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SECTION III

SIGMA OCTANUS

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

0000 Hours, July 17, 2552 (Military Calendar)

UNSC Ren William Lovell scratched his head, yawned, and sat down at his duty station The wraparound view screen warn Lovell," the co, sexy," he said It had been n had seen a real woman--the cold feetting to a date

"Voiceprint match," the computer confirirl

The Ensign had never taken his duty too seriously Maybe that’s why he only h his second year at the Academy And maybe that’s why he had been on Archimedes station for the last year, stuck with third shift

But that suited him fine

"Please reenter password"

He typed more carefully this time: ThereOnceWasAGirl

After first contact with the Covenant, he had alht out of school; instead, he had actually volunteered

Admiral Cole had defeated the Covenant at Harvest in 2531 His victory was publicized on every vid and holo throughout the Inner and Outer Colonies and all the way to Earth

That’s why Lovell didn’t try to dodge the enlistht he’d watch a few battles froe of a destroyer, fire a few missiles, rack up the victories, and be proave him instant admission to OCS on Luna

There was one sanda machine had left out of their broadcasts: Cole had won only because he outnumbered the Covenant three to oneand even then, he had lost two-thirds of his fleet

Ensign Lovell had served on the UNSC frigate Gorgon for four years He had been promoted to First Lieutenant then busted down to Second Lieutenant and finally to Ensign for insubordination and gross incompetence The only reason they hadn’t drummed him out of the service was that the USNC needed every et their hands on

While on the Gorgon , he and the rest of Ad, and being chased by, the Covenant After four years’ space duty, Lovell had seen a dozen worlds glassedand billions murdered

He had simply broken under the strain He closed his eyes and re like everyone else

"Please keep your eyes open," the co retinal scan"

He had drifted frono By that time there were no more Outer Colonies The Covenant had destroyed the the Inner Colonies There had been a few isolated victoriesbut he kneas only a matter of time before the aliens wiped the huin con Lovell’s identity record was displayed on the er: neatly trireen eyes Today his hair was unkeone from his eyes

"Please read General Order 098831A-1 before proceeding"

The Ensign hadBut the computer would track his eye motions--make sure he read it anyway He opened the file and it popped on-screen:

United Nations Space Coency Priority Order 098831A-1

Encryption Code:Red

Public Key:file /first light

From:UNSC/NAVCOM Fleet H T Ward

To:ALL UNSC PERSONNEL

Subject:General Order 098831A-1 ("The Cole Protocol")

Classification:RESTRICTED (BGX Directive)

The Cole Protocol

To safeguard the Inner Colonies and Earth, all UNSC vessels or stations ation databases that may lead Covenant forces to human civilian population centers

If any Covenant forces are detected: