Part 21 (2/2)

”It will pa.s.s though Reach System,” Lieutenant Brightling said. ”Intersecting the solar plane in seventeen seconds at the system's outer edge at zero four one.” He inhaled sharply. ”Sir, that's only a light-second away from us.”

Lieutenant Streeter stood and knocked over his chair, almost backing into the Chief.

McRobb righted the chair. ”Sit down, Lieutenant. We've got a job to do. Target the telescope array to monitor that region of s.p.a.ce.”

Lieutenant Streeter turned and gazed into the rock-solid features of the Chief. He took a deep breath.

”Yes, sir.” He sat back down. ”Aye, sir, moving the array.”

”Gamma probe returning in three . . . two . . . one.” Lieutenant Brightling paused. ”There's no signal, sir. Scanning. Time plus four seconds and counting. Probe may have translated on a temporal axis.” ”I don't think so,” the Chief murmured. Lieutenant Streeter said, ”Telescope array now on target, sir. On the main view screen.” Pinpoints of green light appeared at the edge of the Reach solar system. They collected and swarmed as if they were caught in a boiling liquid. s.p.a.ce stretched, smeared, and distorted. Half the stars in that region were blotted out. ”Radar contact,” Lieutenant Brightling said. ”Contact with . . . more than three hundred large objects.” His hands started to shake. ”Sir, silhouettes match known Covenant profiles.”

”They're accelerating,” Lieutenant Streeter whispered. ”On an intercept course for the station.”

”FLEETCOM network connections are being infiltrated,” Lieutenant Brightling said. His trembling hands could barely type in commands. ”Cutting our connection.” Chief McRobb stood as straight as he could. ”What about the astrophysics data?” ”Sir, they're still trying to end the diagnostic cycle, but that takes a few minutes.” ”Then we don't have a lot of options,” McRobb muttered. He set his hand on Lieutenant Brightling's shoulder to steady the young officer. ”It's all right, Lieutenant. We've done the best we could. We've done our duty. There's nothing more to worry about.” He set his palmprint on the control station. The Chief locked out the reactor safeties and saturated the fusion chamber with their deuterium reserve tanks. Chief McRobb said, ”Just one last order to carry out.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO.

0519 Hours, August 30, 2552 (Military Calendar) / UNSCPillar of Autumn , Epsilon Eridani System's edge , Epsilon Eridani System's edge Something was wrong.

John felt it in his stomach first: a slight lateral acceleration-that became a spin strong enough that he had to brace his legs. ThePillar of Autumn was turning. Every other Spartan in the storage bay felt it as well; they paused as they unloaded equipment from was turning. Every other Spartan in the storage bay felt it as well; they paused as they unloaded equipment from crates and readied the cryo tubes for their journey.

The lateral motion slowed and stopped. ThePillar of Autumn 's engines rumbled like thunder through the hull of the s.h.i.+p. Kelly approached him. ”Sir? I thought we were accelerating to enter Slips.p.a.ce?” ”So did I. Have Fred and Joshua continue to prep the tubes. Have Linda get a team and secure our gear. 's engines rumbled like thunder through the hull of the s.h.i.+p. Kelly approached him. ”Sir? I thought we were accelerating to enter Slips.p.a.ce?” ”So did I. Have Fred and Joshua continue to prep the tubes. Have Linda get a team and secure our gear.

I'll find out what's going on.” ”Aye, sir.” The Master Chief marched toward the intercom panel. He hated being on s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps. The lack of control was disturbing. He and the other Spartans were just extra cargo in a s.p.a.ce battle.

He hesitated as he reached for the intercom. If Captain Keyes was involved in some tricky maneuver or engaging an enemy, the last thing he needed was an interruption. He pressed the b.u.t.ton. ”Cortana? We've changed course. Is there a problem?” Instead of her voice, however, Captain Keyes spoke over the channel: ”Captain Keyes to Spartan 117.” He replied, ”Here, sir.” ”There's been a change in plans,” Keyes said. There was a long pause. ”This will be easier to explain face-to-face. I'm on my way down to brief you. Keyes out.”

John turned and the other Spartans snapped to their tasks. Those without specific orders checked and rechecked their weapons and a.s.sembled their combat gear. They had all heard the Captain, however. The sound receivers in their armor could pick up a whisper at a hundred meters.

And the Spartans didn't have to be told this was trouble.

John clicked on the monitor near the intercom. The fore camera showed thePillar of Autumn had indeed turned about. Reach's sun blazed in the center of the screen. They were heading back. Was something wrong with the s.h.i.+p? No. Captain Keyes wouldn't be coming to brief him if that was the had indeed turned about. Reach's sun blazed in the center of the screen. They were heading back. Was something wrong with the s.h.i.+p? No. Captain Keyes wouldn't be coming to brief him if that was the case. There was definitely a snag. The elevator doors opened and Captain Keyes stepped off the lift. ”Captain on the deck!” the Master Chief shouted. The Spartans stood at attention. ”At ease,” Captain Keyes said. The expression on the Captain's face suggested that ”ease” was the last thing on his mind. He smoothed his thumb over the antique pipe the Master Chief had seen him carry.

”There is something very wrong,” Keyes said. He glanced at the other Spartans. ”Let's talk in private,” he told the Master Chief in a low voice. He walked to the monitor over the intercom. ”Sir,” the Master Chief said. ”Unless you wish to leave the deck, the Spartans will hear everything we say.” Keyes looked at the Spartans and frowned. ”I see. Very well, your squad might as well hear this now, too. I don't know how they found Reach-they bypa.s.sed a dozen Inner Colony worlds to get here. It doesn't matter. Theyare here. And we have to do something.” ”Sir? 'They'?” ”The Covenant.” He turned to the intercom. ”Cortana, display the last priority Alpha transmission.” A communique flickered on screen, and the Master Chief read: here. And we have to do something.” ”Sir? 'They'?” ”The Covenant.” He turned to the intercom. ”Cortana, display the last priority Alpha transmission.” A communique flickered on screen, and the Master Chief read: United Nations s.p.a.ce Command ALPHA PRIORITY TRANSMISSION 04592Z-83 Encryption Code:Red Public Key: Public Key:file /bravo-tango-beta-five/ From: From:Admiral Roland Freemont, Commanding Fleet Officer, FLEETCOM Sector One Commander/ (UNSC Service Number: 00745-16778-HS) To: To:ALL UNSC wars.h.i.+ps in REACH, JERICO, and TANTALUS systems Subject: Subject:IMMEDIATE RECALL Cla.s.sification: Cla.s.sification:Cla.s.sified (BGX Directive) /start file/ Covenant presence detected on REACH system's edge coordinates 030 relative.

All UNSC wars.h.i.+ps are hereby ordered to cease all activities and regroup at rally pointZULU at best speed. at best speed. ALL s.h.i.+PS ALL s.h.i.+PSare to enact the Cole Protocol immediately.

/end file/ ”Cortana has picked up s.h.i.+p signatures on thePillar of Autumn 's sensors,” Captain Keyes said. ”She cannot be sure how many because of electrical interference, but there are more than a hundred alien s.h.i.+ps inbound toward Reach. We have to go. We have our orders. The Section Three mission has to be scrubbed.” 's sensors,” Captain Keyes said. ”She cannot be sure how many because of electrical interference, but there are more than a hundred alien s.h.i.+ps inbound toward Reach. We have to go. We have our orders. The Section Three mission has to be scrubbed.”

”Sir? Scrubbed?” John had never had a mission canceled.

”Reach is our strategic headquarters and our biggest s.h.i.+p-building facility, Master Chief. If the s.h.i.+pyards fall, then Dr. Halsey's prediction of humanity having only months to survive will shrink to weeks.”

The Master Chief normally would never have contradicted a superior officer, but this time duty compelled him. ”Sir, our two missions are not mutually exclusive.”

Captain Keyes lit his pipe-in defiance of three separate regulations of igniting a combustible on a USNC s.h.i.+p. He puffed once and thoughtfully examined the smoke. ”What do you have in mind, Master Chief?”

”A hundred alien vessels, sir. Between the combined force of the fleet and Reach's...o...b..tal gun platforms, it is almost guaranteed there will be a disabled s.h.i.+p my squad can board and capture.”

Captain Keyes mulled this over. ”There will also be hundreds of s.h.i.+ps exchanging fire with one another. Missiles, nukes . . . Covenant plasma torpedoes.”

”Just get us close enough,” the Master Chief said. ”Punch a hole in their s.h.i.+elds long enough for us to get on their hull. We'll do the rest.”

Captain Keyes chewed on his pipe. He tucked it into the cup of his hand. ”There are operational complications with your plan. Cortana has been running thePillar of Autumn 's shakedown. We have our own AI, but by the time we get it initialized and running this s.h.i.+p-the battle may be over.” 's shakedown. We have our own AI, but by the time we get it initialized and running this s.h.i.+p-the battle may be over.”

”I see, sir.”

Captain Keyes gazed a moment at the Master Chief, then sighed. ”If there is a disabled Covenant s.h.i.+p and if we are close enough to itand if we're not blown to a million bits by the time we get there, then I'll transfer Cortana to you. I've flown s.h.i.+ps without an AI before.” Captain Keyes managed a weak smile, but it quickly disappeared. if we're not blown to a million bits by the time we get there, then I'll transfer Cortana to you. I've flown s.h.i.+ps without an AI before.” Captain Keyes managed a weak smile, but it quickly disappeared.

”Yes, sir!”

”We'll be at rally point Zulu in twenty minutes, Master Chief. Have your team ready by then . . . for anything.”

”Sir.” He saluted.

Captain Keyes returned the salute and entered the elevator, puffing on his pipe and shaking his head.

The Master Chief turned to his teammates. They halted what they were doing.

”You all heard. This is it. Fred and James, I want to you to refit one of our Pelicans. Get every sc.r.a.p of C-12 and shape a charge on her nose. If Captain Keyes downs a Covenant s.h.i.+eld, we may have to blast our way into the s.h.i.+p's hull.”

Fred and James replied, ”Aye, sir.”

”Linda, a.s.semble a team and get into every crate ONI packed for us-distribute that gear ASAP. Make sure everyone gets a thruster pack, plenty of ammo, grenades, and Jackhammer launchers if we have them. If we do get on board, we may encounter those armored Covenant types again-this time I want the firepower to take them out.”

”Yes, sir!” The Spartans scrambled to make ready for the mission. The Master Chief approached Kelly. On a private COM channel, he told her, ”Crate thirteen on the manifest has three HAVOK nuclear mines. Get them. I have the arming cards. Ready them for transport.” ”Affirmative.” She paused. The Master Chief couldn't see her face past the reflective s.h.i.+eld of her helmet, but he knew her well enough to know that the tiny slump of her shoulders meant that she was worried.

”Sir?” she said. ”I know this mission will be tough, but . . . do you ever get the feeling that this is like one of Chief Mendez's missions? Like there's a trick . . . some twist that we've overlooked?” ”Yes,” he replied. ”And I'm waiting for it.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE.

0534 Hours, August 30, 2552 (Military Calendar) / UNSCPillar of Autumn , Epsilon Eridani System , Epsilon Eridani System ThePillar of Autumn detonated its port emergency thrusters. The s.h.i.+p slid out of the path of the asteroid, detonated its port emergency thrusters. The s.h.i.+p slid out of the path of the asteroid, missing it by ten meters- -The Covenant plasma trailing them did not. It impacted the city-sized rock and sent fountains of molten iron and nickel spewing into s.p.a.ce.

Nine of the ten teardrop-shaped Covenant fighters-nicknamed ”Seraphs” by ONI-dodged the asteroid as well. The tenth s.h.i.+p slammed into the asteroid and vanished from the bridge's view screen. The other single s.h.i.+ps accelerated and swarmed around thePillar of Autumn , hara.s.sing her with pulse laser fire. , hara.s.sing her with pulse laser fire.

”Cortana,” Captain Keyes said, ”activate our point defense system.” ThePillar of Autumn 's 50mm cannons flashed-chipping away at the Covenant s.h.i.+ps' s.h.i.+elds. ”Already engaged, Captain,” Cortana said calmly. ”Ensign Lovell,” Captain Keyes said. ”Engines all stop and bring us about one hundred eighty degrees. 's 50mm cannons flashed-chipping away at the Covenant s.h.i.+ps' s.h.i.+elds. ”Already engaged, Captain,” Cortana said calmly. ”Ensign Lovell,” Captain Keyes said. ”Engines all stop and bring us about one hundred eighty degrees.

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