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“It should have been destroyed,” she whispered.
Tiny red blobs appeared on the hull of the Covenant ship. They glowed and intensified and driftedtogether, collecting along the lateral line of the craft.
Captain Wallace said, “Make ready another heavy round.”
“Aye aye,” the weapons officer said. “Charge at thirty percent. Firing solution online, sir.”
“No,” Dr. Halsey said. “Evasive maneuvers, Captain. Now!”
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“I won’t have my command second-guessed, ma’am.” The Captain turned to face her. “And with respect,Doctor , second-guessed by someone with no combat experience.” He stiffened and placed his handbehind his back. “I cannot have you removed from the bridge because the bulkheads are sealed . . . butanother outburst like that, Doctor, and Iwill have you gagged.”
John shot a quick glance to Dr. Halsey. Her face flushed—he couldn’t tell from shame or rage.
“MAC at fifty percent charge.”
The red light continued to collect along the lateral line of the Covenant ship until it was a solid band. Itbrightened.
“Eighty percent charge.”
“They’re turning, sir,” the nav officer announced. “She’s coming to starboard.”
“Ninety-five percent charge—one hundred,” the weapons officer announced.
“Send them to Hades, Lieutenant. Fire.”
The lights dimmed again. TheCommonwealth shuddered and a bolt of thunder and fire tore through theblackness.
The Covenant ship stood its ground. The bloodred light that had pooled on its lateral line burst forth—streaked toward theCommonwealth , passing the MAC round a mere kilometer away. The red lightglowed and pulsed almost as if it were liquid; its edges roiled and fluttered. It elongated into a teardropof ruby light five meters long.
“Evasive maneuvers,” Captain Wallace cried. “Emergency thrusters to port!”
TheCommonwealth slowly moved out of the trajectory path of the Covenant’s energy weapon.
The MAC round struck the Covenant vessel amidships. Its shield shimmered and bubbled . . . thendisappeared. The MAC round punched through the craft and sent it spinning out of control.
The inbound ball of light moved, too. It started tracking the Commonwealth.
“Engines—full power astern,” the Captain ordered. TheCommonwealth rumbled and slowed.
The light should have sped past them; instead, it sharply arced and struck her port amidships.
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The air filled with a popping and sizzling. TheCommonwealth listed to starboard, then rolled completelyover and continued to tumble.
“Stabilize,” the Captain cried. “Starboard thrusters.”
“Fire reported in sections one through twenty,” the ops officer said, panic creeping into his voice.“Decks two through seven in section one . . . have melted, sir. They’re gone.”
It grew noticeably hotter on the bridge. Sweat beaded on John’s back and trickled down his spine. Hehad never felt so helpless. Were his teammates below decks alive or dead?
“All port armor destroyed. Decks two through five in sections three, four, and five, are now out ofcontact, sir. It’s burning through us!”