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The Cruiser Essex sped through Slipstream towards the rendezvous point with the rest of the UNSC armada onboard the Josh and the other Spartans sat around the equipment room cleaning out their weapons and their armor. "I hope we get there soon waiting is always the worst part," said a Spartan as he looked through a shotgun, "I hope we actually get our hands on the bastards who took the ship too." "Don't worry we'll get our share of the action," said Josh as he slipped on the boots of his armor. "Hopefully our share won't turn out to be on earth." Kelly standing behind Josh picked up her sniper rifle and quickly removed the barrel, carefully choosing from a case containing three other barrels she took out a shorter barrel only about half the size of the original one and screwed it into the gun. "I always wondered if something like this would happen," she said as she took a larger clip that could hold about 10 bullets out of the case and started to put bullets down inside of it. "I guess this is the day we have to face our worst fear." "We still stand a fighting chance," said Josh putting on his armored gloves. The door opened and a bridge officer walked into the equipment room. "There's been a change of plans," said the officer staring almost in awe at the Spartans, "the Minotaur was just spotted by an outpost, it appears to be heading across human space to the other side of our controlled space, towards Harvest." "So what are we going to do," said Josh turning around to face the officer. "We are being ordered to head to Harvest and attempt to engage the Minotaur there, it's slipstream drives are older so we should be able to beat it there,' said the Officer talking to Josh directly. "Our ETA is 8 hours, so you might as well try and relax your not going to get any time to once we reach Harvest." ~ Harvest had been the first place the covenant engaged humans all that was left to it now was a glassed over planet and debris from the many ships that tried to repel the covenant invaders. Since it's glassing most ships both military, commercial and civilian would avoid the system as if it was the plague for fear that a covenant raiding party may be in the area. "Sir ETA for the Minotaur is 15 minutes, none of the other ships will be able to make it here before the Minotaur arrives," said the Intelligence officer, "we'll be facing it on our own." "Deploy all our fighters right away and have them prepared to engage any covenant craft in the area," said the Captain watching the glassed over planet though a screen in front of him. "Charge all our MAC cannons and have all safeties unlocked on all missile pods. Also just in case get a SHIVA ready we may have to catch this bugger quickly." "Yes sir," said the Weapons officer, "should we load up the pelicans incase we have to board." "Yes load them all up immediately," said the Captain, "boarding will be our last resort option." "Sir I'm picking up several slipstream signatures," said the Intelligence officer, "I can only identify on of them as being the Minotaur, all the others seem to be coming from the opposite direction. I think it may be a covenant rendezvous party here to get the Minotaur." "S***, ready the SHIVA were going to need it," yelled out the Captain. "Sir the Minotaur is coming out of slipstream in 10 seconds," yelled out the Intelligence officer as flashing red lights began to go off all over the bridge. "The Covenant have just came out of slipstream, there's two of them a cruiser class vessel and a dreadnought class." Down in the Spartan's equipment room a red light began to flash all of the Spartans quickly picked up their weapons and ran out of the room towards the docking bay. Josh led the group as everywhere around them Marines began to dash down for the bays, everything just went to hell. "Two covenant ships have just exited slipstream and are setting a course for us," said the intelligence officer through Josh's communicator in his helmet. "You will have to board the Minotaur while the Essex will try and distract the covenant long enough so that you don't get blown to hell on your way. Use any means available to destroy the Minotaur or at least wipe its computer." "Got it," said Josh as he pulled back the bolt on his MA5B. The Spartans due to their superhuman speed were the first ones to reach the docking bays, they quickly jumped into the nearest pelican. In the back of the pelican a long green bomb with a timing device was laid near cockpit entrance. "What's this?" asked Josh looking at it as the Pelican lifted off the ground. "A little gift from the Captain," yelled out the pilot, "the latest nuclear device devised by ONI just for this sort of thing. Its timer is exactly like a HAVOK's so it shouldn't give you much trouble to set." "Good, I'll take it," said Josh as he picked it up and slipped the carrying strap over his shoulder. The Pelican flew out of the docking bay and entered the hell that had just begun out side. All around the pelicans Longswords jetted off towards the approaching covenant ships. The first wave of enemy Serphs quickly met with the Longswords and a huge dogfight ensued. The Essex was already firing off its MAC cannons in a desperate attempt to distract the covenant. A huge plasma torpedo scorched past the Essex just barley missing it. "This is gonna be rough were going to have to ram through the docking bays airlocks so hold on," yelled out the pilot. Up ahead the Minotaur just seemed to be standing still in space its engines appeared to be shut off but the exterior signal light seemed to be still on. The Pelican slammed into the airlock doors the shock was so hard that only the pilot who was wearing a quad anchor safety belt wasn't thrown forward. The Pelican managed to tear the airlock doors apart leaving a space big enough for the others to make it through. The inside of the bay seemed to be lifeless there was no sign that any enemy had been awaiting them. The Pelican quickly landed and opened the back hatch all the Spartans protected by their suits from the airless environment piled out and quickly set up a perimeter while the other Pelican's unloaded their Marine's who were protected by environment suits. From outside through the punctured airlock door a bright white light flows through causing everyone to squint the **** just hit the fan. Next: Hunters |
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