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Kurt stepped directly in front of the Doctor and Mendez took up a position at his flank, his MA5B leveled.
Ash dug into his pack and passed out Jackal shield gauntlets to his team. Together they crouched before the SPARTAN-IIs, forming a shield wall.
Dr. Halsey shifted the Forerunner symbols. "There," she whispered.
The heating wall exploded and rubble bounced off the Spartans' shields. From the breach in the wall, plasma bolts and crystal shards crisscrossed the air.
The Jackal shields deflected it all—but were draining fast.
Will, Kelly, and Fred popped up and sprayed suppressing fire into the darkness.
Linda maneuvered between them, leveled her sniper rifle, and squeezed off three rounds.
The enemy ceased fire.
"Now would be good. Doctor," Kurt said.
"Activating," Dr. Halsey said. "There may some disorientation." She reached for a glowing symbol.
Kurt's COM crackled to life and Endless Summer's voice filled his helmet. "Come in, Ambrose," the AI said. "I have a high-priority mission redirect."
He grabbed Dr. Halsey's hand.
The mote of light on her laptop stretched into a bare-chested Indian warrior.
"I thought you were destroyed," Kurt said.
"The Sentinels did find and destroy the COM launcher, but I had my escape well planned." He held his hand apart and a globe appeared. It rotated to the north polar region, zoomed into ice fields, and then down a volcanic caldera. "These coordinates are the latest thermal images provided by a UNSC prowler in high orbit. You must go there. Now."
"We have other matters to take care of first," Kurt told him.
Technically Endless Summer had the authority to order him anywhere it liked, but under the circumstances, Kurt wasn't listening to an ONI-controlled AI—not when his people's lives were at stake.
"This site is a Sentinel manufacturing facility," Endless Summer said, glowering. "In orbit there is a battle raging between a Covenant fleet and these alien craft, one that will likely destroy the Covenant forces."
"Great," Kurt replied. "Let them."
A new volley of plasma bolts streamed through the breached wall.
Ash's shield unit sputtered and overloaded. He rolled flat to avoid getting burned.
Fred and Kelly tossed grenades. Distant explosions and screams echoed.
Another section of wall heated… and another. The Covenant weren't going to give up so easily. They'd open as many holes as they needed to penetrate their defenses.
"You don't understand," Endless Summer said. "Once the alien forces have finished with the Covenant ships, they will focus on the lesser threat: the UNSC battle group in orbit. The one sent here to rescue you."
The strategic picture instantly shifted in Kurt's mind. The fate of this battle group and his Spartans were linked. Save the ships and they'd have a way off this rock. Fail… and they'd be stuck here fighting Sentinels and Covenant ground forces until hell froze. Rescuing the other SPARTAN-IIIs in cryo would have to wait.
"This Sentinel factory produces a new unit every six seconds," the AI explained. "At that rate they will soon overwhelm any force the USNC can send."