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Just Getting Started Chapter Five
Posted By: James Kinsella<jckinsella@redrunr.net>
Date: 4 April 2003, 12:10 AM
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Just Getting Started
Chapter Five
1400 Hours, September 19, 2552 (Military Calendar)/
Fleetcom Military Reservation, Earth Sol System
"Chief, I would like to congratulate you on your permanent acquisition of a Smart A.I.; I know that I will be useful in the field." Cortana said. John could almost hear the smirk in her voice. Of course that wasn't really true, Cortana's "voice" was actually in his head.
"I wonder what kind of mission we will be asked to perform?" John said, "But I guess you might have already stumbled across that information. So spill, what is it, recon, troop support, tactical force? Come on tell me."
"I don't think that I am allowed, under UNSC protocol, of course." She replied, once again with that smirk in her quasi-voice. She accessed the shuttlepod's nav computer and estimated distance to arrival. "You will find out in approximately twenty-one point four minutes. But until then I am the only one 'In the know' and that's how I'm going to keep it."
John laughed at her feeling of superiority and returned his attention to the view screen. He redirected the shuttlepod's camera towards Mars, and zoomed in on the Reyes-Mclees shipyard. The place was bustling with activity, small craft buzzing around, large craft sliding into docking bays, and building and repair ships flying around in a blizzard of motion. He stared at this spectacle until the Dockmaster A.I. of moon base Sierra notified them that they had landed and were clear to exit.
John walked off the ship and immediately made his way towards the command structure. The low hallways of the base reminded him of a starship, and he hated those; he never had any control. He walked into the command room and saw something he never expected. He almost fell down. It was Dr. Halsey! She was alive! John felt an enormous sense of gratitude towards whoever had gotten her off Reach. He walked up to her and saluted.
"At ease John. I was hoping to see you again." She said with a smile. For the first time John noticed her age. The last few months had definitely not been kind. "I am here to show you the new suit we've designed you since you left Reach. Follow me into this room, we haven't got much time."
John followed her into a side room. In the middle of the room, on a plexiglass stand was a new suit of armor. Dr. Halsey jumped right into the briefing.
"I hope you're prepared for this John, it's an incredible system. It has almost double the strength of the Mark V, but the suit itself is actually less bulky. The reactor is based on the Covenant design, found on the Golden Apocalypse. It uses a kind of anti-plasma that allows for almost immediate cooling. This allows us to harness more of the reactor's power. The shield system is also a revolutionary design. It maintains the same shape around your form but it is almost one-and-a-half times as capable. The capacitors on the shield matrix have been boosted to allow for more absorption of the shot. The shields will still be depleted by an overcharged plasma shot, but due to the increased power from the reactor they will recharge at twice the speed. All of this technology is derived from the Golden Apocalypse, once again affirming that your actions probably saved our species. Would you like to try the suit on?"
Fifteen minutes later John was running an obstacle course at 45 KPH without even breaking a sweat. The new suit was even pleasing Cortana.
"They sure did put plenty of room in here," she remarked, "They even gave me my own private com system for my "extracurricular activities". I guess I won't be bogging down your system anymore." She said this with such excitement that John almost wondered what she meant by "extracurricular activities". He knew better than to ask though.
"Master Chief, could you please return to the briefing room. Your presence is required." An anonymous voice said over the com channel.
As John walked into the briefing room he saw Admiral Stanforth and his wife, Julia, a top figure in ONI. He also noted Barrin, Dr. Halsey, and a man with Captain's bars whom he didn't recognize. John entered the room and sat down.
"I'm here to address you all on our planned attack on the colony Enlightenment." Barrin begin, "The Mission will begin in one week. The target on this mission is the Prophet that rules that planet. He is also in charge of all local military operations, which includes Chi Condo, a Titanium rich planet with three orbital shipyards. If we lose this planet than the buildup of ships I predicted in the last briefing will be a lost dream. We know, from the Golden Apocalypse, that the Prophet has already made plans for an assault on Chi Condo. If we don't stop him now we could lose the planet. Master Chief, it will be your job to infiltrate the hostile planet, set nuclear mines on some of the ships in their ship docks, and most importantly, take out the Prophet. After you have completed your mission the Covenant presence there will be erased. You will be delivered to your target by Captain Gates. Your transport on this mission will be the newly refitted and renamed ship, Keyes.
I have no doubt it will serve you well. Chief you will report to Keyes on September 26th at 0730 hours. Keep your presence off the com channels. You have the next six days to get acquainted with your new suit, and all of the new weapons upgrades you missed while on Halo. This briefing is over." With that Barrin faded once again and was gone.
"I don't really like him," Cortana said, "he's to straightforward, no fun. I hope your ready John, because this is gonna be your toughest mission yet."
"I am." John replied with his usual calm. What Cortana didn't know was that for the first time in his life, he was worried about the mission....
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