第140页

　　That  could  have  been  them.
　　"Hurry  up,  Chief,"  he  whispered.
　　On  the  displays  the  Admiral  spotted  two  ships.  There  was  a  carrier  far  away;  it  looked  undamaged.  Closer,  off  the  port  bow,  was  a  cruiser  that,  aside  from  a  hole  punched  through  its  aft  sec?tion,  was  also  undamaged  ...  and  only  ten  thousand  kilometers  away.  That  was  the  priority  target.
　　"Lay  in  a  new  course,"  the  Admiral  ordered.  "Two-four-zero  by  zero-three-five."
　　Lieutenant  Haverson  took  an  involuntary  step  closer  to  the  display,  and  his  face  contorted  as  he  worked  out  the  math  in  his  head.  "That's...  a  collision  course,  sir."
　　228 HALO:  FIRST  STRIKE
　　"Glad  you  concur  with  my  calculations,"  the  Admiral  re?marked  dryly.
　　Lieutenant  Haverson  glanced  at  the  Gettysburg  and  nodded,  finally  understanding.  "Aye,  sir.  A  good  plan."
　　"Admiral,"  the  Master  Chief's  voice  broke  through  in  a  wash  of  static.  "Hull  breach  is  sealed,  sir."
　　"Hang  on,  son,"  Admiral  Whitcomb  said.  "This  might  be  a  rough  ride.  Cortana,  give  me  flank  speed  now!"
　　"Complying,"  Cortana  said.  "Flank  speed.  Conduit  is  hold?ing.  Coming  about  to  two-four-zero  by  zero-three-five.  Colli?sion  with  Covenant  cruiser  at  this  speed  and  heading  in  eighteen  seconds."
　　Ascendant  Justice-Gettysburg  accelerated  toward  a  line  of  wavering  orange  plasma—and  steamed  through  it  like  a  ship  smashing  through  a  storm  wave  on  the  open  seas.
　　Fire  splashed  over  their  hulls  and  burned  away  layers  of  ar?mor.  The  entire  hull  superstructure  groaned.  Explosions  rever?berated  through  the  deck.
　　"Fire  on  decks  eight  through  twelve,"  Cortana  reported.  "We  have  lost  plasma  turret  five.  Distance  to  enemy  ship  six  thousand  kilometers  and  closing."
　　"Initiate  a  roll,  Cortana.  Make  it  thirty  degrees  per  second.  That'll  spread  out  the  damage  over  more  surface  area."
　　"Roll  maneuver,  aye.  Attitude  thrusters  set  to  maximum  burn."  She  exhaled,  and  her  holographic  image  flickered  with  irrita?tion.  "This  will  make  a  targeting  solution  difficult,  sir."
　　"Set  firing  range  of  plasma  turrets  for  point  blank,"  the  Admi?ral  told  her.
　　Cortana  hesitated  for  a  full  second.  "Yes,  Admiral."
　　The  space  on  the  external  cameras  slowly  began  to  spin  as  their  ship  spiraled  toward  their  intended  target.
　　The  Covenant  cruiser  came  about  to  face  them.  Its  plasma  tur?rets  glowed  like  angry  red  eyes.
　　"Lieutenant,  take  the  weapons  station.  Cortana,  give  us  a  firing  solution  and  manual  fire  control."
　　Haverson's  hands  moved  quickly  over  the  Covenant  holo?graphic  control  surfaces.  "Cortana  has  a  firing  solution,  sir.  Acti?vate  weapons?"
　　"Stand  by,  Lieutenant."
　　ERIC  NYLUND
　　229
　　"They'll  get  off  the  first  salvo,  sir,"  Lieutenant  Haverson  said.  Although  his  voice  was  calm,  a  drop  of  sweat  trickled  down  his  freckled  cheek.
　　"I  hope  they  do,"  the  Admiral  replied.  "It  may  be  the  only  thing  that  saves  us."
　　Lieutenant  Haverson  took  a  deep  breath,  nodding.  "Weapons  standing  by,  sir."
　　"Cortana,  make  ready  to  vent  the  Gettysburg's  launch  bay."
　　"Aye,  sir.  Overriding  bay  door  safeties.  Distance  to  target  three  thousand  kilometers."