Unintentional Invasion Ch.2 - Getting Acquainted

The boat ride back was silent and uneventful for the next few days. Your two companions didn't speak much, still heavily shaken from their near-execution. Luckily enough, there were some rations on the ship for them. You had access to your own rations in your armored pockets, so you let them eat the ones on the ship.

 

To pass the time, you had been playing sentry and boat captain at separate times. You had your HUD light up a point in the distance, which was still well over 20 klicks out. You were still heading east, so you had to hit land eventually.

 

"Can't believe I almost...died..." Twilight mumbled. It was the first words she had said all trip. You looked over at her, but the pony was boring a hole into the deck with her gaze. "Th-that would have been it...my story would have ended there..."

 

You had seen this type of talk countless times. Survivors of Covenant attacks would often be shell-shocked and distant, difficult to talk to. Thankfully, you were a SPARTAN III. Unlike the II's, you weren't emotionally compromised...but you weren't as strong as they were, either. You were, however, stronger than the actual SPARTAN-IV's, so you couldn't complain too much.

 

You decided to try your hand at calming her.

 

You stood up, which got the unicorn's attention. She watched you carefully as you walked across the deck and sat down next to her, trying to not break the benches. You were shocked they were holding your weight in the first place, to be frank.

 

"Hey there." You said simply. Twilight looked at you...and burst into thankful tears.

 

"T-thank you, thank you!" She repeated, and you simply stroked her hair to calm her down. This was...strange. Talking ponies, mythological creatures (that also talked), your mind was churning while you waited for Twilight to calm down.

 

The pegasus stood off to the side, still wary. You could understand that, you'd be wary of a heavily armed and armored giant too. Still, after a few days, it was wearing on your nerves. The bloody pegasus would watch you *sleep*, which was equal parts annoying and creepy.

 

"If I wanted to hurt you, I'd have done it by now." You stated flatly, still idly stroking Twilight's mane. She had cried herself to sleep, the occasional nightmare-influenced whimper leaving her.

 

"What was that thing you used on that griffon?" She asked, looking pointedly at the magnum on your thigh. You pulled it up and dropped the mag out, before offering it to her to inspect.

 

"It's called the M6G, a variant of the M6 pistol. It fires bullets capped with explosives, which increase penetration and damage." You explained simply, pulling a round out of the magazine to show her.

 

"That's...tiny." She said, looking unimpressed.

 

"Doesn't have to be big. Force is Mass times Acceleration *squared*, after all. Speed matters more than weight." You turned the shell vertical and held it between your thumb and forefinger. "This has a small charge inside that causes the grey bit here," you pointed at the copper-capped bullet, "to fly off at supersonic speeds and into whatever it is you aim it at. Said grey bit is also made of explosives, with predictable results."

 

"What...are you, anyway?" The pegasus asked after a moment.

 

You reloaded your weapon and holstered it, before checking on the sleeping unicorn. You then refocused your attention.

 

"Want me to get specific or general?"

 

"Wait, you might want to wait for the egghead to wake up so you aren't repeating yourself." She chuckled, before spreading her wings. "I'm Rainbow Dash, only the coolest pony EVER. You might want to pick a thing or two up from me, your entrance could use some work."

 

"I'm sure." You rolled your eyes, looking around. Another coast was finally coming into view, and the sun was shining down.

 

You suddenly wished you hadn't been forced to abandon your Broadsword, but you were certain nothing could break in even if they wanted to.

 

Rainbow Dash pulled back on the boat's throttle, letting it drift to a stop at the dock. She then moved to wake Twilight up.

 

"Hey, Twilight, we're back. C'mon, get up!"

 

The unicorn grunted in her sleep, before slowly stirring awake.

 

"Oh, hi Rainbow. I had the strangest dream on the way to the Griffon Kingdom. Well, more of a night...mare...oh no..." She trailed off when she saw you, realizing that everything that had happened wasn't her overactive imagination. "It was...all real, wasn't it?"

 

"I'm afraid so." You replied.

 

"I...need to talk to Princess Celestia." The unicorn muttered. "You need to come with me, I don't think she'll believe me otherwise." Twilight looked at you, motioning for you to follow her. You collected your helmet and put it back on, ignoring the gawking from the dozens of technicolor ponies at the docks.

 

Several guards gave you wary looks, but didn't move to stop you from following the lavender unicorn, who in turn was galloping at full-tilt to what appeared to be...a train station?

 

Your brain started hurting at the clashing levels of tech. Trains, but weaponry no better than spears? Argh.

 

Regardless, you boarded the train and stood, afraid that you would break the chairs by sitting in them. Again, your imposing armored form was drawing stares, which you ignored.

 

"Tickets! Tickets! Please have your tickets ready!" A pony called, coming down the aisle in a red overcoat. He didn't have any outstanding features like wings or a horn, he was just...horse. He was holding a cup in his teeth, and the various traingoers were putting their tickets inside it.

 

That reminded you: You didn't have a ticket...and he was staring up at you expectantly. Unlike the others on-board who pointedly avoided you, he was staring right into your mirrored faceplate, unfazed by you towering over him.

 

"Ticket, please."

 

"Uh..." was your reply. You looked over at Twilight and Rainbow, both of whom were having a small giggle fit.

 

"He's with me." Twilight said after a minute. Apparently she must have had some pull around here, because the ticket collector simply nodded and moved on.

 

The train ride took a few hours, before the tracks led up a mountainside. Balanced on the side of the mountain was a glittering white castle and fortress, looking almost like something out of a fairy tale. The city itself was bustling with ponies of various colors, species, and size. It was almost like an organized chaos, each pony knowing exactly where to go, who to avoid, and who to meet.

 

Twilight pushed past the crowds, with Rainbow Dash taking flight to evade the crowds.

 

"I'll meet you two there!" She called down. Twilight nodded as she took off, before the unicorn looked back at you.

 

"This way!"

 

You followed her through the city, pinging her with a HUD marker so you didn't lose her in the crowd. There was little time for sightseeing at the moment, regrettably. You simply followed the mare to the glittering castle you had seen earlier. You could see a blue speck already at the top of the stairs, waiting.

 

The guards were quick to open the doors when Twilight approached, though they gave you a wary glare. Twilight waved them off, and they let you pass. The rather plain hallway lead into a grand throne room after a little while. Ornate tapestries lined the walls and windows, with one window open off to the side. You presumed there was a balcony there, otherwise that was a serious hazard. There was a massive golden throne in the center, but the room was otherwise empty.

 

"Princess?" Twilight called out, looking around the empty room curiously.

 

"Twilight? I wasn't expecting you back for another few days." A voice called from the open balcony. "Come in, tell me all about it!"

 

"I hope you won't mind if I brought a friend, princess? There's something important that needs to be discussed."

 

"Of course not, Twilight! I wish I had known you were coming back so soon, I'd have had dinner ready." A pure white unicorn with wings walked inside from the balcony, a warm smile gracing her features. She was roughly as tall as your shoulder, which was an impressive feat from what you had seen so far.

 

On her backside was a bright orange and yellow stylized sun tattoo. You noticed that both Twilight and Rainbow had tattoos on their flanks as well, of a six-pointed amethyst star and cloud with rainbow-colored lightning bolt, respectively.

 

Curious.

 

Celestia's smile went from warm to politely confused when she saw you.

 

"Oh, I was unaware we were having another guest! Please, make yourself comfortable." She bowed a slight bit. "I am Princess Celestia, co-Ruler of Equestria and Twilight Sparkle's mentor. May I ask your name?"

 

You snapped a salute the instant you heard 'Princess' and 'Ruler' in the same sentence.

 

"Captain Anon, SPARTAN Three of the United Nations Space Command, ma'am." You kept the salute until Celestia nodded.

 

"At ease, Captain. I must admit, it has been...a long time since I've been saluted to by a foreign soldier." The warm smile returned. "Please, relax. You may tell me everything over dinner. Twilight, we may discuss your matter in private."

 

You dropped the salute, seeing Rainbow Dash already seated at the table and looking eager. Twilight followed Celestia into a room behind the throne, and the door shut quietly behind them. You took a seat as well, not yet removing your helmet.

 

"Aw man, this is gonna be awesome! It's not often I get to eat like royalty!" The pegasus cheered, and you let a small smile creep onto your face. "Wait, you *can* eat what we do, right?"

 

"Uh, well, probably. I'm an omnivore, after all." You replied, scratching your chin thoughtfully.

 

"A what now?"

 

"I can eat just about anything. Even in the event I can't, you know I have emergency food in my armor's pockets." Bringing that up made you curious how much was still there, which in turn made the neural link provide the information you needed: six days of food left, down from the original nine. Not great, but it would do.

 

"Oh." She said simply, before waiting for the food to come out. If you had to be honest, you were rather hungry too. It had been well over a day and a half since you had eaten last, and your stomach had grown tired of being silent.

 

Your belly let out an unceremonious groan of emptiness just as Twilight and Celestia made it back. Celestia looked a great deal less happy and cheerful than before she had left, and Twilight looked as though she had just shed fresh tears.

 

"Captain." Celestia started, looking right at you. "My student told me some...troubling things during her trip to the Griffon Kingdom. They tried to...execute her?" Her voice remained calm, but you saw a small fire in the princess' gaze.

 

"Yes." You responded.

 

"Enlighten me, please."

 

You began telling the monarch about what happened from the point you woke up to your rescue of Twilight. Celestia barely kept a level gaze, the occasional wince of anger flashing up and vanishing just as quickly.

 

"Was any proof brought forward of these...accusations?" Celestia questioned after a long pause.

 

"None that I had seen, though I believe I missed a portion of the trial. Regardless, these griffons tried to take me prisoner as well, claiming I was 'an Equestrian Spy'" You replied.

 

"I see. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, please eat your fill. Feel free to stay the night here as well, Twilight knows the way to the guest rooms." Celestia said softly, before looking back to you. "You, of course, may also eat to your heart's content. I won't pretend I know what a human's diet is, but there should be something there to suit you. I need to write a strongly worded letter, excuse me."

 

The princess then quickly left, stewards coming in with plates...levitating? You stared dumbfounded as the multi-colored auras vanished upon the plates touching the table. The unicorns bowed and quickly left, while the other two started eating.

 

You hadn't even gotten over the shock of what you had seen. You had seen Forerunner tech levitate things before, but never anything organic. Twilight noticed you not eating.

 

"What's wrong?" She asked.

 

"What did...how...?" Was all you could get out.

 

"Simple levitation magic, nothing fancy."

 

Nothing fancy?! Levitation technology was barely in humanity's grasp, and these ponies had mastered it!?

 

"...I need to sit down." You stated, planting yourself right on the stone floor. You clicked your helmet's speakers off, letting you rant to yourself in private. "Talking, flying horses, fine. Mythological creatures are real, a shock but I'll deal with it...but MAGIC!? Come ON!" You had given no sign of your ranting from the outside, keeping your limbs and head still.

 

Spartans were supposed to be calm and composed. You, right now, were not.

 

Rainbow hopped off her bench and poked the side of your helmet.

 

"Hey, you okay?" She cocked her head to the side, trying to peer into the mirrored visor. Your glare went unnoticed, as you figured it would. "Hellooooooo?"

 

You clicked the speakers back on.

 

"I'm fine. I just...need a minute." You turned them back off, ranting mostly to yourself. The pegasus simply shrugged and went back to her dinner. Twilight had stopped eating, looking at you with concern. After a moment, you released the latches from your helmet and stood, taking a seat at the table and grabbing a plate of fruits.

---

 

It was hours later, the sun having set below the horizon. Rainbow Dash had left for her home, saying something about managing the weather.

 

You, meanwhile, were currently on a tour through the castle, lead by Tour Guide Twilight Sparkle. You chuckled to yourself over your little joke, temporarily forgetting your helmet wasn't on. She merely looked at you curiously, before going on about how old the bricks were and how ancient the stained glass windows were and oh dear god you didn't care.

 

"I hate to cut this tour short, but I'm running down. Can you show me to the room I'm using?" The unicorn seemed to deflate a bit when you said that, but oh well. You weren't paying much attention to the tour anyway, only noting what could be a defensible position when you saw one. For a castle, there were shockingly few. Most castles on Earth had tight corridors and twisting hallways...this one didn't. In fact, the hallways were rather wide and unobstructed, meaning an invading force could simply storm on through.

 

Curiously, few scorch marks that looked recent seemed to tell of that very thing happening.

 

"Actually Twilight, hold on." You pointed at a rather sizable scorch mark on the wall, behind a few maintenance signs. "What happened here?"

 

The unicorn became suddenly sheepish and uncomfortable.

 

"Uh, well...Canterlot Castle was attacked roughly a month ago." She finally said, not making eye contact. "We tried our best to fend the Changelings off, but could only barely hold on until the power of Shining Armor's and Cadence's love forced them out!" She had a triumphant smile on her face, while you resisted the urge to facepalm.

 

"Run that by me again?" You asked.

 

"My brother and his new wife, and as a result my new sister-in-law, repelled the changeling army with love in its purest and most raw form. The massive surge threw them all into the Badlands, where they've stayed since."

 

"Uh huh. How heavy were the losses?"

 

Twilight looked confused.

 

"Losses?"

 

"How many were killed in the invasion?"

 

"N-none...?"

 

You stared blankly.

 

"None at all." You repeated. Twilight nodded, confused. "Zilch, nada, zero, none." She nodded after every word. "You ponies are either the LUCKIEST beings in the universe, or these Changelings are the worst invaders of all time."

 

"...right. Well, uh, Anonymous, let me show you to your room..."

 

The room itself was lightly furnished, though the bed was pleasantly large enough to hold you. You supposed that was due to foreign dignitaries and such visiting from time to time. At any rate, you had a rather comfortable bed to sleep in...

 

That made you giddy despite yourself. A real bed, for the first time in over three years...

 

You manually removed your armor, a process that took 30 minutes as opposed to the suiting machine's two and a half. Leaving the black bodysuit on, you fell into bed and were immediately assaulted by flowery scents and squishy pillows. If you were honest with yourself, you didn't care. Sleep was on you in an instant, sleep you felt you deserved.

---

 

>>March 24, 2558

>>Location: Canterlot Castle Bedroom

 

Seven hours. That's all a Spartan ever slept at maximum, and you were no exception. So, when your internal clock hit 0600 hours, you were up. You felt a little worn out, so you assumed you hadn't had the full seven...or yesterday had just been that draining. Likely a combination of both, now that you thought about it.

 

The moon was still in the sky, so you assumed most ponies would still be asleep. Regardless, you got out of bed and stretched, doing your morning workout routine of one hundred push-ups/curls/pull ups. The door frame was surprisingly suitable for the last one, bearing your weight with relative ease.

 

Next on your list was your morning jog, but you weren't sure this place had a track, or even a workout room to begin with. You sincerely doubted it, what with their physiology being drastically different from yours. Add to the fact they didn't have the technology your species did...needless to say, ponies seemed to be rather active creatures.

 

Still, that didn't solve your issue of having a jog, and you didn't think the guards would take too kindly to you running up and down the hallways like a fool. You decided to skip it until you found a place you could jog in peace.

 

Your door clicked shut. While ordinarily this would have been attributed to one of your roommates on the Infinity, in the castle you had the room to yourself. You listened, and heard hoofbeats quickly receding from your door. You swung it back open...to reveal nothing.

 

Time for a little Spartan Recon work.

 

You slowly inched your way down the hall, when you heard another door click shut. Approaching the door, you put an ear up to it and listened.

 

"...subject appears to need little sleep, having only been asleep for three and a half hours before up and exercising again. Not certain if this exercise is of any special importance, or if it's simply used how we ponies use it." Twilight's voice...was she studying you?

 

"Also of note is the strange material the subject wears over his skin. It appears many orders of magnitude more advanced than anything we have, and that goes double for his armor. No doubt he would be a force to be reckoned with, even taking into account unicorn magic."

 

"You know," you said through the door, "if you wanted an interview, all you had to do was ask!"

 

You heard an "eep!" on the other side of the door, and the unicorn in question sheepishly opened it and smiled innocently at you.

 

"Oh, hi Anonymous! What brings you here so early in the morning?" She faked a yawn, before returning to the innocent smile.

 

"Oh, you know, the usual. Eavesdroppers, spies, nosy little unicorns. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" You grinned as the mare's ears flattened to her skull and a rosy blush appeared on her cheeks.

 

"N-nope, doesn't ring a bell!" She looked around, then stepped away from the door. "Well, seeing as you're here, would you mind answering a few questions?" Her eager grin was infectious, and you nodded.

 

"As long as I can ask some in return." You stepped into the room, and she closed the door behind you. "Ask away."

 

"Okay!" She pulled up a chair with her magic, settling it in behind you. "Please, sit! I've got a lot to ask!" You heard the pony squee a bit, before she sat on her bed and produced a quill with paper.

 

"First of all: What ARE you?"

 

"Well, how detailed should I be?" You replied.

 

"As much as you know!" You could just hear the eager grin on her face, you didn't even have to look. It really was infectious, and this was a disease you didn't mind catching.

 

"Alright, calm down." You cleared your throat...and suddenly, a glass of water was conjured for you, floating in a magenta aura. "Thanks, I think. Anyway, I'm a Human, scientific term is Homo Sapiens. Originated from the planet Earth, in the Sol system." Technically shouldn't have told her that, but you were pretty confident they didn't have space-flight...not that they could find the place anyway.

 

"I'm about average height for my species, though my weight is somewhat above average due to the augmentations made to me. I'll get to that in a moment. We're a bipedal, omnivorous species, and are among some of the hardiest beings from our planet."

 

Twilight was just drinking this in, making eager notes and nodding for you to continue.

 

"We live for one hundred and ten years on average, though the current record is some lucky bastard in his one hundred and fifties. We can't use magic as far as I'm aware, but we've done just fine without it."

 

"What about you, specifically?" Twilight asked. "I want to get to know my new friend better!"

 

You smiled softly, nodding and gathering your thoughts again.

 

"I am Captain Anon, of the UNSC Infinity. I am a Spartan Three, trained from the young age of seven to be the perfect killing machine." Twilight froze and shuddered, before locking her bright lavender eyes to you. "My bones are nigh-unbreakable, I heal at an accelerated rate, and I am extremely resistant to pain, among other things." The pony opened her mouth, and you cut her off. "I chose this."

 

"What would possess a colt to want to become...that at such a young age?" Twilight quietly asked, seemingly afraid of what your answer would be.

 

"Revenge, Twilight." You sighed, remembering everything. "My family was killed by this fanatical group of aliens called "The Covenant". I was rescued by the UNSC, and wanted revenge. They offered it to me in the form of the Spartan Three program, so...I took it."

 

Twilight had abandoned her notes, instead listening with rapt attention.

 

"I killed, Twilight. Killed many, many beings...easily in the tens of thousands." You looked right at her before continuing. Twilight's expression was a form of sheer terror, you noticed a cold sweat forming under her coat. "I don't regret it either, it was them or me."

 

"You...willingly killed other beings?" The pony asked, hiding her terror well. She instead gave an aura of morbid curiosity.

 

"Yes. If I hadn't chosen to kill those griffons, after all, we wouldn't be having this conversation. There's a point where ending a life is justifiable, usually to protect others."

 

"I can...see the logic behind that." Twilight shook her head. "Still not great to think about, but you're right."

 

"Twilight, can you answer me something? When was the last time there's been an actual war for your people? As a whole, I mean." The unicorn thought for a moment before answering.

 

"That would be the Nightmare Moon crisis, well over a thousand years ago." Twilight replied, before looking at you. "Why?"

 

"Well, an alien breaks two pony prisoners out of an execution, killing several Griffons along the way. How well do you think that will go over?" You asked rhetorically. "Just judging by the way your 'trial' went, they're looking for any excuse they can to inflict violence."

 

Twilight's eyes widened.

 

"Oh no..."

 

She then just...vanished in a flash of light, leaving you alone in the room. You already hated magic.

---

 

You wandered the halls as the sun eventually came up, the occasional guard giving you a watchful but otherwise disinterested glance.

 

Your stomach growled, so you answered its call and found the dining room again. It was empty, aside from a midnight blue winged unicorn. She was reading a book while eating some fruit, having not noticed your entry. Shrugging, you walked over and grabbed an apple as well.

 

It was then that she noticed you, jumping slightly in surprise.

 

"OH ANCIENTS, WHAT ARE Y-" She seemed to catch herself as your ears were ringing, before starting again. "Oh, my apologies. You must be the...guest my sister spoke of." She flared her wings out and adopted a regal stance. "I am Princess Luna, Guardian of the Night and sister to Princess Celestia. Greetings!"

 

You snapped a salute, berating yourself for not noticing the black crown nestled in her hair.

 

"Captain Anon, Spartan Three of the UNSC Infinity, ma'am."

 

An uncomfortable silence took over as you held the salute, the blue pony obviously not knowing proper protocol.

 

"Uh, thank you?" She uttered after a moment, looking around for a way to make you stop. You chuckled internally, before breaking the salute on your own. "...at any rate, what brings you here, honored guest?"

 

"Nothing in particular, ma'am. Simply hungry, and I figured the dining room would have something." You replied, taking a seat across from Luna and munching on the apple you had snagged. The princess seemed to be watching you carefully as you ate, and it was beginning to unnerve you.

 

"You...eat meat, do you not?" She asked after a moment. You blinked.

 

"How did you know?" She chuckled in response to your question, pointing a hoof at your mouth.

 

"My Night Guard have the same teeth. Pointed incisors for meat, molars in the back for mashing fruits. Omnivorous, am I correct?"

 

You smiled.

 

"Hole in one, Princess."

 

"I have never heard that expression before, but regardless." She chuckled again. "Call me Luna, please. A friend of my sister is a friend of mine."

 

"A pleasure, Luna."

 

You two exchanged small talk while she read her book, mostly about how you were being treated at the castle. Finishing your breakfast, you saluted the Princess of the Night once more and left...only to nearly crash into Celestia herself.

 

"Oh, my fault, sorry!" You said as you jumped back, narrowly avoiding backstepping into Luna as well.

 

Celestia merely nodded to you, looking extremely drained. Her mane was a mess, draped over her face erratically. Bags were under her eyes, and she had a scowl adorned on her face.

 

"Apologies, Captain." Celestia said, before looking at Luna. "Sister, we have a problem. The Griffon ambassador is absolutely furious with us, due to a supposed Equestrian Spy," She looked pointedly at you. "Interfering in an execution."

 

Celestia sighed.

 

"They're threatening war unless we turn him over."

 

"Whoa, hold on, you aren't considering it, are you?" You asked, shocked.

 

"I wouldn't dream of turning you over to them." The white pony immediately responded, slightly irritated. "I'm a little insulted you would assume that."

 

"Well then, wh-" You started, when the doors burst open. A pure white stallion pegasus in golden armor, one of Celestia's guards, galloped into the room.

 

"Your highness! Urgent reports from Baltimare!"

---

 

You yawned, standing at the seaport in Baltimare. Your partner on the other side of the gate gave you a disapproving look before returning his stony gaze to the harbor. Chortling to yourself, you knew for a fact that disinterested gaze was simply him tuning everything out. He liked to act like your superior, despite being the same rank.

 

A few ponies were milling about, most not eager to start the day. Still, it was almost the weekend. You, along with most of the ponies here, could enjoy a few days off.

 

Or rather, you would be enjoying a few days off...if the boat in front of you hadn't just exploded. Sprinting forward, you corralled the panicking civvies.

 

"Alright, stay calm!" You shouted. "Inside the walls! Starbright, get the other guards!" Mentally, you were cursing your luck. This would probably mean you'd have to pull a double shift, in addition to coming in tomorrow...

 

Starbright snapped out of his stupor and did as told. The civilians gathered just inside the wall, waiting for questioning. Most were alright with it, seeing as this was a prime ticket to have an early weekend.

 

The firefighting pegasai were on the scene next, dousing the fire.

 

An odd whistling came through the air. Your ears swiveled, trying to find the source. From straight ahead, but where...

 

The wall exploded next. You were showered with bits of stone as you lit your horn up, projecting a defensive shield. Nowhere near as powerful as Shining Armor's, but definitely more than enough for the moment. The firefighters retreated, and that's when you saw it. On the horizon, a dozen warships...all flying the Griffon flag.

 

"Oh buck this!" You shouted, sprinting back inside. The gate slammed shut directly afterwards, shuddering as a cannonball smashed into it.

 

"Shadowstone!" Someone called. Looking up, a pegasus guard quickly saluted and quizzed you. "What in Tartarus is going on!?"

 

"Griffon ships, no idea!" You replied. "Alert the princesses!" He nodded and flew off, and you turned around. "Anypony able to cast a shield spell, on me!"

 

Several other guards gathered nearby, and as one, you all projected a protective golden dome around the entire city. It wouldn't hold long, but...hopefully it would last long enough for them to run out of ammo.

---

 

"Alert the Guard." Celestia commanded, after hearing the pegasus out. She then turned to you. "Captain, I hate to impose, but..."

 

You were already leaving to grab your armor.