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Just Getting Started: Chapter One
Posted By: James Kinsella<jckinsella@redrunr.net>
Date: 16 March 2003, 10:11 PM
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Just Getting Started
Chapter One
1421 Hours, September 7, 2552 (Military Calendar) /
UNSC Stryker Unknown System
Cortana reasoned, "We did what we had to do . . . for Earth. An entire Covenant armada obliterated, and the Flood . . . Halo. It's finished."
"No. I think we're just getting started." said John as he unlocked the pressure seal on his helmet and popped it off. "What's the engine temperature at now, Cortana?"
"Engine temp is approaching recommended parameters, soon we will have propulsion." Cortana replied, "The bigger problem isn't our engine but rather our Shaw-Fujikawa generator. It was damaged in our retreat and needs service immediately. I can guide you through the procedure but we have to start now! If we lose the generator we get to take the long way home."
"Understood", John responded, "Let's get started"
Two hours, thirty-four minutes later...
"Now that we're done with that job I have something to bring to your attention" Cortana said as she posted a message on the main screen, "Chief you should probably have a look at this."
United Nations Space Command Priority Transmission
09894B-72
Encryption Code: Red
Public Key: file /lightning-matrix-four
From: Admiral Michael Stanforth, Commanding Officer,
UNSC Leviathan/ UNSC Sector Three Commander/
(UNSC Service Number: 00834-19223-HS)
To: Captain Jacob Keyes, Commanding Officer UNSC
Pillar of Autumn/ (UNSC Service Number: 01928-19912-JK)
Subject: NEW ORDERS
Classification: RESTRICTED (BGX Directive)
/start file/
Covenant presence detected on several main slipstream routes
in the systems Tantalus and Omega headed towards EARTH.
All UNSC warships are hereby ordered to proceed to Earth
IMMEDIATLY by shortest route possible.
/end file/
"When we were in the POA I accessed our transmission database." Cortana said, "The captain received this message approximately three minutes after we left the bridge. He never read it! I've done the math. That means that the covenant could reach Earth six days from now! The quickest we can get there is in four days. Bring the reactors back online, you may be needed in ground actions on earth!"
"Calm down Cortana I'm bringing the reactor on now." John said as he punched the code in. "Powering engines to 90%, bringing slipstream generators online now. Transfer to SF space in, three, two, one, now!"
As they made the transfer to slipspace a small blue and steel ball shot forward and connected magnetically to the Longsword Interceptor's black hull. "Hmm" thought 343 Guilty Spark, "This shall be an interesting endeavor. I can't wait till we arrive!"
Chapter Two
1830 Hours, September 11, 2552 (Military Calendar)/
UNSC Stryker Periphery of Sol System
"Chief, Wake up!" Cortana shouted, "We will exit slipspace in approximately two minutes before we transfer to normal space! We have to prepare to dock with Leviathan and brief Admiral Stanforth on what happened. He's the head of NavSpecWep, your service branch."
John responded with a quick nod and ran to the ship's controls. He activated the pre-exit procedures and prepared to exit slipspace. As he deactivated the trans-light generators he felt the lurch of massive deceleration. He looked out the view screen and saw Earth for the first time.
"Chief" Cortana said urgently, "We are receiving a hail from Admiral Stanforth. It's on a priority alpha channel. I'm routing it to the main screen."
Admiral Stanforth appeared, looking much more haggard than usual. The stoop in his back was not usually detectable in a video transmission. The chief guessed that his last few days had been rather hectic. "Chief is that you?" Stanforth said with a shocked look on his face, "Where the hell is the Pillar of Autumn and Keyes! I could use his ship in the upcoming battle."
"Sir I'm sending you a briefing of all the Pillar of Autumn, Cortana, and I have done since we left Reach. Sadly, the Captain will not be joining you anytime soon, or the POA for that matter. They didn't make it. My briefing will explain why. Meanwhile may I have permission to dock with the Leviathan?" "Immediately Master Chief, I will expect you on the bridge at no later 1920 hours. I happen to have a surprise for you. Stanforth out"
As the Longsword Interceptor slid into the port docking bay a ball of blue light detached and flew undetected into the nearest turbolift. "What do I want to do next?" the monitor thought to himself. "Perhaps revenge will occupy my processors for now."
Chapter Three
1917 Hours, September 11, 2552 (Military Calendar)/
UNSC Leviathan Sol System
As the chief exited the fighter all personnel on the deck turned to stare at him. UNSC Infantry had elevated the Spartans to legendary status due to the fact that most soldiers had never even seen a Spartan. These troops were looking at a combat god and they knew it.
"Chief as much as you respect Admiral Stanforth I don't think he'll be happy to see us back. If you recall our mission was to disable a covenant ship and determine the location of their home world. The last time I checked that mission was not complete."
"Relax Cortana I'm sure that the Admiral will be happy to see. Besides, he couldn't have expected me to disable a covenant ship with a single badly damaged Longsword Interceptor. He'll understand. We did destroy an entire armada of Covenant capital ships as well as a race of parasites. He's got to give us a little credit, if he even notices us at all with crap he has to deal with right now"
"Master Chief, I've integrated with this ship's Command system using your communications link." said Cortana "I'm detected rising levels of heat in the ships reactor. The temperature isn't raising at a high enough rate to cause any alerts, you have to be looking for the info. It may be carelessness on the part of the Leviathan's A.I. or it may be something else. Give me a few cycle's to check something out."
"Okay." John responded as he made his way to the bridge. He stopped the elevator on Deck 17 and exited. This level held the armory and he wanted to have the latest weapons at his disposal. He immediately found the Battle Rifle and took it to the target range. He emptied 3 clips in short order. He was satisfied with the new weapon, it had a 2x scope and it's accuracy made the MA5B look like an M41 LAAG. There was one drawback however, its rate of fire. To solve this problem the Chief exchanged the shotgun he'd been carrying since Halo for an SMG. In testing the chief discovered that this gun would more than make up for the Battle Rifle's slow rate of fire. It's accuracy however was pathetic, and it ran out of ammunition fast. He stowed this issue and went back to the elevator. As the elevator passed the 4th floor he felt the presence of Cortana flood back into his head.
She immediately said, "Chief we have a problem! That engine problem earlier was no accident. It was the Monitor!"
Look for the next Chapter: Just Getting Started: Chapter Two
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