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The Admiral grabbed a decanter, poured a glass of wine, took
260 HALO: FIRST STRIKE
a sip, and nodded appreciatively. "Now, assuming you manage to outwit our ship's AI—which I very much doubt—and assum?ing further you somehow disable our ship's weapons before our AI blows your base to atoms—which I also doubt—then you'll have a Covenant fleet to contend with. And I don't think they're going to be sociable, sit down, drink your wine, and discuss this like gentlemen."
Jiles placed his face into his hand and rubbed his temples.
"Maybe you're thinking," the Admiral said, "that you've kept this operation of yours hidden this long. From the UNSC. From the Covenant. Why should this be any different? Well, we found you easily enough. I don't think the Covenant will blink at over?turning every rock in this asteroid belt to find you."
Governor Jiles picked up a new bottle and filled a glass to the brim. He downed the drink in one gulp. "And the other option?" he asked coldly. "I help you? And together we fight the Cove?nant? If they come in the force you claim, what difference will it make?"
"If you help us," the Admiral said, "get my ship repaired so we can make the jump to Earth, I'll evacuate all your people. I promise you and your crew amnesty."
Jiles laughed. His cordial smile returned, and he asked, "Do you have any proof of any of this? That the mighty Reach is gone? That you have a new alien technology? Or that the Cove?nant are on their way here?"
"Chief!" Cortana cried in alarm. On his helmet's heads-up display, a schematic of the Eridanus system appeared. A NAV marker flashed near the third planet. It expanded into the famil?iar curved radar silhouette of a Covenant cruiser.
"We have company," the Master Chief said. He strode to the window and pointed. "There."
The blue glow of Covenant engines flared as the ship came about and accelerated toward the asteroid belt.
"There's your proof, Governor," Admiral Whitcomb growled.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
2000 hours, September 12,2552 (revised date, Military Calendar)\Aboard hybrid vessel Gettysburg-Ascendant Justice, station-keeping in Eridanus system.
Admiral Whitcomb, the Master Chief, Fred, and Lieutenant Haverson bounded off the elevator and onto the bridge of the Gettysburg.
Cortana's image nickered on the holographic pad near the star map. "Covenant cruiser is only two hundred thousand kilome?ters away," she reported. "Closing fast on an intercept course."
The Admiral barked orders: "Fred, take the Engineering sta?tion, Haverson on NAV, and Chief, you're on Weapons Station One; get it up and running and see if there are any systems we overlooked. Lieutenant, move us away from the enemy on course one-eight-zero by two-seven-zero."
"One-eight-zero by two-seven-zero, aye," Haverson replied. He strapped himself into the NAV station, and his fingers danced over the controls. "Coming about, Admiral."
Gettysburg-Ascendant Justice turned and moved deeper into the asteroid field.