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He nodded.
What John wanted to do, however, was order her to stay be?hind. But he'd need her uncanny skill with the sniper rifle on this mission. He'd need her so they could survive just long enough to stop the Covenant.
If he could have accomplished this mission alone, he would have made everyone on Blue Team stay. His team, however, knew the risks and knew the payoff for their sacrifice. It was as good a final fate as any soldier could ask for.
He marched to the other hatch on the dropship and boarded the craft. There was one last detail to take care of with Lieu?tenant Haverson. John moved past Sergeant Johnson who, ob?scured by a shower of sparks, welded the last supporting I-beam in place.
The Lieutenant sat in the cockpit checking the automated rou?tines that Cortana had uploaded into the system. These would generate the proper coded responses to Covenant queries. They had also changed the dropship's registry tag so the Covenant would not recognize this ship as belonging to the now renegade Ascendant Justice.
"Lieutenant," the Master Chief said. "Forgive the interruption."
ERIC NYLUND
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Haverson looked up and slicked the sweat-drenched hair from his face. "What can I do for you, Chief?"
The Master Chief eased into the copilot's seat. "Dr. Halsey gave me something to pass on to ONI Section Three: her analy?sis on the Flood."
Haverson's eyebrows shot up.
He opened his belt compartment .. . and hesitated. Which data crystal? The one only containing Dr. Halsey's Flood analy?sis and possible inoculation? Or the one containing the source files for her conclusions, the one she said would kill Sergeant Johnson?
While John felt justified in gambling his life and the lives of the other Spartans, that was his choice as their commander to make. That wasn't the case for the Sergeant.
It was a biological fluke that had spared the Sergeant from the Flood. A one-in-a-billion shot, the doctor had said. But it was a billion-to-one shot that he could save billions of lives. So the mathematics of the situation were almost even.
What had Dr. Halsey said about saving every person, no mat?ter what the cost?
No—John had sworn an oath to protect all of humanity. His duty was clear. He reached for the crystal containing the com?plete files and handed it to Lieutenant Haverson. "She said it would help fight the Flood, sir. I'm not exactly sure what she meant."
"We'll see, Chief. Thank you." Haverson took the crystal and peered into his depths. He shrugged. "With Doctor Halsey, who can tell?"
The COM channel clicked, and Cortana announced, "Ten minutes until we reach the drop zone. Make final preparations to launch Blue Team. You'll only get one shot at this."
"Roger that, Cortana," the Chief replied. "Spartans, on deck!"
Haverson tentatively extended his hand. "I guess this is it, Chief."
The Chief gently shook the Lieutenant's hand. "Good luck, sir."
John moved back though the dropship—almost running over Sergeant Johnson, who was dragging the arc welder down the gangway.