Halo_ First Strike Part 24

212 HALO: FIRST STRIKE.

She probed the region with her sensors, but her range was lim ited to a thousand kilometers as if she were in an obscuring fog. There-a contact. And another. And then a dozen more. Fourteen Covenant cruisers resolved from the blue mist. "Cortana," the Master Chief said. "What's our status?" "Same as ever," Cortana replied. "We're in trouble." The Covenant warships fired. "d.a.m.n," Cortana muttered. She initiated her last option: She fired back, hoping to take some of them to h.e.l.l with her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.

TIME:DATE RECORD [[ERROR]]ANOMALYDate unknown Aboard captured Covenant flagship Ascendant Justice, Ascendant Justice, in Slips.p.a.ce. Now. in Slips.p.a.ce. Now.

"Cortana?" the Master Chief asked. "What's our status?"

The Chief and the rest of his team scrambled out of the Covenant dropship. Fred carried a semiconscious Kelly out and laid her on the deck of the launch bay.

"Same as ever," Cortana replied. "We're in trouble."

Video feed from the ship's external cameras appeared on the Master Chief's heads-up display. Covenant cruisers surrounded them, their plasma turrets aglow; they reminded the Chief of pictures he had seen of fish that lived at the bottom of Earth's oceans-swarms of phosph.o.r.escing lights and razor-sharp teeth.

He marched toward the edge of the launch bay and stood a centimeter from where the ship's energy shield ab.u.t.ted the opening to the s.p.a.ce beyond. He looked directly into the vast blue fields and the giant warships far too close for his liking.

"We jumped to Slips.p.a.ce, didn't we?" Lieutenant Haverson asked uncertainly.

"Yes," Dr. Halsey replied. "And no."

She withdrew the crystal from her lab coat pocket and frowned as she discovered that it was no longer a slender shard. The facets had rearranged like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle... but in a configuration that differed from the one the artifact displayed in the Covenant grav beam. This time it was a starburst of edges and refracted light.

"We jumped," she said, examining her reflection in the artifact's mirrored planes. "But not to the Slips.p.a.ce we know." The Master Chief's radiation counter clicked and a shrill alarm screamed through his helmet. "Secure that, Anton," he said and nodded toward the glowing stone. "Get it into the reactor compartment of the Pelican."

Anton relieved the crystal from Dr. Halsey, who only reluctantly released it from her grasp. He sprinted toward the wrecked Pelican.

"There was a radiation surge, Doctor," the Chief explained. "And that thing is the source." The Chief noticed that the intensity of the radiation did not drop off as Anton moved it into the Pelican.

"Whatever it is," Dr. Halsey said as she scrutinized the blue field outside their ship, "it warps s.p.a.ce. When we first approached it in the great room, s.p.a.ce curled around the crystal. And again in the grav beam, it dispersed that field potential."

"And now?" Admiral Whitcomb asked. "This tiling is affecting our pa.s.sage through Slips.p.a.ce?" "Apparently so," Dr. Halsey said, and stepped next to John to get a better look outside.

The Admiral joined her and watched as the Covenant ships' turrets heated. "Can they even fire those things in Slips.p.a.ce? If they can, we're sitting ducks."

The Master Chief could make out more ships in the distance. The Covenant vessels flickered, faded, disappeared, and then reappeared in the fog. The nearest enemy Covenant ships fired. Amorphous b.a.l.l.s of superheated gas belched from their turrets and accelerated toward them, tingeing the blue s.p.a.ce purple.

The Master Chief saw Locklear as he helped Polaski out of the Covenant dropship. He kept her hand in his, and they watched together as the plasma sped toward them.

The b.a.l.l.s of plasma streaked on-then curled and spiraled off their trajectories. Several simply winked out of existence, only to reappear somewhere else. The enemy shots raced up, down, sideways-any direction but toward Ascendant Justice. Ascendant Justice.

"What the h.e.l.l is this?" Sergeant Johnson said and he stepped next to the Master Chief to watch the display. "I didn't think their ships could fire in Slips.p.a.ce. Ours sure as h.e.l.l can't."

Dr. Halsey removed her gla.s.ses, and her eyes widened. "Normally, they can't. If they can fire, then logically, we're not in Slips.p.a.ce. And wherever we are," she murmured, "the rules have changed."

The Admiral frowned. "Cortana," he shouted. "Whatever you do, do not return-"

Too late. Cortana returned fire.

Columns of fire streaked from Ascendant Justice Ascendant Justice-streamers that twisted and helixed, then vanished and reappeared.

The bubble of tangled blue s.p.a.ce containing Ascendant Justice Ascendant Justice and the Covenant warships now contained at least forty bolts of superheated plasma circling in random directions and accelerated to incalculable velocities. and the Covenant warships now contained at least forty bolts of superheated plasma circling in random directions and accelerated to incalculable velocities.

Three spheres of roiling fire appeared in front of the nearest Covenant cruiser and splashed across its bow. The first boiled away its shimmering silver shield; the second and third melted the armor and alloy skin beneath. Atmosphere vented and spun the ma.s.sive ship like a child's pinwheel.

"Hot d.a.m.n," Sergeant Johnson crowed. "All we have to do is wait for those trigger-happy b.a.s.t.a.r.ds to take themselves out. Look, they're firing again."

The Covenant weapons heated and squeezed out a second salvo of plasma. The guided bolts of fire veered off course, swarmed, disappeared, reappeared, and spun out of control though the localized Slips.p.a.ce bubble.

"No, Sergeant," Dr. Halsey said, her voice turning cold. "We're all in the same mess." "Cortana," the Master Chief said, "drop the launch bay blast door. Now!"

The three-meter-thick door overhead shuddered and slid down.

A streamer of plasma on a parallel trajectory flashed through the dark not half a kilometer from the Master Chief's face-so close that the external temperature rose twenty degrees even through the ship's shields.

Red fire illuminated Ascendant Justice's Ascendant Justice's starboard shield as plasma splashed across them; the film separating the launch bay from the external vacuum rippled like a thousand broken mirrors. Static crackled across the Master Chief's armor, and his shields resonated in sympathy. starboard shield as plasma splashed across them; the film separating the launch bay from the external vacuum rippled like a thousand broken mirrors. Static crackled across the Master Chief's armor, and his shields resonated in sympathy.

As the blast door lowered, the Chief saw another fireball spill across their port side. Energy sprayed across the bow in a blood red borealis. Ascendant Justice's Ascendant Justice's shields flickered and faded... but they held. Barely. shields flickered and faded... but they held. Barely.

The launch bay door touched the deck and sealed with a subsonic thud. thud.

"Blast door locked and secured," Cortana announced.

"Let's get this boat under way," Admiral Whitcomb barked. "While we still have a boat." He looked around and frowned. "Chief, lead the way to the bridge." "Yes, sir." He marched to the pa.s.sage that led deeper into the alien ship. His Spartans and the rest of the crew followed.

Admiral Whitcomb turned to Dr. Halsey. "Catherine, explain in layman's terms just what the h.e.l.l is going on here. If we can see those cruisers and they can see us, why aren't our shots connecting?"

Ascendant Justice rolled to port, and explosions chained overhead. The artificial gravity fluttered, and the deck tilted. The crew stumbled, and Dr. Halsey fell to the deck. rolled to port, and explosions chained overhead. The artificial gravity fluttered, and the deck tilted. The crew stumbled, and Dr. Halsey fell to the deck.

"Turrets one and seven destroyed," Cortana announced.

Whitcomb helped Dr. Halsey up off her knees. She glanced nervously up and down the pa.s.sage. "I'd guess the alien artifact we've brought with us into Slips.p.a.ce has expanded the region. Physicists believe Slipstream s.p.a.ce is a highly compressed version of normal s.p.a.ce, layered over and under itself, like a ball of yarn. Now, imagine that our our ball of yarn"-she interlaced her ringers-"is looped and knotted. These threads are not solid, however; plasma, light, and matter jump from one thread to another given the slightest quantum fluctuation." ball of yarn"-she interlaced her ringers-"is looped and knotted. These threads are not solid, however; plasma, light, and matter jump from one thread to another given the slightest quantum fluctuation."

"If that's the case, Doctor," Lieutenant Haverson said, "then what about our ship? Why aren't we tangled and spread along a trillion alternate spatial pathways?"

"Because of the ma.s.s of this ship." She pushed her gla.s.ses higher onto her nose. "Imagine a rumpled sheet that represents this s.p.a.ce. If you set a heavy ma.s.s upon that sheet, it draws it taut, smooths it out."

The Chief came to the heavy bulkhead door and held up his hand, telling the rest of them to halt. He opened the door and stepped onto the bridge, sweeping the s.p.a.ce with his rifle. "Clear," he told them.

Admiral Whitcomb and the others entered the bridge. Lieutenant Haverson stepped onto the raised platform and said, "Cortana, project tactical on the displays."

Enemy ship positions and plasma tracks appeared on the interior walls. Contacts multiplied and coalesced, making the plasma appear like waves sloshing about in a bowl. Another bolt broke across the prow of Ascendant Justice. Ascendant Justice.

Through the deck the Master Chief felt the successive thumps of explosive decompressions.

"Hit on subengineering decks," Cortana said. "Sealing those regions. Fire in the lower levels. Attempting to isolate and pump out the atmosphere."

John's childhood AI teacher, Deja, had taught the Spartans about the great Naval battles on Earth's oceans before humans traveled to the stars. They had studied victories in the Punic Wars, and at Midway, as well as the disastrous defeat of Xerxes by the Athenian Navy. Deja had told them, however, that one thing was greater than any human enemy on the sea: nature. Tidal waves and typhoons could crush the mightiest of battleships ... and ignored the tactics of the most brilliant captain.

Ascendant Justice was in the center of a sea of fire ... and it was being battered apart. was in the center of a sea of fire ... and it was being battered apart.

Thunder ripped through Ascendant Justice's Ascendant Justice's hull; a geyser of flames shot out the pa.s.sageway to the bridge. The air jumped and hissed as it escaped the pressurized chamber. hull; a geyser of flames shot out the pa.s.sageway to the bridge. The air jumped and hissed as it escaped the pressurized chamber.

The bulkhead door slammed shut, and the air stilled.

Sergeant Johnson shook his head clear from the sudden drop in pressure. "Let's drop out of this mixed-up Slips.p.a.ce and start fighting."

"Yeah, or just get rid of that crystal," Locklear said. "If it's the cause of all this mess." He drew his pistol. "One round and boom! boom! Problem solved." Problem solved."

"Don't do that!" Dr. Halsey snapped. "A drop back to normal s.p.a.ce has us facing a dozen or more cruisers. And if you destroy the crystal, the expanded Slips.p.a.ce bubble we're in would instantly collapse. Every separate ma.s.s in the bubble will compact into a single ma.s.s. We wouldn't survive the transition."

Worry creased Admiral Whitcomb's features. "That leaves just one option. Cortana, give me flank speed and heat up every weapon we have. We're going to run right over these Covenant ships. Tangled s.p.a.ce or not, we're going to blast them right back to normal s.p.a.ce from point-blank range."

"Yes, Admiral," Cortana said. "Engines answering flank speed."

A dull thump thump echoed from the aft section. echoed from the aft section.

"Stand by," Cortana said. "There's a problem with the primary engines-a power drop occurred just as I engaged."

On the bridge displays the external cameras turned and focused on the aft hull of Ascendant Justice. Ascendant Justice. A snakelike plasma conduit came into focus. Cortana adjusted the image, and a three-meterwide hole in the conduit snapped into view. Streamers of blue-white gas vented from the breach. A snakelike plasma conduit came into focus. Cortana adjusted the image, and a three-meterwide hole in the conduit snapped into view. Streamers of blue-white gas vented from the breach.

"That's our main drive conduit," Cortana said. "It's taken a hit. I'm shutting down engines to conserve power."

The Master Chief squinted. "That was no plasma hit," he muttered. "It was too precise and too inconvenient-this had to be sabotage."

Admiral Whitcomb scowled. "Chief, take your team and prepare for a zero-gee repair of the plasma conduit."

"Yes, sir."

Polaski stepped forward. "I'll go too, sir," she said. Locklear grasped her by the arm and tried to pull her back, but she shrugged his hand off. "I can pilot the dropship-get the Spartan team in and out faster."

The Admiral narrowed his eyes, a.s.sessing the young woman. "Very well, Warrant Officer." He added so softly that the Chief almost missed it: "Too many d.a.m.ned heroes in this war." "Too many d.a.m.ned heroes in this war."

Polaski turned to Locklear, handed him back his bandanna, and whispered, "Hang on to that for me, Corporal. I'll pick it up when I get back."

Locklear's hand clenched, then relaxed. He took the token, nodded, and looked away. "I'll be here," he said and tied it around his arm.

"Chief," Admiral Whitcomb said. "Make sure you come back alive. That's an order, son."

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.

TIME:DATE RECORD [[ERROR]]ANOMALYDate unknown Captured Covenant dropship near flagship Ascendant Justice, Ascendant Justice, in anomalous Slips.p.a.ce bubble. in anomalous Slips.p.a.ce bubble.

The faintly blue luminous walls of the Covenant dropship pressed in, which made John feel slightly claustrophobic. It was ironic when he stopped to think about it, because he was always inside his skintight armor. His fellow Spartans sat in the bay beside him, motionless.

Fred, designated Blue-Two on this mission, was John's second in command. He had fought in more than 120 campaigns, was a great leader and a quick thinker. Sometimes he took the responsibility of his command too seriously, though, empathizing too deeply with any wounded member of his team.

Li, Blue-Three, was the team's zero-gee combat specialist. He had trained extensively with microgravity equipment and martial arts at the UNSC's extreme-conditions facility on Chiron in orbit about Mars. He was as much at home in free fall as the rest of them were on solid land, and John was glad to have him on this mission.

Anton, Blue-Four, had John worried. He spent most of his life with his feet firmly planted on the ground. He'd cross-trained in tracking, camouflage, and stealth, and had been used almost exclusively on ground-based operations. More than once he had expressed discomfort in zero-gee situations.

Will, Blue-Five, was quiet, but had never failed to complete his mission. He wasn't always that way, though. When he was younger he was the one with the jokes and riddles that kept the team's spirits high. Something had hardened in him over the years . . . as it had in them all. But with Will something special had been lost.

Grace, Blue-Six, had a knack for explosives. She could shape a charge to cut through a single steel bolt with only a whisper sound, or rig a hundred thousand liters of kerosene to blow into a firestorm from h.e.l.l. Ironically her temper was nonexistent.

John opened a COM channel. "Give me a systems check, Blue Team."

Five acknowledgment lights winked on.

"This reminds me of the underwater mission Chief Mendez sent us on at Emerald Cove," Fred whispered. "When he sabotaged half our air tanks? And we ended up stealing his."

"And after," Anton said, laughing, "we ditched him and camped on that island. It was a week with nothing to do but light bonfires, bake clams, and surf."

"Mmrnmm," Grace added, "calamari."

John wondered if Emerald Cove even existed anymore. The UNSC had abandoned that colony a decade ago. The Covenant had most likely gla.s.sed that world.

"Blue Team." Polaski's voice broke over the COM. "Local conditions are as calm as they're going to get. Exiting in three... two...one!'

John felt the acceleration in the pit of his stomach. He rose, moved to the hatch, and popped it open. Outside, Ascendant Justice's Ascendant Justice's hull moved past them-almost every square centimeter of the flagship's polished alloy skin had been scarred by heat and micrometeors; tendrils of metal vapor snaked and shimmered in the vacuum. hull moved past them-almost every square centimeter of the flagship's polished alloy skin had been scarred by heat and micrometeors; tendrils of metal vapor snaked and shimmered in the vacuum.

On Ascendant Justice's Ascendant Justice's upper deck he saw the looming shadow of the inverted UNSC frigate upper deck he saw the looming shadow of the inverted UNSC frigate Gettysburg Gettysburg still miraculously attached. It was on fire, pockmarked with craters, and venting atmosphere, but it was remarkably intact. If not for the thousands of dead Naval personnel undoubtedly on board, he might have christened the ship "lucky." still miraculously attached. It was on fire, pockmarked with craters, and venting atmosphere, but it was remarkably intact. If not for the thousands of dead Naval personnel undoubtedly on board, he might have christened the ship "lucky."

The dropship slowed and Polaski drifted, turned, and descended onto the surface of the ship.

"Latch engaged," she said over the COM. "All yours, Chief."

"Fred, Grace, and I will reconnoiter," he told Blue Team. "Anton, Will, and Li, get ready to move the arc welder and hull plates we scavenged from the Gettysburg Gettysburg when we give the when we give the all-clear all-clear signal." John eased his boots onto the hull. Their magnetic soles clamped onto the metal with a satisfying signal." John eased his boots onto the hull. Their magnetic soles clamped onto the metal with a satisfying click. click. Polaski had landed the Covenant dropship so that its mandibles cradled the hole and gave them some shelter. Polaski had landed the Covenant dropship so that its mandibles cradled the hole and gave them some shelter.

Overhead, Slips.p.a.ce was on fire. It looked as if someone had doused the night with jet fuel and ignited it. b.l.o.o.d.y, boiling streaks of flame tore across a midnight-blue sky. Meteors flashed past and sprayed molten metal in trails of glittering Stardust.

A fist-sized projectile blurred past the Master Chief and rammed into the ship's starboard side. Sparks and liquefied alloy spattered into s.p.a.ce. His shields flickered as debris ricocheted from the armor's protective field.

They had to move fast. The Admiral was right: This was a shooting galley. The quicker they sealed that hole and got out of here-the better.

John turned and swept his rifle over the terrain. There were b.u.mpy sensor nodes, kilometers of conduits, and a dozen gaping canyons in the hull. A legion of Covenant warriors could hide in this mess.