HALO 2: LAST CHANCE (Part 1)
1825 Hours, September 13, 2552 (revised date, Military Calendar)/Aboard UNSC vessel Gettysburg, ETA to Earth
(Piece of story from the book HALO: FIRST STRIKE)
Sergeant Johnson crossed the bridge to the Master Chief. "There's one other thing. Another ONI thing." He held out a data crystal and his gaze fell to the deck. "Lieutenant Haverson gave This to me before he and the Admiral left. He said you'd have to deliver it for him." John stared at the data crystal and reluctantly plucked it from The Sergeant's fingers as if it were a slug of unstable radioactive Material. "Thank you, Sergeant." He hesitated and then added, "I'll take Care of this." The Sergeant nodded and strode towards Weapons Station One. John turned back to the blank monitors and retrieved the other Data crystal from his belt compartment. Yesterday he had believed He had done the right thing by giving the Lieutenant all of Dr. Halsey's Flood data-including the data on the Sergeant, Which she assured him would lead him to his death. But now? Now, John knew the difference one man could make in this War. He understood Dr. Halsey's desire to save every person she Could. John held the two data crystals, one in each hand, and stared at Them-trying to discern the future from their glimmering facets. That was the point, wasn't it? He couldn't know the future. He Had to do what he could to save every person. Today. Now. So he decided. He tightened his fist around the crystal with the complete mission Data and crushed it to dust. He couldn't condemn Sergeant Johnson. He hefted the remaining data crystal. There would have to Be enough in it for ONI. He set the crystal securely back into His belt. Today they had won. They had stopped the Covenant. John Would return to Earth with a warning and enough Intel to keep Scientists at ONI busy. But what about tomorrow? The Covenant didn't give up once They set their sites on a target. They wanted Earth-they'd Come for it. Destroying their fleet would only delay that inevitable Fact. They had time, though. Maybe enough time to prepare for Whatever the Covenant could throw at them. John would take today's victory. And he'd be there when the Fighting started again-he'd be there to win.
(That's pretty much the epilogue for HALO: LAST CHANCE.)
1825 Hours, September 13, 2552 (revised date, Military Calendar)/Aboard UNSC vessel Gettysburg, ETA to Earth
(Piece of story from the book HALO: FIRST STRIKE)
Sergeant Johnson crossed the bridge to the Master Chief. "There's one other thing. Another ONI thing." He held out a data crystal and his gaze fell to the deck. "Lieutenant Haverson gave This to me before he and the Admiral left. He said you'd have to deliver it for him." John stared at the data crystal and reluctantly plucked it from The Sergeant's fingers as if it were a slug of unstable radioactive Material. "Thank you, Sergeant." He hesitated and then added, "I'll take Care of this." The Sergeant nodded and strode towards Weapons Station One. John turned back to the blank monitors and retrieved the other Data crystal from his belt compartment. Yesterday he had believed He had done the right thing by giving the Lieutenant all of Dr. Halsey's Flood data-including the data on the Sergeant, Which she assured him would lead him to his death. But now? Now, John knew the difference one man could make in this War. He understood Dr. Halsey's desire to save every person she Could. John held the two data crystals, one in each hand, and stared at Them-trying to discern the future from their glimmering facets. That was the point, wasn't it? He couldn't know the future. He Had to do what he could to save every person. Today. Now. So he decided. He tightened his fist around the crystal with the complete mission Data and crushed it to dust. He couldn't condemn Sergeant Johnson. He hefted the remaining data crystal. There would have to Be enough in it for ONI. He set the crystal securely back into His belt. Today they had won. They had stopped the Covenant. John Would return to Earth with a warning and enough Intel to keep Scientists at ONI busy. But what about tomorrow? The Covenant didn't give up once They set their sites on a target. They wanted Earth-they'd Come for it. Destroying their fleet would only delay that inevitable Fact. They had time, though. Maybe enough time to prepare for Whatever the Covenant could throw at them. John would take today's victory. And he'd be there when the Fighting started again-he'd be there to win.
(That's pretty much the epilogue for HALO: LAST CHANCE.)