert hypothesis

“Okay people let’s move it out. Maine go with whoever.” Onyx ordered getting a nod from the Mark one Freelancer who turned and followed Reach like he used to follow Wash.

The two groups split up and neared the underground complex.

“Ok get ready. Here we go.”

“Reach darling?” Rarity asked gaining his groups attention and when they turned they saw her gesturing to a pile of something.

"What is it?"

“I don’t know?” Reach commented kneeling down and picking some of it up and letting it fall through his fingers.

“It’s… Ash?” he said confused looking up but not at them, but out at the rest of the landing aria they had landed in there were a few more ash piles strewn about. And when he trod back up he brushed the remainder of the ash that was on his hands off on his gauntlets, but something a glint maybe caught the Cadences eye and she immediately grabbed his armored hand and chipped some of the grime and it reviled DRN4.

“What is DRN4?” the pink alicorn asked still holding his hand in hers for some reason.

“I don’t know?” he said putting a hand on his head in obvious discomfort.

“And this?” the freelancer continued slowly, carefully, almost solemnly even. He took his hand back from cadence and picking more ash up and letting it fall from his fist.

“Just… Dust and echoes?” And with that he turned around and led them through the door to the underground complex.

Comments

[spetsnaz pinkie pie]

Damn good. Just need edit.