"All units stand by! Communications, report!"
"Sir, we've got multiple streams of Covenant chatter. I'm transferring them to Thor now."
"Good! Weapons, report!"
"Sir, the Mack Gun is online, as are all other defensive and offensive weapons. The barracks are being emptied of able pilots, and forty Longsword fighters are able to launch at this moment. Two Pelicans and a squadron of seven Longswords have just arrived. The Pelicans are nearly done docking, and the Longswords are refueling at the outer refueling station."
"Excellent. Radio down to the hanger, I want SPARTAN-102 called to the bridge immediately."
"Sir!" The Marine swiveled around in his chair and sent a message down to the hanger promptly.
"Thor, display." Admiral Guantano stepped up to the recon screen as Thor put the translated Covenant chatter up. "Ah shit. Ah shit, shit, shit!" He slammed his fit against the display; it pulsated. "This isn't good!" He continued to read the translated messages being sent back and forth between Covenant ships.
Several minutes later, the Major appeared on the bridge, saluting. Admiral Guantano didn't bother to salute back. This wasn't the time for pleasantries. "Admiral, what's going on?"
"Major, we are going to be attacked. Covenant chatter translated by Thor states that first the Covenant battleship is going to take us out, then concentrate all their firepower onto the planet."
"They're not?"
"Yes, Major. They're going to glass Genalsus IV, and we can't do anything to stop them. Not at this rate. Do you know that half of our forces are down on that damned planet? We couldn't put up a decent fight if we wanted to. There are only forty Longswords ready for launch at this time, and the Pelicans can do very little to help. Major, we are screwed."
"It might appear that way, Sir, if we don't calm down and think," stated Daren calmly. The Admiral's face contorted into anger and he stepped right up to the SPARTAN.
"What are you implying?"
"Absolutely nothing, Sir."
"Bullshit, you're doubting my command! What would you do then, Major?" He ground his teeth together and clenched his fists.
Daren knew he was risking his career by doing this. "Sir, I would concentrate on the defense of this orbital station and use smart tactics that the Covenant could never maneuver past to take out their battleship."
Admiral Guantano stepped back. "It amazes me, sometimes, how your mind thinks. Defense!"
"Sir!"
"Concentrate a quarter of our power on the shielding system! Weapons, channel another quarter of our power on our weapons systems!"
"Sir!" cried out both men simultaneously. Guantano came back to face the Major.
"I sure as hell hope you know what you're doing."
"Give me full command over our forces, and I can assure you a victory… and a Covenant battleship."
"Impossible."
"Not at all, Sir."
Guantano sighed and thought for a second. He shook his head. "Do it."
The Major saluted and moved to the Communications deck. He tapped the Marine manning the deck on the shoulder and jutted his thumb to the side. The Marine, a Corporal, nodded and stood, stepping to the side. Daren pressed a few buttons, and the familiar noise of the loudspeaker initiating could be heard as it echoed throughout the station. The Major leaned into the microphone.
"This is SPARTAN-102. As of this moment, Admiral Guantano has reappointed the position of Chief of War of this orbital defense installation to myself. I believe that with a firmly calm attitude and superior tactics, we can defeat this new Covenant force. At this time, a quarter of this station's power has been redirected to the shielding system, and another quarter has been redirected to the weapons systems. We will attack and subdue this new threat, or we will die trying. If you do not agree with my approach, you can shoot yourself now."
The Major stepped away from the microphone, punched a button, and strode back to the Admiral.
"Quite a way you have with the masses," said the Admiral grimly.
"I don't sugarcoat things. It's not in my protocol."
"Your protocol isn't real. I hope you realize that."
"My protocol was driven into my head since I was a child. After time, I figured out early that if I didn't follow the protocol that they taught me, I would not survive. You see, Admiral, it has to be real. I would have died already if it weren't."
"If you do not agree to my approach, you can shoot yourself now." Private Chase, who had been cleaning his battle rifle through the entire announcement smiled slightly at this. He knew how the Major worked now. That hard-ass outer shell, but with a soft center. His training had taught him the same thing, not to let his emotions get in the way.
He slapped the towel down on the table that he sat at, then stood and proceeded to the armory. He equipped himself to be part of a boarding party. When the Major had mentioned subduing instead of destroying the enemy, Chase knew exactly what he meant.
Private Attens walked through the door, placing his battle rifle in a small heap of used weapons. Chase looked up and cocked his head to the side. "Not going aboard, Attens?"
"Nope. Like I told the Major, when I got back they'd set me up to pilot a Longsword. All I can carry with me is a magnum and two frags." He frowned at the selection of pistols as he pawed through them.
"What's it like working with the Major?" asked Chase slowly, concentrating on replacing the barrel of an otherwise fine shotgun me had found.
"He's a good man. Not like what people say about them SPARTANs."
"That's strange."
"What? Why?"
"I met another SPARTAN. Nobody knew his name except the officers of the ship. He was known as the Master Chief, and he was a cold, hard, killing machine. The Covenant called him the 'Demon.' He's a one-man army."
"I'm sure the Major is no different. I heard they went to the same boot camp and everything."
"That's classified," came a harsh voice from the open doorway. The two Marines looked up to see the Major standing there, leaning against the doorframe. They snapped to and saluted somewhat hesitantly.
"Sir! I apologize Sir!" stammered Attens.
The Major waved his hand. "It's no big deal. Are they putting you on pilot like you said they would?"
"Yes, Sir. It's not right."
"You'll be pleased to know that you'll have an objective this time. That battleship does not have shields, and if it does, they're not very strong. There are two disadvantages to a Covenant battleship: The shields are little or nonexistent due to the amount of energy needed to man their guns, and there are several weak points ripe to be punctured by our boarding craft. Your mission is to direct your flight team in a concentrated assault on a spot behind and under the bridge." The SPARTAN handed a data pad to Attens. It displayed blueprints and a 3D render of a Covenant battleship.
"Sir?"
"Let me finish. This spot is actually a hatch that blows off when the Covenant on the bridge need an escape route. From this large bay, a Slipspace-enabled lifepod punches out. Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir, puncture the battleship's bridge lifepod bay and secure a clear entrance for the boarding party."
"Exactly. Suit up; your wingmen are waiting for you in the hanger."
"Sir!" Attens saluted crisply, grabbed the best-looking magnum, and was out the door in a flash. The Major turned to Private Chase.
"You assume you're going to be on the boarding party?" he asked. Private Chase nodded. "You assume correctly. Shotguns and SMGs; we've got fifteen other men on their way up here. Make sure they're suited up correctly and someone has C4."
"Yes, Sir!"
The Major left the armory carrying his weapons; he didn't have time to put everything on properly. He made his way back to the bridge to find that Attens' Longswords had been launched only moments before.
"I hope you know what the hell you're doing," stated Admiral Guantano as the Major sat down next to him at the center display. Daren nodded silently and focused on the Longswords. He looked over to Communications.
"Have the boarding ships ready to go. I want them ready to launch the moment I get to the hanger."
"Yes Sir," replied the Communications Officer, who linked up with the hanger immediately.