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"Not in this asteroid field," Adood point about staying n our nose toward the center of mass of the planetoid, and back us up, one half reverse Keep us out of the eneone half reverse," Fred said
The ship slowly angled toward the center of the large asteroid and backed away
"Cortana?" the Admiral asked "Do we have a weapons turret or not?"
"Yes, sir," Cortana said, "but the turret's e have overloaded"
The Adot anything on Weapons Station One?"
"Archer missile pods depleted," the Master Chief answered
He scanned the display, hoping he had un All Shiva nuclear s left in the tubes are three Clarion spy drones"
"No plasht as well open an air lock and throw rocks at 'em"
Throw rocks? The Master Chief wondered if they could fash- ion a slug to shoot fronetic coils propel the netic coils?
"Sir," the Master Chief said "We may have a way to fire the plasun has seventeen superconducting coils Cortana ht be able to use them to shape and ai
"Maybe," Cortana a field strength drop-off now" Theacross her body increased threefold She frowned "This would be easier if the Gettysburg was oriented bottouess at the interference froht work
Chief--power it up I'll need to recalibrate the pulse generation toonline," the Master Chief said as he tapped in co power froh power to y fed to the Gettysburg's engines drop to nothing
"That's okay" The Aded at the end ERIC NYLUNO 265 of his mustache "We wouldn't be able to outrun that Covenant cruiser even if we had full power Our only chance is to take them out before they take us out Launch those Clarion spy drones, Chief Target the region abeam that planetoid--so we can see around the corner"
The Master Chief kept one eye on the fluctuatingcoils as he programmed a course for the spy drones Set to either side of the large asteroid, they'd effectively give the rock
"Drones away," the Chief said and launched them; their feathery propellant trails vanished into the distance
"Cortana," Ad system to the feed from those drones I want a clean shot fired before the cruiser crosses that rock's shadow and shoots at us"
"Working," she replied "Getting netic field variations froy transfer"
"Drones in position and ies online," the Master Chief said and pushed the video feed to the forward screen
Doubled i its three bulbous sections, lateral plasy, ready to fire Their laser batteries obliterated the large asteroids in their path, while the smaller ones simply bounced off their shields The warship accelerated as it entered the gravitational influence of the planetoid between theshot around," the Ad solution and fire at will!"
Cortana narrowed her eyes and calculations flashed across her body "Extrapolating their course and speed," she breathed "I got them"
On Weapons Station One the Master Chief saw the accelera- tion coils of the Gettysburg's MAC pulse--then redline with power Magnetic field lines ballooned, overlapped, and distorted asymmetrically Static washed across his MJOLNIR ar surface on the bridge sparked as the h the ship and toward the turret on Ascendant Justice
Their only working turret heated, and plasathered at its tip; streamers looped upon themselves like tiny solar flares, vi- brated, intensified to orange and then blue-white
"Al on"
The ball of squeezed plasma imploded It instantly boiled away a thirty-meter section of armor and hull from Ascendant Justice; the plasy corkscrewed toward the edge of the planetoid
The Covenant cruiser rounded the planetoid, targeted the Get- tysburg, and fired
Cortana's single shot impacted on the nose of the enemy craft first The cruiser's shield flashed solid silver for a one The superco the metal where it touched The plash the vessel
Secondary explosions rippled through the alien ship's hull
Edges of its shattered hull glowed red and then white hot as their superheated at compartment, shattered their reactors--and the entire warship blosso flickers of static electricity
The five plas dispersed into a red haze There was no longer any et
The bridge creatched the explosions fade from the for- ward screens The Adineering station and re- ported: "Engines and reactor offline Thatto them"
Static washed over Weapons Station One as the Master Chief looked up and said, "MAC accelerating coils intact Drone one destroyed Retrieving drone two, sir"
Cortana's holographic presence was e speakers: "Turret nuet any of the other six turrets in working order, we'll have a foret that chance," Lieutenant Haverson remarked as he bent over the NAV station "Contacts inbound S to the forward screens"
Ar- sword singleships, and the odd stealth Chirvptera-class vessel appeared on screen
"Jiles's fleet," Haverson stated "And he has us exactly where he wants us--dead in the water"
"Incoh"
"Admiral Whitcoe "Can I be of some assistance? A tow, perhaps, back to our base so we can expedite repairs to your ships?"
"That would be most kind of you," the Admiral said and eased back into the Captain's chair
Two Laden-class cargo ships caines rumbled
"I don't understand," Haverson whispered "He had us"
"No, he didn't," Admiral Whitcomb replied He scowled and added, "Governor Jiles oing to send just one ship After this one goesfor a while, there'll be more A lot more This is only the start of the battle, son"
John and his six re's sword in- side, and the walls, ceilings, and deck had robotic arms tipped elders, h-intensity spotlights directed onto the walls and provided a clear, cool, indirect illu one too many plasma blasts etch his retinas