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The plan started to fall apart almost the instant thePillar of Autumn launched their Pelican dropships.
“Bring us about to heading two seven zero,” Captain Keyes ordered Ensign Lovell.
“Aye, Captain,” Lovell said.
“Lieutenant Hall, track the dropships’ trajectories.”
“Pelican One on target to dock with station Gamma,” Lieutenant Hall reported. “Pelican Two initiatingdescent burn. They are five by five to land just outside FLEET HQ—”
“Captain,” Cortana interrupted. “Spatial disruption behind us.”
The view screen snapped to the aft. Black space bubbled with green points of light; the stars in thedistance faded and stretched—a Covenant frigate appeared from nowhere.
“Lieutenant Dominique,” Captain Keyes barked, “notify FLEETCOM that we have unwanted visitors inthe backyard. I respectfully suggest they reorient those orbital guns ASAP. Ensign Lovell, turn this shiparound and give me maximum power to the engines. Lieutenant Hikowa, prepare to fire the MAC gunand arm Archer missile pods B1 through B7.”
The crew jumped to their tasks.
ThePillar of Autumn spun about, her engines flared, and she slowly came to a halt. The ship started backtoward the new Covenant threat.
“Sir,” Cortana said. “Spatial disruptions increasing exponentially.”
Two more Covenant frigates appeared, flanking the first ship.
As soon as they exited Slipstream space—a white-hot line streaked across the blackness. A Super MACgun had targeted them and fired. The Covenant ship only existed for a moment longer. Its shields flashedand the hull blasted into fragments.
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“They’re powered down,” Captain Keyes said. “No lights, no plasma weapons charging, no lasers. Whatare they doing?”
“Perhaps,” Cortana said, “their pinpoint jumps require all their energy reserves.”
“A weakness?” Captain Keyes mused.
“Not for long,” Cortana replied. “Covenant energy levels climbing.”
The two remaining Covenant ships powered up—lights snapped on, engines glowed, and motes of redlight appeared and streamed along their lateral lines.
“Entering optimal firing range,” Lieutenant Hikowa announced. “Targeting solutions computer for bothships, Captain.”
“Target the port vessel with our MAC gun,” Lieutenant Hikowa. “Ready Archer missiles for thestarboard target. Let’s hope we can draw their fire.”
Lieutenant Hikowa typed in the commands. “Ready, sir.”
“Fire.”
ThePillar of Autumn ’s MAC gun fired three times. Thunder roiled up from the ventral decks. Archermissiles snaked through space toward the Covenant frigate on the starboard edge of the enemy formation.
The Covenant ships fired . . . but not at thePillar of Autumn . Plasma bolts launched toward the twoclosest orbital guns.
ThePillar of Autumn ’s MAC rounds struck the Covenant ship once, twice. Their shields flared, glowed,and dimmed. The third round struck clean and penetrated her hull aft—sent the ship spinningcounterclockwise.
The orbital MAC guns fired again—a streak of silver and the port Covenant vessel shattered—a splitsecond later the starboard ship exploded, too.