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"Rock 'n' roll!" Locklear yelled over the COM. "Penetrate and annihilate!"
Sergeant Johnson chewed on his cigar as he considered the plan.
"No one has ever captured a Covenant ship," Haverson whis?pered. "The few times we've had one of them beaten and in a po?sition to surrender, they've self-destructed."
"There's no choice," the Chief said. He looked over Polaski,
ERIC NYLUND 53
Johnson, and finally Haverson. "Unless anyone has a better plan?"
They were silent.
"Anything to add, Cortana?" he asked.
"Our exit orbit burn leaves us low on fuel and traveling at high velocity on an intercept course with the flagship. There are over?lapping fields of enemy fire on our approach vector. We have to decelerate and dodge simultaneously. That will be tricky."
"Polaski will be on that." The Chief turned to her.
"Pilot a Longsword?" Polaski slowly nodded, and there was a gleam in her green eyes that hadn't been there a second ago. "It's been a while, but yes, Master Chief. I am one hundred and ten percent on it." She moved to the pilot's seat and strapped her?self in.
"With all due respect to Miss Polaski's skill," Cortana said, "allow me to point out that I process information a million times faster and—"
"I need you to link with the flagship's intraship battlenet," the Chief cut in. "When we're close you'll need to shut down its weapons. Jam its communications."
"Sending an unescorted lady ahead to do your dirty work?" Cortana sighed. "I suppose I'm the only one who can."
"Lieutenant Haverson," the Chief said, "I'll need you to pro?gram the Moray mines to release and attach onto the Peli?can before we exit this orbit. Set half for detonation on impact. Program the rest to detach and track any enemy ship on our approach."
Haverson nodded and settled into the ops station next to Polaski.
Two crates and a duffel pushed through the open access tunnel to the Pelican. Locklear emerged from the opening and sealed the hatch. "That's it, Chief," he said. "An HE Pistol, two extra MA5Bs, one M90 Close Assault Shotgun, and a crate or so of frag grenades. About a dozen clips for the rifles—only a few shells for the shotgun, though."
The Chief took four grenades and a half dozen clips for his as?sault rifle. He ejected his weapon's nearly spent magazine and slapped a full one into place with a satisfying clack.
The Sergeant grabbed ammo, an MA5B, and three grenades.
54 HALO: FIRST STRIKE
"Orbital exit burn in ten seconds," Polaski said.
"Dog the rest of that," the Chief told Locklear. "And brace yourself."
Locklear secured the collection of weapons and ordnance in a duffel bag, looped it around his neck, and then found a hand?hold. Sergeant Johnson leaned against the cryopods. The Master Chief grabbed the bulkhead.
"Releasing Pelican," Polaski said. There was a thump from beneath the hull. "Pelican away."
"Pelican autopilot programmed," Cortana said.
"Moray mines attached and armed," Haverson added.
Polaski said, "Exit burn in three... two... one. Burn!"