Halo Lighting System First Strike Games User Manual

Page 58

HALO: FIRST STRIKE

"Orbital exit burn in ten seconds," Polaski said.
"Dog the rest of that," the Chief told Locklear. "And brace

yourself."

Locklear secured the collection of weapons and ordnance in a

duffel bag, looped it around his neck, and then found a hand-

hold. Sergeant Johnson leaned against the cryopods. The Master

Chief grabbed the bulkhead.

"Releasing Pelican," Polaski said. There was a thump from

beneath the hull. "Pelican away."

"Pelican autopilot programmed," Cortana said.

"Moray mines attached and armed," Haverson added.

Polaski said, "Exit burn in three... two... one. Burn!"

The Longsword's engine roared to life, the hull creaked with

stress, and everyone leaned against the acceleration.

The Pelican pulled ahead, rounded the horizon of the moon

first, and arced back into the debris field. As the Longsword fol-

lowed, the light struck the surface of the moon just right and the

Chief saw meteors rain upon the planetoid, leaving craters and

tiny puffs of dust as they impacted.

Polaski snapped the display port camera centered on the

Covenant cruisers. "They were waiting for us," she cried. "Eva-

sive maneuvers." The Pelican rolled to starboard. "Accelerating

to the flagsh—"

The flagship was close. Too close. It must have anticipated

their orbital trajectory. But it hadn't counted on them turning

straight toward it. If they hadn't, the flagship would have been in a

perfect perpendicular firing position.

"Pelican now two hundred kilometers in the lead," Polaski

said.

The bulky craft drew fire from the cruisers. Smoke trailed

from its hull, and bits of the empty ship were vaporized.

"Mines away," Haverson announced. "Plugging coordinates

and trajectories into NAV, Polaski. Don't run them over."

"Roger," she said. "Hang on—we're going in."

"I hate this crap," Locklear muttered. "Ships shooting each

other, fire so thick you could walk on it to the LZ, and me sittin'

here not able to do a damn thing but hang on and wonder when

I'm going to get blown up."