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When the elevator doors closed, she turned to the Corporal
"Your hand, please"
He looked puzzled but held out his hand
Dr Halsey took it and turned it palrasp The light emitted by the alien artifact shone onto their faces and made the interior of the eleva- tor colder "This is what the Covenant so desperately want They tore up Reach to get it They followed us into Slipspace And Po-laski died protecting this thing"
She watched Locklear carefully, gauging his reaction, and saw that he pulled away slightly at this last remark; it had hit home
"And what the hell am I supposed to do with it?"
"Keep it safe," she told hiet it, they'll be able to juh Slipspace a hundred times faster than they can now Do you understand?"
Locklear closed his large fist around the crystal "Not really, Doc But I can take care of it" He paused and wrinkled his forehead in confusion "But why me? Why not ask one of your Spartans?"
" 'My' Spartans," Dr Halsey replied in a whisper, "could be ordered to hand it over to Lieutenant Haverson And he'd risk getting it back to ONI Section Three--even if he had to gaet it"
Locklear snorted "Well, as much as I don't like El-Tee White-bread, I'd hand it over if ordered, too What's the big deal, anyway? We're alave hiht smile "But the nal flare The Covenant will find this shipand maybe this tiriaze a o of his hand "So I know you'll do whatever it takes to prevent this object frorimly "I read you, Doc Loud and clear" There was a hint of respect in his voice "I knohat I have to do
count on it"
"Good," she said
The elevator doors parted Locklear stuffed the crystal into his ammunition vest, and Locklear wheeled the table into the Gettysburg's launch bay "Where do you want her?"
The bay was a beehive of activity: A hundred of Governor Jiles's crew jogged to and fro data pad schematics and field multiscanners; robotic dollies carried fat Archer missiles, spiderlike Antilon 's auxiliary reactors; three Longsword fighter craft were being repaired; exoskeletons thudded along the deck, carrying plates of titaniu them in place
"There," Dr Halsey told Locklear "Take her to that ship" She pointed to Governor Jiles's Chiroptera-class vessel It sat on the deck looking like a sleeping bat Its oddly angled stealth surfaces blended into the shadows
Locklear shrugged and pushed the loaded gurney
Dr Halsey halted by the ship's port hatch It was sealed so tightly that no seam could be discerned
She retrieved the thermal printout from her coat and rechecked its contents She then touched a recessed button on the hull, and a tiny plate slid aside revealing an alphanu and pressed ENTER
The hatch parted with a hiss
She smiled "Not even Cortana could crack their crypto, in- deed" She waved Locklear inside
Locklear obliged her and pushed the gurney into the ship Dr
Halsey followed, secured the examination table, and escorted Locklear outside She turned and headed back into the vessel
He started back toward the elevator, then halted "Doc, ere talking you said when 'you'jump to Slipspace You meant when 'we'jump to Slipspace, didn't you?"
Dr Halsey locked eyes with him for a moment Then she touched a button inside the ship, and the hatch hissed closed be- tween them
The Master Chief stepped off the elevator and onto the bridge of the Gettysburg Lieutenant Haverson and Admiral Whitcoineering
"Sirs," the Chief said
The Ad to look up
The Chief had two tasks First, he would inform the Admiral of his first-strike mission plan He had to convince hi to Earth--and a huge payoff if they succeeded The only thing Adh risk to his team
The Chief's second task would beDr Halsey's data crystals One was her analysis of the Flood infection mechanism and a possible way to block it The second data crystal contained the source files of that discovery, and according to Dr Halsey it would lead to Sergeant Johnson's undignified, and unnecessary, death
And yet, if it gave Section Three a better chance to stop the Floods--if indeed that threat had anyafter the destruc- tion of Halo--eant Johnson knew, he'd volunteer
The Chief's duty was clear: He had to hand over all files to the Lieutenant--but deep down, he had to adht
"Cortana" Admiral Whitcomb crossed his arms over his bar- rel chest "Give e flickered to life on the holopad near the NAV station She crossed her arms over her chestlavender skin "Status is nearly identical to o, Ad's engines are in synch, and will be corowled "I don't want to get stuck without pohen unfriendlies show up I want to get under way to Earth Weapons status?"
"Aye, sir," Cortana said "Plasma turret one is obliterated; no possibility of repair Plash I' for power to test thes without incident
Turrets five, six, and seven, however, require parts Governor Jiles does not have in his inventory Two Archer ives us sixteen o, sir"
"I'd like to knohere Jiles got those missiles," Lieutenant Haverson muttered "They're UNSC military contraband"
"He is zpirate, Lieutenant," Cortana said
"Good work," the Admiral told Cortana "Keep , Master Chief?"
Before the Master Chief could speak his mind, Haverson said, "Admiral" He pointed at the forward screens and at the Chiroptera-class ship accelerating away fro on board to oversee repairs"
"So did I," the Ad on surveillance?"
"No, sir, but you rainy video appeared of Locklear, Dr Halsey, and a Spartan on a gurney boarding the ship "Locklear left them at the ship, sir
Doctor Halsey and SPARTAN-087 departed"
"Cortana," the Admiral barked "Hail that ship Now"