Halo Lighting System First Strike Games - Manual (Page 157)

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replied. "We'll have a limited offensive capacity when we get to
Reach, if we need it. I think."
"And the rest of this ship is still functional?"
"Yes," she replied. "I'm sorry, Chief ... these calculations
are. . . tricky."
The COM went dead.
Cortana's behavior worried the Chief, but he resigned himself
to trust her. What other option was there?
He, the Sergeant, and Polaski halted outside the bridge; the
thick blast doors were sealed.
"Lieutenant?" he said. "We're outside."
The doors pulled apart. Locklear and the Lieutenant stood
with their assault rifles aimed down the hall. They relaxed their
stance when they identified them as friendlies.
Lieutenant Haverson slung his rifle and said, "Sorry for the
warm welcome. Cortana's been picking up transient contacts all
over the ship. We're going to have to deal with them sooner or
later—preferably before they deal with us."
"Agreed," the Chief said.
Polaski approached the Lieutenant, saluted, and gave her report
on her efforts to master the Covenant dropship's controls.
Locklear edged closer to the Chief and the Sergeant. "What
do you think, Sarge?" he whispered and cast a furtive glance at
Polaski. "I mean, about her? Sure, there's that Marine-Navy
thing to get over, but I can get past that. You think there's a
chance that she and I? I mean—"
"I'd give you the same odds as spacing yourself and walking
the rest of the way to Reach," the Sergeant declared. "In your
skivvies."
"Give me a drop capsule and I'd take those odds, Sarge." A
smile split Locklear's tanned face, and he turned to the Master
Chief. "Sure, I get it. Wouldn't be so defensive if I hadn't been
close to the mark. Where there's smoke, there's fire, right?"
The Master Chief stared at Locklear and slowly shook his head.
Locklear's smile faded, but not entirely. "You guys are just
jealous," he muttered and absentmindedly ran his finger over the
scar that lined his jaw. "That's cool. I get that all the time."
Locklear's spirits had improved. Despite the ODST's rough
edges, the Chief had seen him in combat. He didn't panic, and he