Part 5 (1/2)
The red flag was gone. ”Show me that again,” Dr. Halsey said unbelievingly. ”You recorded all that, didn't you?” ”Of course.” Mendez tapped a b.u.t.ton but the monitors played back-static. ”d.a.m.n it. They got to the cameras, too,” he muttered, impressed. ”Every time we find a new place to hide them, they disable the recording devices.” Dr. Halsey leaned against the gla.s.s wall staring at the carnage below. ”Very well, Chief Mendez, what else do I need to know?”
”Your Spartans can run at bursts of up to fifty-five KPH,” he explained. ”Kelly can run a little faster, I think. They will only get quicker as they adjust to the 'alterations' we've made to their bodies. They can lift three times their body weight-which, I might add, is almost double the norm due to their increased muscle density. And they can virtually see in the dark.”
Dr. Halsey pondered this new data. ”They should not be performing so well. There must be unexplained synergistic effects brought on by the combined modifications. What are their reaction times?”
”Almost impossible to chart. We estimate it at twenty milliseconds,” Mendez replied. He shook his head, then added, ”I believe it's significantly faster in combat situations, when their adrenaline is pumping.”
”Any physiological or mental instabilities?”
”None. They work like no team I've ever seen before. d.a.m.n near telepathic, if you ask me. They were dropped in these caves yesterday, and I don't know where they got black suits or the rope that for that maneuver, but I can guarantee they haven't left this room. They improvise and improve and adapt.
”And,” he added, ”theylike it. The tougher the challenge, the harder the fight . . . the better their morale becomes.” it. The tougher the challenge, the harder the fight . . . the better their morale becomes.”
Dr. Halsey watched as the first trainer stirred and struggled to get out of his inert armor. ”They might as well have been killed,” she murmured. ”But can the Spartans kill, Chief? Kill on purpose? Are they ready for real combat?”
Mendez looked away and paused before he spoke. ”Yes. If we ordered them to, they would kill quite efficiently.” His body stiffened. ”May I ask what 'real combat' you mean, ma'am?”
She clasped her hands and wrung them nervously. ”Something has happened, Chief. Something ONI and the Admiralty never expected. The bra.s.s wants to deploy the Spartans. They want to test them in a real combat mission.”
”They're as ready for that as I can make them,” Mendez said. He narrowed his dark eyes. ”But this is far ahead of your schedule. What happened? I've heard rumors there was some heavy action near Harvest colony.”
”Your rumors are out-of-date, Chief,” she said, and a chill crept into her voice. ”There's no more fighting at Harvest. Thereis no more Harvest.” no more Harvest.”
Dr. Halsey punched the descent b.u.t.ton, and the observation room slowly lowered to the floor.
”Get them out of this hole,” she said crisply. ”I want them ready to muster at 0400. We have a briefing at 0600 tomorrow aboard thePioneer . We're taking them on a mission ONI has been saving for the right crew and the right time. This is it.” . We're taking them on a mission ONI has been saving for the right crew and the right time. This is it.”
”Yes, ma'am,” Mendez replied.
”Tomorrow we see if all the pain they've been through has been worth it.”
CHAPTER NINE.
0605 Hours, September 12, 2525 (Military Calendar) / UNSC Destroyer Pioneer Pioneer , en route to Erida.n.u.s System. , en route to Erida.n.u.s System.
John and the other Spartans stood at ease. The briefing room aboard the UNSC DestroyerPioneer made him uncomfortable. The holographic made him uncomfortable. The holographic projectors at the fore end of the triangular room showed the field of stars visible off the bow of the s.h.i.+p. John wasn't used to seeing so much s.p.a.ce; he kept expecting the room to decompress explosively. The stars flickered and faded and the overhead lights warmed. Chief Petty Officer Mendez and Dr.
Halsey entered the room. The Spartans snapped to attention. ”At ease,” Mendez said. He clasped his hands behind his back and clenched his jaw muscles. The Chief looked almost . . . nervous. That made John nervous, too. Dr. Halsey walked to the podium. The overhead light reflected off her gla.s.ses. ”Good morning, Spartans. I have good news for you. The word has come down. Command has decided to test your unique abilities. You have a new mission: an insurgent base in the Erida.n.u.s System.” A star map appeared on the wall and zoomed in to show a warm orange sun ringed with twelve planets. ”In 2513, an armed insurrection in this system was suppressed by the UNSC force-Operation: TREBUCHET.”
An intersystem tactical map appeared, and tiny icons representing destroyers and carriers winked on.
They engaged a force of a hundred smaller s.h.i.+ps. Pinpoints of fire appeared against the dark. ”The insurrection was put down,” Dr. Halsey continued. ”However, elements of the rebel forces escaped and regrouped in the local asteroid belt.”
The map tilted and moved into the circle of debris around the star. ”Billions of rocks,” Dr. Halsey said, ”where they hid from our forces . . . and continue to hide to this day. For some time ONI believed that the rebels were disorganized, and were lacking in leaders.h.i.+p. That appears to have changed.
”We believe that one of these asteroids has been hollowed out, and that a formidable base has been constructed within. UNSC explorations into the belt have met either with no contact or with an ambush by superior forces.”
She paused, pushed up her gla.s.ses, and added, ”The Office of Naval Intelligence has also confirmed that FLEETCOM has discovered a security breach within their organization-a rebel sympathizer leaking information to these forces.”
John and the other Spartans s.h.i.+fted uneasily. A leak? It was possible. Deja had shown them many historical battles that had been won and lost because of traitors or informants. But it never occurred to him that it could happen in the UNSC.
A flat picture flashed over the star map: a middle-aged man with thinning hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and watery gray eyes.
”This is their leader,” Dr. Halsey said. ”Colonel Robert Watts. The original photo was taken after Operation: TREBUCHET and has been computer aged.
”Your mission is to infiltrate the rebel base, capture Watts, and return him-alive and unharmed-to UNSC-controlled s.p.a.ce. This will deprive the rebels of their new leaders.h.i.+p. And it will provide ONI a chance to interrogate Watts and root out traitors within FLEETCOM.”
Dr. Halsey stepped aside. ”Chief Mendez?”
Mendez exhaled and unclasped his hands. He strode to the podium and cleared his throat. ”This operation will be different from your previous missions. You will be engaging the enemy using live rounds and lethal force. They will be returning the favor. If there is any doubt, any confusion-and make no mistake: in combat, there will be confusion-takeno chances. Kill first, ask questions later. chances. Kill first, ask questions later.
”Support on this mission will be limited to the resources and firepower of this destroyer,” Mendez continued. ”This is to minimize the chance of a leak in the command structure.”
Mendez walked to the star map. The face of Colonel Watts snapped off and blueprints for a Parabola-cla.s.s freighter appeared.
”Although we don't know the location of the rebel base, we believe they receive periodic s.h.i.+pments from Erida.n.u.s Two. The independent freighterLaden is due to leave s.p.a.ce dock in six hours for a routine recertification of her engines. She is being loaded with enough food and water to supply a small city. Additionally, her captain has been identified as a rebel officer thought to have been killed during is due to leave s.p.a.ce dock in six hours for a routine recertification of her engines. She is being loaded with enough food and water to supply a small city. Additionally, her captain has been identified as a rebel officer thought to have been killed during Operation: TREBUCHET.
”You will slip aboard this freighter and hopefully hitch a ride to the rebel base. Once there, infiltrate the installation, grab Watts, and get off of that rock any way you can.”
Chief Mendez gazed at them all. ”Questions?”
”Sir,” John said. ”What are our extraction options?”
”You have two options: a panic b.u.t.ton that will relay a distress signal to a preestablished listening s.h.i.+p. Also, thePioneer will stay on-station . . . briefly. Our window here is thirteen hours.” He tapped the star map on the edge of the asteroid belt and it glowed with a blue Nav marker. ”I'll leave the extraction choice up to you. But let me point out that this asteroid belt has a circ.u.mference of more than a billion kilometers . . . making it impossible to canva.s.s with ONI surveillance craft. If things get hot, you will be on your own. will stay on-station . . . briefly. Our window here is thirteen hours.” He tapped the star map on the edge of the asteroid belt and it glowed with a blue Nav marker. ”I'll leave the extraction choice up to you. But let me point out that this asteroid belt has a circ.u.mference of more than a billion kilometers . . . making it impossible to canva.s.s with ONI surveillance craft. If things get hot, you will be on your own.
”Any other questions?”
The Spartans sat, silent and immobile.
”No? Well, listen up, Recruits,” Mendez added. ”This time I've told you all the twists that I know of. Be prepared for anything.” His gaze fixed on John. ”Squad Leader, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Petty Officer Third Cla.s.s.”
”Sir!” John snapped to attention.
”a.s.semble your team and equipment. Be ready to muster at 0300. We'll drop you off at the Erida.n.u.s Two docks. You're on your own from there.”
”Yes, sir!” John said.
Mendez saluted. He and Dr. Halsey then left the room.
John turned to face his teammates. The other Spartans stood at attention. Thirty-three-too many for this operation. He needed a small team: five or six maximum.
”Sam, Kelly, Linda, and Fred, meet me in the weapons locker in ten minutes.” The other Spartans sighed and their gazed dropped to the deck. ”The rest of you fall out. You'll have the more difficult part of this mission: You'll have to wait here.”