Unseen Hope

by NnoDragonEclipse

Strategic Retreat, Target Spotted

I sat in silence as Millipede got patched up. I just can't believe how close I was to losing it. Suit, administer the damn smoothers now!
Affirmative

I can't go berserk on these guys; I can't lose it here. It was just some little comment that set me off. I got so close to him and angry enough to kill him. It would have been like what happened to Jacob. You need to stay calm while the drug works its magic, I don't need a blue-on-blue incident. Suit show reserves of the smoothers.
95% remaining, last dose was five minutes ago taking 5%; It will last nine days before next dose is required.

Thank God, if he exists, that I stocked up on it. I don't want to enter that side ever again. I need to do something productive to get my mind off it. There is much but to keep my eyes on the field of trees for anything moving. This Equestria can show up any minute now and we'll be trapped.

Sneaking a glance back at the group I notice something strange. The medic's horn was lit up green and an object lit up with the same color was floating beside him. That might explain how the spears were being held aloft during our trek and in the fight before that. If they say I'm the same species as them this could be a very useful ability to have when you have no fingers. ONI would love to figure out how it works. Damn spooks.

I'll try some exercises to see if I can do it, but I still need to focus on the object and not focus on a pointless task.

"Umm, great noble Theo sir," the medic called timidly, "We need more time for our wounds to settle, if we move anytime soon, they will reopen and cause more harm. Please can we stay here longer for their safety?"

I thought about it for a little bit before giving my answer, "No, we must move under the cover of darkness when the enemy is still recovering. They know we are hiding just not where we are at. I will keep you hidden until we reach the rally point, after that you are on your own. Equestria must not find you if you are to survive, correct?"

"Yes sir, but it doesn't matter if we get sick and die on the way there," she started.

"It does as the longer we stay here the higher the chances they will find us here, we lower the chances of the happening by moving under the cover of night and hiding in the day. If this was an ideal situation, I would agree with you, but this is not so then we must follow protocol," I stated. She nodded in response and moved back to support the others. The sun just needs to go down and then we'll move, after that I don't know what I'll do. I need to find the nearest recognizable star and put up a radio beacon. I just hope there will be anyone to pick it up.

______________________________

Waiting till night was mostly uneventful. Only twice did I require the others to go to the back and keep quiet. Equestrian patrols are searching the area for us. What seemed odd was that I mostly saw pegasi, that is what private Millipede called them. What surprised me was how small their wings were, their wings should have been too small to fly with how much thrust they should have been producing. Another thing ONI would like to get their hands on.

Imagine having small scale biological anti-grav instead of large ship anti-grav we use. They would make armor feel like nothing and fly around without the use of the jetpack. What a funny image, a spartan with bird like wings. I wouldn't be surprised if ONI started something along those lines if they had the technology, I wouldn't put it past them.

With night vision turned on and keep a close eye on my motion tracker I head out of cave to do some recon. This seemed to freak out the civies but with one quick look in their direction shut them up before they could reveal our position. Taking a look around, I saw no signs of Equestrian patrols or any signs of movement other than my own. This might be our only chance before they descend upon us. I must return and get them moving or lose our chance of escape.

"The coast is clear for now, but it won't be if we stay any longer than we already have. I need to know where we are going so that I could take point," I asked. This startled the civies, but Private Millipede got right to work ordering the others to pack up. It wasn't long before we were ready to move.

"We need to head west along the mountains towards the canyon, we must head into it and find a certain cave that I can point out, it connects to the underground web way. This underground group of caves will lead us northwest towards one of the last remaining hives. That is our rally point, we just took the long way round to divert Equestrian forces south," Private Millipede stated. A tactic the Insurgency used, I noted.

"This is that plan, I'll take point. I will have a light on at the back of my helmet for you to follow, you have to follow quickly if we are to make it to safety. Private Millipede, I need an estimated distance to the canyon," I asked.

"I don't know, but we're close. If we hurry, we could make it by daybreak," Millipede stated. Closer than expected.

"Good, we won't stop. We will make it there by daybreak. After that you must make it to this hive as fast as you can."

"YES SIR," they all stated.

"Now let's move out, stay close," I turn on the one light on my helmet and start to move west. Our progress was slow with some of them injured. We had to stop due to movement up ahead, but it was only small animals causing it. It was oddly quiet, no patrols flew or walked past. I have a suspicion that they are setting up a trap somewhere. If I had to guess, the canyon, we are surely not the only ones heading there so we got to be ready.

I can already see the sun start to rise in the horizon behind us and no canyon in front, there are no places that look like good enough to provide cover. We are going to have to speed up if we are to make it. I can tell they are not going to be happy about that. "We need to move now! We have no choices right now but to hoof it there as fast as we can!"

With that the pace quicken. The canyon was not too far off, and things were starting to get strange. There was no more wildlife and too quiet. We were being stalked and there was nothing we could do about it right now right in the open. My motion tracker was starting to go off with nothing in sight. It couldn't have been the others as I already marked them as allies. This is reminding me of how cloaked elites fought. Always stalking in the shadows and only engaging when they know they have the upper hand.

"We need to keep moving, we can't stop here," if we stop, they strike. The canyon was now in sight. Equestrian air patrols were high up in the sky on the other side heading towards us. They most likely spotted us, "Equestrian air patrols twelve o'clock high!"

If they weren't motivated to move, they are now. We managed to get into the canyon before they reached us, but they didn't descend to attack just circled above, alerting others to our position, "Millipede where is the Cave?! We need to get there immediately!"

"It's one hundred and fifty meters in on the right, the one with the tri pyramids of rocks out front!" Millipede said with huff and puffs in between. Spotting the cave, I direct the others towards it. We are so close, just a few more meters. We came to a dead stop as a green coat and blue maned Unicorn in gold and red armor stepped out of the cave. We're too late.

"If you haven't already figured it out, you have been followed since the Chestnut fields. I am Colonel Quick Spear, your soon to be captor. I would like to congratulate you on getting this far but you are not the first ones to get caught here. Surrender now and you will not be harmed. I know you don't believe me since you had a run in with captain Breaking Point, but he is no longer in command of this operation by royal decree," colonel Quick Spear stated, "I see the merc is still with you, good I wanted to ask some questions, if that is alright by ya. One of them is, are you a Changeling?"

I didn't respond, I lowered myself into a fighting position with even my wings flaring. The others were too tired out to be much help in this fight. Private Millipede did his best to stay standing with his spear held aloft.

"Well from the looks of it you're either an Alicorn, which is unlikely or you're a Changeling royal or something with how big you are. Listen here you now have two choices, or three if you want to fight but I don't recommend that. You can either surrender to us or you can accept amnesty for your crimes and be escorted to the Manehattan processing center where you would be shipped Mount Aris for the duration of the war being closely monitored but free to roam. This is entirely your choice, chose wisely," the colonel warned.

No one moved at first. Then the medic starts to drag the injured soldier that collapsed over to him, "He is in dire need of medical attention, if we are to save his life, we are to act fast. Please, I surrender and all the stuff. I'm not a soldier, I'm a doctor and I need to save my patient!"

"Of course, we'll accept this request. Men! We need a medic down here asap! We're going to need your expertise on Changeling biology if we are to save him. Understood?" the colonel asked. He got a nod from her. A group of pegasi came down to pick the two up with a few staying behind to cover the colonel, "Any pony else?"

The remaining civies moved over to him and were quickly escorted out of the area, leaving me with private Millipede. He seems to have enough resolve to fight. The colonel was displeased by this fact, "Your defiance won't help you here, you weren't the first to try to fight and probably won't be the last. None of them made it out alive. We have offered you leniency, all you have to do is surrender your equipment and come with us. There is no need for bloodshed today."

"I can't do that; Protocol dictates I am not to surrender or give up my gear under any circumstances. If you would let the private and I through, you get a chance to live to see another day," I said coldly. He did not like my answer.

"Final chance before things get bloody," he said as he drew a two bladed sword out of its sheath with his magic. It was oddly familiar, looking like an elite energy sword with two blades coming out of the hilt. The dividing line between it had a large connecter to help stabilize it but still had the gap. The other soldiers around him either had spears or the standard sword. Why does he have an elite sword design? That is another question for later. Right now, I might just have to kill the elite sympathizer. I moved closer to Millipede.

"You need to run for the cave, you can't handle anyone in your current condition. I can deal with them, just get as deep as you can in the cave," I whispered to him. I have a plan, not a very good one but a plan. he just nodded once. The tension in the air was palpable as everyone knew what would happen next but none initiated the fight. It was a stalemate until one side decided to act upon the upcoming bloodbath.

I decided to take the first action by throwing a rock into the colonel's face, with a quick flick of his blade he blocked it from hitting. By the time he moved his blade back into a defensive position I was already upon him. I strike his blade to disarm him and try to strike again this time his body. He saw this coming and dodged. He pulled out his knife and stabbed at one of my leg joints. He missed but he is no beginner. He quickly moved away to avoid being crushed under my hooves.

His men on the other hand, swarmed in from above and behind trying to catch me off guard. When one attacked, another defended him from my counterattack. Even with this strategy, I still managed to hit many with them going down in one hit. One by one their numbers dwindle. They needed to change strategy.

They soon started to box me in and restrict my movement, making it impossible to defend against their onslaught. I have to move towards to cave entrance and execute my plan. I just hope Millipede got far enough in. Running as fast as I can towards the cave while avoiding swings and thrusts. Quickly identifying a structural weak point in the cave entrance, I slammed my full weight into the wall cracking it. I wanted the entrance to collapse but what I got was worse. What I got was a small landslide. I began sprinting as far down the tunnel as I could.

As I was running, I saw Millipede running as fast as he could. I moved to intercept and tackle him to the ground to shield him. It took a little bit for the dust to settle.

"That was your plan, are you trying to kill us?!" Millipede yelled.

"They are not capable of following us now, as long as the tunnels have splits, we should be safe," I responded.

"That's not the point, you could have killed us with that stunt!" he screamed.

"We are still alive, aren't we? We need to focus on getting out of here now, so focus," I stated. He did not like that but quickly focused on navigating. He lit up his horn for light, as did I on my helmet. He seemed confused by that action but didn't say anything.

"Well, when you not trying to kill me, you seem to be capable of fending for yourself. Quickly follow me, you were correct about the splits. I know the way, just don't ever do that again," he stated.

"Any and all actions must be considered for survival," I said.

_________________________________________
Response
_________________________________________

To my faithful General Sword Strike

I would like to remind you that Equestria is in a delicate situation within and on our borders. Escalating this war to what the Changeling's would see as a war of survival would be dangerous and could cause the delicate truce that we have with the United Griffonian Republics to shatter. The UGR has been looking for any weaknesses in our defense since 991 CLE after the Equestrian-Griffonian war. I will not let this conflict get out of hoof and cause an even wider conflict. We need to have these Changelings think that we can help them, and captain Breaking Point is causing what little trust we have vanish with his commanding over the Frogfoot Jungle.

We need them to think surrendering is a better option than fighting. They rely on us for food, so it is tempting them to be sure but with him torturing them due to prejudice, he would've been court-martialed right now if it was in my hooves. I will NOT make the mistake of a thousand years ago. YOU are to relieve him of duty IMMEDIATELY or you will face consequences.

I WILL not let more of my little ponies be dragged into another war one right after another. IF our circumstances were different and we didn't have enemies clawing at the gates, I would have brought the whole might of Equestria down on them but right now I have Griffonian Warhawks and the Storm Kingdom seeing a potential opening to catch us off guard while we are looking at another. If both were to work together, we would be helpless to stop them. I have already sent diplomats to the Hippogriffs, Minotaurs, Deer, Kirin and, hopefully soon, the Changelings to help maintain peace throughout the land.

I will tell you about my feelings on changelings though. I don't trust them, not since the battle of Gaskin heights a thousand years ago but I willing to start anew with them if they are willing. I only want them eliminated as a threat so they could never threaten Equestria's people ever again. Their Leader, who my informants have told me the name is Queen Chrysalis, needs to be brought to kneel. I WILL not make the same mistake twice.

The presence of this new Changeling does have some cause for concern. Colonel Quick Spear has told me about some of the traits and abilities that he has that he learned from Breaking Point. In the larger picture he cannot change to tide of war against us, just be a major thorn in our side. My recommendation is to try to entice him with amnesty and get him out of the picture entirely.

It all relies on your actions here and now, will you see Equestria be defeated because you decided that it would be better to keep a prejudice captain or have a chance at victory even if it causes pain in the short term. You HAVE your orders. Follow them.

Her Royal Highness, The Everlasting Sun

Princess Celestia

Author's Note:

For anyone who hasn't read about the spartan 3 program, specifically about gamma company, smoothers were made because of another drug that enhances the muscles and brain with adrenaline and other things to make them stronger and not feel pain. The downsides were that it could make them flip out and hurt friend or foe. It made them go animalistic and not be able to think clearly. The Smoothers were made to clear their minds and keep them from killing friendlies but going on withdraw can cause them to flip out.

ONI literally does every war crime under the sun for fun, child soldiers augmented with illegal drugs is nothing considering that they ordered genocide on an elite world. The first target was Sanghelios, the elite homeworld, but they couldn't get to it, so they targeted another elite colony with billions. Way to go grey team, you killed billions in one fell swoop. They really don't care about any rights if they get results.

Did you know about the UNSC Say My Name, a marathon class cruiser, and operation BUMRUSH, UNSC plot to infiltrate the covenant ship in ODST, are actual names in halo cannon. God, I have spent too much time researching and reading.
Operation: BUMRUSH - Conflict - Halopedia, the Halo wiki

Comments

[Urdailyfanguyz]

I hope that Spartan Theo will not get tempted to join with the equestrian side because it looks like it is either join them or be destroyed by Celestia. I also hope he will find more powerful allies to side with him and the changelings because it looks like Celestia is using an entire race for her own gain.

[OP Omni God-Emperor Doom]

11432436

Seriously? Aren't you forgetting that it was the Changelings ( led by Chrysalis ) that attacked FIRST ( Canterlot Wedding, ring any bells? )!?

Plus, their is another issue with the Griffons, so can you really blame Celestia for trying to find herself some frickin potential allies, if the worst case scenario comes? Besides, Celestia CAN'T be worse than Chrysalis, right?

Theo has to eventually start thinking of the bigger picture here.

[AgentKorpsman]

11432516
Eh debatable.

But let’s be honest here Luna is at least better than both of them.

Plus she manipulated twilight so she could retire.

Plus the changlings did attack canterlot for survival. If they did try diplomatic solutions than okay I can see why if not then yeah bug queen needs to be brought down a level a bit.

Also celestia controls the sun I mean have you seen daybreaker.

[Urdailyfanguyz]

11432516
Well based on the story's intro summary, generally speaking, the changeling hive did attack Canterlot in the series led by Chrysalis but in this story, the changeling hive attacks Canterlot in a desperate attempt for food to survive, not specifically stating it was Chrysalis' plan for power. We cannot say this is canon for sure because even if it isn't, the intro states there is another conflict with Griffons and other races, also other changeling hives exist than Chrysalis' hive that isn't mentioned in the series. The ponies will just run for the hills and turn their backs on them even if the changelings ask the Equestrians for help, the ponies will see them as nothing but beggars to be ignored, worst being exterminated like bugs.

[OP Omni God-Emperor Doom]

11432542

Touche. Also, Celestia hasn't turn "dark" ( As of yet, so we'll see. )

[OP Omni God-Emperor Doom]

11432575

Well, what the heck will Theo do, hmmmm? He is basically be against most of the world. He has "big hooves" to fill then.

Sure, he is a Spartan. But one, he isn't in his original human form anymore. So, he still needs to adjust his changeling elite form ( Still didn't like that he changed anyway, but whatever author. ).

And two, where the heck are his weapons!? ( His original Human/UNSC/ONI guns, and hopefully the Covenant's plasma weapons. ). It will be a whole lot easier if he somehow has them back, author!?

Sure, he still has his Spartan superior strength, speed, agility, and a lot more war/battle experience than any pony solider/guard combined. BUT, that will only get you far by using your bare hands/hooves against many potential enemies with primitive, but still deadly weapons. Even if he has a combat knife, that will only get him so far. And how can he fair against magic!?

Especially IF he faces Alicorns like Celestia for example? He needs a frickin Sniper Rifle, Rocket Launcher, or Spartan Laser at least.

And three, he has finite supply of his "calm his nerves" drugs. That will eventually be a big problem if he is eventually ran out of them. He NEEDS to somehow find more of it, to keep his head in the game, author.

And fourthly, don't be extremely biased with ponykind, or lose full hope on them. What about the Mane Six? We still haven't see them debut yet, or see their opinion on this?

[Okamiluver]

I love a good pony bashing...

[Snuffy]

It seems a bit... uncouth to fight an enemy after accepting their offer of medical aid and amnesty for the rest of your party. I hope the Spartan doesn't decide to just blindly follow the Changeling side of the conflict.

[NnoDragonEclipse]

11432735
No Human guns or weapons, as they would make Theo just one shot everything with MA37 or BR55. There would be no tension. With how I envision how magic shields work the guns would shred them like paper, unless you have great magical capability. With more primitive weapons it would require a learning curve as while he is trained in hand to hand, he isn't in magic sword fighting. Plus, he doesn't have hands. He has a magical horn now.

Yes, he does have to find some of that good stuff or something equivalent.

We'll see how he might fight powerful beings, I won't tell you who the main antagonist is sorry, if there is one. That is for you to guess right now and me to write in properly. Now I have to get back to work

[hmaf43]

11434425
Equestrian magic is very much capable of bringing down any UNSC personal weapons. The problems are only fews are able to cast combat spell at all. And even then it's slow to deployed when compare to UNSC's tech that work instantly.
And equestria's scanning spells are shit.