A Halo crossover featuring humanized ponies. When two Spartans are sent to investigate a seemingly abandoned research facility, they find more than they bargained for... and discover the hidden truths of the UNSC's elite supersoldiers.
The year is 2557. Six months following the discovery of the Forerunner Shield World "Requiem," the UNSC continues to discover more and more of the forgotten past left behind by this ancient race. With research facilities located across entire human colonies, humanity faces its next stage of evolution.
One such facility is the one designated as "Starswirl Base." Located on a backwater colony, tucked far and away from prying eyes of the public, this research base is a true Garden of Eden, a wealth of seemingly endless knowledge about humanity and its past. When this facility suddenly loses contact with the UNSC, two elite Spartans are dispatched to investigate the cause and bring Starswirl Base back online. However, nothing is as it seems in this facility... for it holds many secrets for the two supersoldiers-- and the hidden truths behind some of the UNSC's darkest projects...
UH-144 Falcon on approach to Forerunner Research Facility Designate: “Starswirl Base” 2557 – One Month After UNSC Discovery of Forerunner Shield World “Requiem” Fire burned in his still, emotionless eyes. The memories of a past life hidden away beneath his helmet, tucked away safely behind a blue visor. What sat in the UH-144 Falcon air transport was not a soldier. It was a husk.
Whatever life Noble Wing had before had died after the Covenant sacked Tribute all those years ago. He was not a Spartan. Not anymore. That Spartan was dead, left behind and turned to glass. That Noble was buried under the ashes of his fellow Spartans who gave their lives that day.
Though Noble was not the only ghost on this op.
There was a taller Spartan that occupied the seat in front of him. Despite the stature, the physique was clearly feminine. She was clad in orange MJOLNIR Mark VI armor, the Gen. 2 iteration by the looks of it. She checked her assault rifle for what seemed like the seventh time this flight. Noble mentally counted the clicks the rifle made as the Spartan-II disassembled and reassembled the ammo counter and stock of the MA5D. She was lightning quick, her hands moving in a blur of rapid motions. She finished the process with a slam of the ammo magazine, slipping it back into its slot behind the trigger.
“I’m impressed,” Noble spoke up. “You Model Two’s seem to know your rifle more than anything else.”
The fellow Spartan glanced up, her slightly glazed over emerald irises snapping back to reality. She looked Noble’s form over, almost unsure if it really was the Spartan-III that made such a remark. This was the first time she had heard him speak since the briefing.
“Least Ah ain’t one a’ them new bloods,” she finally responded. “Seriously, ya’ll see that Four back at Command? Ah was surprised he wasn’t askin’ questions ‘bout where the shooty bits come out!”
Noble rolled his eyes behind his visor. Her accent seemed to reside somewhere in the deep south, likely from Appleloosa. It had that twangy sound to it. Noble could have sworn he heard a bit of Hungarian as well, probably something she picked up when training on Reach. He was not one to ask such questions, however. He had a job to do after all.
“He was probably fresh off the line,” he replied flatly. He left it at that, tossing the conversation aside as quickly as it was brought up. Noble could care less about the soldiers being recruited into the new Spartan-IV program. He could forgive a few newbies who still thought this line of work was like the Marines or ODST’s. “As for us, we have a job to do.”
The other Spartan nodded slowly, almost distantly. It was as if she was entranced with something. Her green eyes glazed over again as she stared at one part of Noble’s person. “Applejack?” He called out to her with little success.
It was then that Noble realized why she was dismantling and rebuilding that rifle of hers. It was so she wouldn’t address the elephant in the room.
“It’s the arm, isn’t it?” Noble asked her, raising his prosthetic metal arm to eye level. He started twisting the cybernetic limb slowly before her eyes. Applejack responded with a hesitant nod, almost nervous to address it herself. Noble let out an audible sigh at that, returning the limb in question back to its original place at its side. “Don’t worry. It won’t be a liability.” He told her simply.
Applejack nodded again, her stance easing up as she sat upright again. “Right,” she said in a more relaxed tone. “So, what’re our main objectives?”
Noble squared his shoulders and leaned forward slightly. “We’re looking at a downed research facility that went off the grid about two days ago,” he explained. “The place went dark after a science team reported finding something beneath the facility…”
“So th’ folks at Command want us to find out what,” Applejack finished. “Ain’t that a… misallocation o’ resources or somethin’?”
“If you mean sending in a pair of Spartans to a Chicken Coop with the intention of flipping on a light switch and asking the AI what the hell went wrong,” Noble quipped flatly. “Then yes, maybe it is. Something about this doesn’t add up. I can’t put my finger on it…”
Applejack nodded at that and smirked beneath her helmet. “Like a li’l more intel with your intel, don’t ya sugarcube?”
Noble shrugged at that, turning his head a bit to see the rushing mountainside of the canyon valley. “Yeah…” the Spartan-III said distantly. “Something like that.”
Applejack nodded a tad and looked out as well. There was a lot about this op that didn’t add up. Command could have easily sent in a squad of Marines for this. It could have been more effective and cheaper. Why send in a pair of Spartans for a job like this? It made no sense! Retrieving AI data on a seemingly abandoned research facility and bringing it back online seemed too simple. Especially considering that most of the Spartans in the UNSC were lightyears away trying to figure out this Requiem thing. Why were they chosen for this op? Shouldn’t they could be assigned to the Infinity and helping the fight against the real threat of the Prometheans and the Covenant Remnant?
The Falcon pitched and yawed as it raced across the river down the canyon. The mission site neared ahead. Waiting at the end of the river was a pristine set of white buildings, hidden away in the shadows of the rock face. As the sun slowly rose over the valley, the shadows shifted and moved away like parting curtains. It was like a tempting invitation, a request for the Falcon to deliver its passengers before the gates of shadow seal this paradise away forever.
It was an offer too good to refuse.
This place was a garden… and these two Spartans, Noble Wing and Applejack, would have it all to themselves.
Gabriel squirmed in his seat slightly. The little boy kept his eyes glued to his small legs. They barely reached the edge of the seat. The large harness practically swallowed his lithe frame whole. He didn’t like it. It felt like he was in a cage suspended several miles in the air. The way the big ship pitched and yawed made him feel sick to his stomach. He almost gave into the urge to throw up right then and there. He might have been used to flying, but not like this. The ride was too shaky and he jostled around a bit whenever the ship hit turbulence. He remembered when the old man ushered him and the other kids into the craft, which he learned was called a “Pelican.” He was shouting at them to get on board as the children timidly shuffled inside. Gabriel was one of the last. He was shoved forcefully by a child behind him. He was then quickly put into his seat and strapped into this giant harness.
Gabriel turned his head and looked to the child seated next to him, the one that pushed him inside. The boy had shaggy blonde hair as opposed to Gabriel’s own short, black cut. The boy looked just as nervous as he was. He probably regretted ever pushing Gabriel into the Pelican. Considering that he said nothing after the fact was most likely the case. He didn’t blame him. This whole thing seemed very scary.
Gabriel remembered when the strange men took him from the orphanage back. They found him on the playground. They wore these black suits and had on sunglasses that hid their eyes. They asked him all these questions, ones that made him feel uncomfortable. They wanted to know if he ever remembered the day his home was destroyed by the strange aliens called “the Covenant.” He begrudgingly nodded, giving a meek “Yes,” as his response. The next thing he knew, he was being shuttled with all of these other kids to who-knows-where. Gabriel tried to ask the grownups in suits where they were going, but they just told him to be quiet. Again, he gave them a meek nod and remained silent for almost the entire trip.
The shuttle rocked back and forth, causing a twinging pain in Gabriel’s stomach. His cheeks tuned a sickly green as he felt like he was going to throw up. He glanced over to the boy, his expression blank and emotionless despite his clearly ashen white face. The kid was like a machine, a stone faced expression and statuesque weight on his little shoulders. In fact, were it not for the fact that he was breathing, you’d almost forgive the others for thinking he was a statue.
An older man walked from the cockpit of the shuttle, looking deadly serious as the Pelican slowed to a crawl. “Listen up,” he shouted over the roaring engines to get their attention. “Your first exercise will be a tactical insertion from high altitude! If you want to take this seriously, I suggest you do as I say! Those who do not perform the exercise will not participate in the following assignments! Now, strap yourselves into those chutes! Unless you want to be left behind!” His voice boomed in the cramped space that the Pelican offered. The attention of the kids varied from each other: some were at attention, some were attempting to prevent themselves from doubling over and puking and others were still confused as they strapped themselves into their chutes.
Gabriel and the other boy were among the ones to attach the chutes without any question. Gabriel let out a quiet gulp as they were shuttled with the other kids to the back of the shuttle. The loading hatch opened up, revealing the nighttime expanse of the forest below that seemed to split the sky. There was a small clearing a ways ahead, encircled by large conifers and towering evergreens. It stood illuminated in the dark blues and greens of the dark forest, its rim glowing a bright pink color that seemed to call out to them in contrast to the darkness surrounding it. It was almost like some kind of haven.
One by one, the children formed a line. Gabriel and the boy were in the middle, poking their heads out to see children either take the plunge into the darkness or to give into their fears and collapse into a ball of sobs and wails. Some had to be...pushed, that was for sure, but surprisingly enough a girl actually was the first to jump out without hesitation. This spurred the kids behind her to jump, including one who seemed hesitant at first and being taunted by another.
Eventually, the time came for Gabriel to make the jump into the dark and harrowing forest. He looked down and gulped, his face turning white in fear. He felt his legs tremble as he slowly inched his way to the edge. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes... and then jumped.
Gabriel opened his mouth as he descended into the forest below. The rushing wind muted his scream as he raced further and further down. He shot his head up and saw the boy behind him race up beside him. They exchanged a quick glance to each other and nodded, counting down in their heads before they yanked on their respective cords. Their chutes flung open in unison, pulling the two boys upward as their descent slowed down. The gusts of wind whipped and lashed them around, their chutes going along with it.
Gabriel felt his stomach lurch and shoot back down as they approached the glowing circle. He let out a sharp grunt as he slid onto the grass, tumbling to a stop in front of a pair of green boots. He looked up, panting heavily to see what looked like some kind of robot, clad in green armor plating and a reflective green visor. “Congratulations,” the robot said, its voice surprisingly human. “You have what it takes.”
Gabriel had no idea what he meant by that. Before he could even process as to what, fatigue had set in for him, causing his body to collapse in a heap of wheezing and panting.
