“Ashes”

THE SKRIMISH IN BRONZE HARVEST SPACE

Vector-056 readied the Phoenix dropship to fly out of the opened hanger of Philomena’s Ashes, but he kept it grounded for the moment.  Directly Across from our hangar was the Covenant ship’s plasma canons, where blue charged-up plasma began melting away the hull of the Ashes.  The two ships were locked in a parallel position traveling opposite directions, like as in classic navy battles.

Captain Skyscraper kept sending longsword bomber squads out to weaken the Covenant ship’s water force field.  The Ashes’s side canons also assisted, but they were running low on ammo.  Skyscraper ordered my team to be ready on his mark.

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In the holding bay of the phoenix dropship, I checked the safety on Designated Marksmare Rifle (DMR).  Basically, It was the newer variant of the Marksman variant with a larger clip size and it could be magnetically hooked onto specific sections on my olive MUSTANG armor.

“Get ready for EVA.  Check your weapons, armor and that nuke.  We don’t want to buck this up.” I ordered to Blades and Lipizzaner, who both took assault rifles.  The HAVOC nuke was strapped to Blades’ side by her request.  I didn’t need my telepathy to know she would be the one wanting to activate it.

“Uh, mate?  What doses EVA stand for again?” Blades wondered.  However, nothing in the helmet's open communicators was spoken privately, so Vector heard the question and laughed out loud.

“It means ‘Spacewalk’ in Laymare’s terms, hick.” she sneered. Blades was ready to give Vector a piece of her mind, but ordered them ‘to lock it down’.  It’s kind of hard being leader when your friends are being made fun of and you want to be at their side.

One day I’ll get that damned cur back. Blades growled to herself.  She was even angrier that she was on New Manebassa.

Lipizzaner came up to me and commented “This…is just like one of Mendez’s excises; three fillies could do this mission alone. Piece of Cake.”

Or Apple Pie, I thought deliciously as I rubbed the black under-layer covering my stomach with an armored hoof.

*Captain skyscraper here! The shield on the covenant ship is down - Go now, Indigo!* The captain squawked in our helmet communications.

Upon hearing that command Vector trusted the phoenix forward.  Our bird’s engines pushed us forward out of the hangar and into the lines of fire.

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“Remember – just like we planned!” I advised to Lipizzaner and Blades as the phoenix rocket violently.  We wouldn't have made it halfway across the space in between the Ashes and the Covenant ship thanks to the missiles of the Ashes being used as decoys for the covenant ship’s turrets.

After we readied and checked our equipment, I told Vector to make a sharp U-turn back to the the Ashes.  As he made the Phoenix do so, I opened the troop bay into space.

Me, Lipizzaner, Blades, and all sound shot out of the phoenix’s loading bay and into the crossfire of two ships among a star-filled background.  To our left was the burning planet of Bronze Harvest.

Bolts of plasma and rounds from the Ashe’s canons crossed a few feet above our ears, but that wasn't the problem. In front of us was the Covenant ship’s hull – and we were moving a dangerous close speed to it.   Any faster and we would share a fate no different than fruit flies splattered on a window.

I reached out in the gravity-free and mute void of space and tug Lipizzaner and Blades close.  I open up my wings and attempt to fly in the opposite direction or at least use them to slow our speed down.  However there is no air – no friction –in space; it was pretty pointless.

Right then, the tips of my wings began to glow in a soft blue, like pulsars, and began leaving  a tail of magical energy.  Stilling holding my comrades close, we began to slow down further and further. When we were fifteen meters from the purple hull of the covenant cruiser, we were at a safe speed.

“What was that?” I wondered aloud.  Then in the corner of Holographic HUD, a small text came on screen:

“Destiny, What was 'what'?” Blades asked over the communication.

<Lore: MUSTANG MARK-4 underlayers that are specifically designed for GREENHORN-II pegasi have small Thruster Systems in the tips of their wings, microscopically planted into the suit by nanites. These powerful systems grant the user the following abilities and more: Flying faster, better braking, the ability to hover easily, and elimination of the need to flap wings.  The power source of magic is shared within the MUSTANG Mark-4 armor. Controls for these systems can be access by the user’s thoughts.>

Well that was convenient – maybe I might get more as I test more armor systems out.  I simply told Blades that my HUD just popped up a new feature that I would I tell them about later.

I and my team landed on the hull of the covenant ship.  Or so we thought

“Is it me or is it watery?” Lipizzaner wondered as her sealed forehoof rubbed across  some invisible layer on the hull.

“The shield is back up – damn.” I cursed, bucking the watery surface with my back hooves. So close and only stopped right when we were near it!

As I said that, a round from one of the Ashes canons flew across space and impacted the watery surface of the shield.  The water layer shined brightly and then flickered out.  I reached out and came into contact with the actual hull of the covenant carrier this time.

“The shield is down!” I noticed.  Either it was pure luck or Celestia’s grace that round hit the hull.  We activated our magnetic clamps on our armored hooves and stuck to the hull easily.

“Time to start digging through it then.” Blades joked. ‘digger’ was term for soldier in her area of residence on Bronze Harvest.

Blades floated out a shoulder-mounted Griffon Laser and aimed it at the hull.  After five seconds of charging it up, a crimson beam burned though the ship.  Being in a soundless vacuum, no noise came from the Griffon Laser.  Blades used all of its energy to burn to though the hull of the ship.  After its last traces of energy were used up to successfully melt a hole into the dark interior of the ship, Blades magically tossed it away.

“Destiny, you first.” Blades said.

Readying my DMR, I disabled my magnetic clamps and used my wing’s thruster systems to guide me though the hole and into the alien vessel.

I WAS GOING INSIDE AN ALIEN SHIP! And I couldn't resist giving a filly-like squeal at the thought of it. This whole mission reminded me of 'Mareathon: Infinity'.

Into the belly of the beast we go… Lipizzaner thought, half afraid.

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<Lore: The flashlight attach to your helmet runs on a rechargeable battery.  It last only for a min->

I set aside that pop-up on HUD which simultaneously came up as I activated the helmet flashed light, illuminating the dark hallways of the covenant ship, piece by piece.  We were in a J-shaped corridor, with the hallway shaped in a trapezoidal frame, slithering around a corner.  The floor was textured in the fashion of what wildly resembled dragon scales.  The walls were in a darker color compared to the floor and complexly smooth and organic to the eye.

This ship surprisingly had artificial gravity without any sound of rotating pieces of machinery.  Doctor Halsey Sparkle would be very impressed.

Once Blades and Lipizzaner dropped in, I advised them to check weapons and the nuke.  Meanwhile I was trying to hail Captain Skyscraper that we made it, but all I got was static – the ship was probably interfering with my communications.

“All clear, mate.” Blades notified, and then growled “If only we were this ready when Bronze Harvest was attacked.”

“Better late than never; but any sooner and the rest of covenant fleet would here. We only want to fight one ship.” Lipizzaner brought up, but it doesn't make Blades feel better.

Behind her orange visor the magenta unicorn thought, The Covenant fleet is elsewhere, then – with million more souls dying as we speak

“Back to the mission at hand, greenhorns.” I reminded sternly.  As a response, Blades levitated out her assault rifle and checked the HAVOC nuke one last time.

We moved out in Y-formation, covering our blind spots.  I lead my team down the hallway and into an intersection leading to three sealed doors on our left, right, and in front of us.  When we reached the center, Lipizzaner experimented with some holographic ‘buttons’ on the wall, yelping when seeing that the holograms were solid.  The door behind us sealed and the lights running parallel along the walls flickered on.

“I think that means the room is now pressurized.” I stated.  It must have entered a lockdown state when we made a hole with the griffon laser.

“Any direction we should take?”   Blades asked pointing her assault rifle at each of the doors.  I took a deep breath and pondered for moment.

“Go to each door and check you motion tracker – be careful not to open it.”  I went for the front door, blades and Lipizzaner went for either on my side.

Moving closer to the door already increased my fear.  Even being soldier, the fear of death is in everypony.  I checked my motion tracker hoping that it was clean of enemy contacts.

“Nothing here.” Lipizzaner reported a one door.

“Ditto – I duno where the bastards are.” Blades notified at another sealed door.

I was about to say the same until a red blip emerged at the top of my motion taker (where I was facing) and started to slowly move towards my position.

“There’s something behind here!”  I warned, calling my squad over.  Lipizzaner and Blades aimed their assault rifles at the door.

The door slid apart, revealing the first covenant I met.  According my helmet’s ‘Lore pop-up’ this alien being was classified as a ‘jackal’.

He (I think) was very thin and about as tall as a full grown pony.  He was bipedal and his legs were fashioned like bird’s, even having claws.  His skin was brown, rigid, and rough with long and thin crimson feathers growing from his elbows and the top of his head.  He had orange oval eyes on the sides of his bird-like head. His armor only covered his chest and legs.

A first he jumped back a meter, startled at the sight of ponies on board. The he gave out a bird-like screech and mumble a few lines of an alien tongue, pulling out his weapon.

Blades drilled five rounds into the head of the jackal. His brain matter and violet blood splashed on the floor.  “Four legs good, Two legs dead” Blades whispered in her helmet.

Lipizzaner crept forward and examined the Jackal’s C-shaped weapon.  Its plating was a mix of purple and orange with green tips on the ends.  The weapon was too small to be considered an assault weapon – it was likely the equivalent of a sidearm.

“Best to bring it back for Halsey Sparkle - she would want to have a look at it.” I informed, with Lipizzaner tossing the weapon to me.

With caution, we continued down the hall and passed the jackal.  I had Blades take point for now. Meanwhile a line of new covenant foes at around hidden corner in a T-shaped section – the annoying lore pop-up said that they were ‘grunts’.  

They were pretty short – a foot less than the Jackal.  Their greyish-purple arms, tails, and legs seemed to be tiny compared to their cone -shaped feet and hands.  They were ugly – ripples ruining their grey skin.  Their beady red eyes were all that could be seen of their faces, which were covered by some sort of breathing mask connected to a triangular cone attached to the back of their armor.  Our helmet scans showed they were breathing high pockets of methane.

Interested if the report were correct about their cowardice, I ordered my team not fire.  The link of grunts looked up and jumped in domino fashion.  Some in the front started to panic and flee.  Other pulled out their weapons and tried to fire at us, while we hid behind a corner.  One in the back weakly hurled a glowing blue flare that ended up hitting his comrade’s fuel tank.

“GAHAIAIHAI!GETIOFFGETOFF”  the struck grunt whimpered, running towards us.  The flare stuck to his stick and glowed brighter and brighter.

Blades was about to cast an overshield spell, but the Grunt came too close and exploded right in front of us.  All three of us crashed into the wall, while the grunts that survived the explosion fled back into hallways.

“Indigo, sound off!” I growled, angered.  We should have had our guard up sooner.

Both my friends were alright but the nuke’s control panel was melted away by the explosion caused by…a  plasma grenade.

“Can we activate it magically?” I asked Blades.  To me magic made anything possible.

“Negative, lad; there’s an anti-magic fail-safe nuke’s have so that they aren't activated by any unicorn.  Even if we could I might risk blowing it up too soon, and we'd all die.” Blades noted.  "Talk about quite a fail safe on a nuke."

“Looks like that grunt is going bring reinforcements.” Lipizzaner shuddered, referring to the grunt. this is bad…real bad... we'll have to use our armor to power the nuke.  Meaning Somepony will have to stay behind.

“We’ll find another way. Move out Indigo.” I ordered.  The grunt was nowhere in sight but our motion tracker still detected him as a red blob.

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Eventually we traced the grunt around more hallways and to a dead end filled with glowing holographic murals (or possibly control panels) and were able to kill him.  

However, a new enemy had stridden in behind my team and was ready for battle.  It was jackal crouching behind a circular and transparent aqua shield, flowing with energy.  He sounded pissed off.

"What the 'ell is he saying?" Blades asked.

“Don't know, don't care - He’s mine.” I hissed.  Instantly both the jackal and I fire our weapons.

However, my bullets be deflected easily off his alien’s aqua shield, sending water-like shimmer thought it’s surface.  Through a small slit in the side of his shield, the Jackal had fired off a mist of pink needles from his one-handed weapon, with the needles homing slowly at my visor.

My team was in were in a dead end with little room to evade or maneuver.

At that moment Lipizzaner pushed me out of the way as the needles drilled deep into her MUSTANG armor.  She just gave a whimper as she tumbled on top of me.

Witnessing what happened to our albino squad mate, Blades hollered “NO! DIE, YOU BLOODY BLOKES! DIE!” She sounded like a screeching female ghoul out of horror story.  Then Blades fired on full auto, with the assault rifle shaking vigorously in her green-sea-foam glow. However the jackal’s shield absorbed all the bullets.  Yet it was beginning to weaken as it colors went from aqua to red.

“Motherbucker!” Blades cursed, ripping out her empty clip.

Before the jackal could return fire on Blades, I used my wing’s thrusters to zip out from under Lipizzaner’s body (My armor listed her vitals were bad).  I knocked myself into the jackal’s energy shield, dispersing it, and in the process pinned him to the wall, by his neck.

As the Jackal screeched out alien threats, I smashed my fore hoof though the Jackal’s skull, painting the wall and the front of my armor purple.

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Silence followed for few moments, before Blades called me over.

“She won’t make it, Destiny.” Blades uttered.  At this moment it felt as if we were reliving the horrible day of augmentations again.

I turned around after staring at the mess of the Jackal that murdered my friend.  Lipizzaner was posited face up, protruding needles sticking out of several places in her armor including her visor. A waterfall of blood began to paint hideous patterns on her MUSTANG armor from where each crystal round was imbedded.

I looked down at the jackal’s V-shaped weapon.  A dozen razor sharp crystals with hues switching from violet to blue grew out of the top of the weapon.  I strapped it to my side, knowing for sure that the Covenant did have ‘crystallion’ technology.

Dammit! Why the ‘ell did you do that? Blades wept to herself.  I would have said the same thing.  Instead I hear Lipizzaner’s last thoughts.

Send me out…with a bang... I heard nothing more from Lipizzaner as Blades used Painkillers to put her into slumber.

Hearing these words I knew what had to be done.  “Blades – can we hook her armor to the nuke?”

Blades checked a few compartments in Lipizzaner’s armor until she found a plug and a cord hooked to the armor.  Knowing what had to be done, she interested the cord onto one end of the nuke, automatically powering it.  After that, we  started at Lipizzaner’s corpse.

“Arrivederci, my friend.” Blades wept, her unicorn magic lifting section of her armor plates up and ripping off Lipizzaner’s bloody dogs tags off.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

Not taking her eyes off Lipizzaner, Blades solemnly said starting at the the dog tags she levitated. “It was the last thing known thing Discord said to Fluttershy.  It means ‘Until we meet again’.” If only that was true…

Blades dropped the tags into my hoof without saying another word.  Deep in her head I saw another thing she lost recently; a friend.

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And as for you, Destiny, you don’t always know what under a pony’s surface, despite being our squad leader. Please be there for your soldiers…

---

Remembering Lipizzaner’s words I hugged Blades from behind. I wanted to let the magenta unicorn know that she still had a friend.

“Destiny…I…I…” Blades sated. “I can’t be angry anymore.  I lost my mum, my pa…now one of my best friends… ”

“I know how you feel; let’s go.”  I said, releasing the hug. “Don’t let another ponies’ death drive you mad, 204. This is just the beginning.”

Blades couldn't respond but her thought spoke for her.  …Aye, aye, mate…

We were reluctant to leave Lipizzaner’s body. It was like a 1 and 3 without a 2.  It didn’t work. We were BBFs from beginning of day one, laughing, training, fighting, enduring….in that time we grew up so much. Lipizzaner wasn't shy anymore; she was becoming so social.  Now all of her body and armor, other than her dog tags was to be in the blast radius of a nuke.

“Blades, teleport us back to the Ashes here before more covenant show up.”  I triple-checked all the equipment we gathered and took a final glace at Lipizzaner’s armored corpse and the nuke.  Our business was concluded on this covenant vessel.

“Aye, Aye.” Blades replied in a broken voice.

“I’ll miss you L.Z.”  I whisper back, before me and Blades disperse into a green flash

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The covenant was unlike any other enemy we have encountered.  Since Lipizzaner’s death, Greenhorn-IIs were frantically deployed to out colonies only to find them totally ‘glassed’ like Bronze Harvest, or fighting for the few lives left there. As predicted, we made into public media back in the inner colonies and Equestria, as faceless, enhanced, adult ponies in thick-plated, MUSTANG Armor charging into battle with alien monsters of all sorts.  Like she said before, Halsey Sparkle explained everything but the left out the truth of us being trained from our fillyhoods.

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A month later…

SIGMA CLOPODIA

CASTLE COMPLEX

THE ARMORY

“….Back on Philomena’s Ashes, the UNSCOE won an amazing victory after Blades detonated the nuke aboard covenant vessel across from the Ashes.  It would have something worth smiling about if Lipizzaner was here.  As per Admiral Flag Pole’s protocol, Lipizzaner-039 has been listed as MIA because….‘we never die’… if only that was true…”

I was explaining to November and High Hopes about how we lost lipizzaner.  I had clear memory of the mission, since my mind-reading powers were at their lowest state today.

When I was done,  I sat on my flank and wrote about everything writing in journal Lipizzaners blooded dog tags wrapped around my neck. November Flare was making a giant pile of origami birds (taking break from analyzing several pieces of covenant technology). High Hopes was on a laptop with her mane displaying her saddened state, reading about setback after setback in the UNSCOE news; her heart begged for a scandal to be undercover or an affair between rival politicians to be revealed.

Blades was also nearby, experimenting with a few covenant weapons on hole-filled wall. She was only interested in the alien weapons because she wanted to kill them with the same guns that killed her folks.  The unicorn had taken interest in the using the  plasma grenades (or 'stickies'), the needler (the crystal-loaded device that killed Lipizzaner), and the ‘plasma rifles’.

November tried to distract himself with the ten-hundredth origami bird he made but his mind was troubled.

“All these deaths…reminded me of March Flare.”  November shivered, dropping the origami bird.  March Flare was November’s mom.  She was suffering from lung cancer when November was only a colt and died after he graduated from his elementary school; November was devastated feeling that he couldn't do anything to stop it.  However, she kept strong for him as long as she lived.

I had to stay strong for Indigo.  I wasn't as tall as Blades or as smart as November but….Mendez  put in charge for reason.  I still have to find that reason, other than being promoted the Master Chief Petty Officer to all Greenhorns.  It had to be about myself as Destiny the pegasus.

“November…because of your magical mystery medkits, we are heal soldiers and civilians alike as quickly as we can.”  I refute “You’re not worthless.  And you are doing March Flare proud.”

November seemed to relax for only few seconds. Then he turned back to working on the covenant technology, spread about his workbench in pieces.

“I cannot make anything useful out of what the covenant uses, Destiny…” November moaned “Their crystal technology… we are just beginning to study it in its plasma state and its solid state. The only new deceive I could make was…” He reached into the huge pile of origami birds and pulled out - “…a lava lamp.”

I peek over November’s shoulder, seeing High Hopes still saddened at her laptop.  “I bet somepony really wants a new toy.” I notified pointing my foreleg at High Hopes.

Thinking what I was thinking, November silently trotted over to High Hopes and placed the glowing-green lava lamp next to her.  When she tore her eyes away from the laptop’s screen and saw November Flare’s gift, she tightly hugged the stallion and started to cry.

I took this moment go amount the two and peek at High Hopes laptop.  She was news network, reading that The covenant had attacked and glassed the colonies New Manebassa, Pegasi Delta, and Gallipolis today.  They were really were giving us hell.

I trotted over to Blades still firing plasma round from a H-shaped weapon at the wall.  “Blades, how are you holding up?”

Blades didn't answer at first.  Then she growled “So mad I could burst…”

“We’re all in our darkest hour with the covenant-”

Blades interrupted “I'm mad at Vector, not the covenant; the dumb-arse got fired up on Bucephala in a daft fashion.”

Vector-056 had died earlier this week; she changed heroically into battle only to not notice the plasma mortar headed straight for him. I said, “That was Vector’s fault; don't let that go your head soldier.”

Blades sighed “Lipizzaner, Vector…. Were the best of the best but we're only ponies; and we're losing.  It’s a pretty grim month for….all of us, mate.  Could we win this fight?”

That was question where you heart said yes and your mind said no.  But all the greenhorns needed somepony to look up to.

“I don’t know…” I honestly answer “All I know is that ponies have been through tough times before – we can do it again.”

And if we can’t win this? Blades thought looking away.  She looked at rack, filled with the UNSCOE’s weapons on one end and whatever weapons recovered from covenant’s advanced inventory

“We can't lose any...because I'm crazy enough to believe we can win this war.”

Feeling a little better, Blades eyed my journal that I left beside November’s workbench.  “Mind if I have gander?”

I wasted no time in presenting the journal to her, showing that it was mess of words and sketches.  “Are you like some kind of Journo?”

I shrugged, “It’s just something I use to keep track of my memories.”

“c-c-can…I see? I pinkie promise not to tell…”

I spun around and found High Hopes behind me, clutching the lava lamp.  November was also beside her, still saddened.

“I guess there is no harm in showing it to all of you…” I shrugged, then I chimed softly to High hopes. “...as long as you pinkie promise.”

Fzzz…*PHEW!*

“CROSS MY HEART, EAT A PIE, POUR SOME GARLIC ON MY FRENCH FRIES!” High Hopes screamed at the top of her lungs, her hair becoming all poufy again to my happiness.  Blades and November laughed.

I started to read the first part of my journal, saying:

“Well, it all started when I scanned the silver bookshelves of the treehouse-library frantically. My sister would kill me soon if I couldn't find that book. But after trying my best to look….”

Just then, Halsey’s voice came over the loudspeakers *“Master Chief Petty Officer Destiny, we received distress signal from friendly forces the colony Nieghtherland. Covenant forces are inbound to the colony.  Organize some Greenhorns to be deployed to Nieghtherland ASAP.”*

Celestia dammit…

“Okiee dookie smokie, Doctor Loco coco sparkle!” High Hopes cheered into the intercom.  The she sped off to the lockers.

Blades magically levitated two covenant needlers off a rack, loading the crystal ammo into them. “Well…let’s have a go at it!”

November Flare went over to his locker and pulled out three M.M.M’s, a modified battle rifle with an underbarrel cartridge filled of used syringes, and his tactical visor covering his left eye.  “Same for me; about time I got back out and flew a phoenix; I've been studying covenant tech for a month now and I'm getting nowhere.” November huffed.

I was about to gallop outside to gather my other brother and sister greenhorns, only to have High hopes zip in front of me, wearing that creepy skull mask and dangling her shotgun around her neck.

“Can I come?” the little red pony pleaded.  “I’ll be good; I pinkie promise.  Gunny and Skully will be safe…and well fed.”

“No.” I firmly notified “It’s too dangerous.”

“Please?” High hopes begged wrapping her hooves around my bare fore-legs. “I don’t want to stay here all day; there is no info to collect and trade.  I wanna fight again.”

“No.” I rolled my eyes

“PLEASE?!” High Hopes wailed, showing off her adorable green eyes. “PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE…”

“Alright Alright…” I gave up, her pleading echoing my ears. “But you have to listen to whatever I say. Do I make -”

“Crystal Clear, boss!” High Hopes chanted and sped out through the armory doors.

Blades trotted up beside me in her MUSTANG MK-5 armor, whispering “I don't mean to call High Hopes a dill, but this is a serious matter she doesn't see as serious.”

I shook my head. “Still at least she makes our job fun.”

Later I got my own MUSTANG MK-5 armor on.  Tested on Equestria in the San Palomino Deserts, the MK 5 could be assembled onto a pony by herself and customized into variety of fashions, unlike the MUSTANG MK-4 armor.  Its armor plating was as light as flying feathers and generated a fully body-energy-shield that was as strong as dragon scales (Yeah…that was reference to a book).  I painted the armor plating maroon-red, the color of equestrian blood, and drew my paintbrush cutie mark on the thigh pieces.  Instead of choosing from one of the new helmets, such as the MK-5 variant Blades donned, I had November modify my MK-4 helmet to be compatible with my MK-5 armor systems.

Somehow when I look at the helmet I can see myself in visor perfectly.  So when the covenant met me on Neightherland, they would know who Destiny the Pegasus was.

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Now, every Greenhorns gallops into battle alongside the other races of the UNSCOE, our armor design colors, and cutie marks speaking out who we are as individuals.  But even as powerful as we were, the UNSCOE couldn’t beat the covenant entirely; you could win a ground fight and still lose the planet to a space battle.

And during all these loses I kept wondering….who was the ‘He’ the covenant were looking for?