CHAPTER TWO¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

0220 Hours, January 26, 2535 (Military Calendar)/ Lambda Serpentis System, Jericho VII UNSC Naval Command Center

'Plague'

Plague disliked space travel a great deal. He had never been comfortable with the thought of having his life in the hands of a pilot he didn't know. This time, he did know the pilot though, and yet somehow, that didn't ease his anxiousness. He trusted Wrench with his life, but he hated space travel nonetheless, especially in a pelican. He had made it before though, and he knew he would make it this time, but that didn't keep him from longing to be on the ground again.

Of course, their first stop would be on the covenant ship, but somehow he knew he would feel better there. Maybe it was because he would be fighting, and he could at least control his fate in that respect. He found it rather odd that he would be more comfortable fighting for his life on an enemy ship, than flying quite safely in a pelican piloted by a Spartan.

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt a sharp acceleration. Plague picked up a small view screen from the seat next to him and activated it to link to the aft camera. He could see Jericho VII slowly growing smaller and smaller as they escaped its gravitational field.

Plague expected to be to the ship in a few hours, but then again, he was no pilot. Whatever the ETA, he knew it would be a while, and so he decided to take the time to sleep. He could see Brute, sitting across from him, was using his time in the same fashion. First though, he wanted to check in with Wrench.

"Wrench," he said after opening a channel, "what's our ETA?"

There was static for a second. Then there came a short reply. "About three hours."

Wow, he had really underestimated the speed of the Pelican, but he took the time to sleep none the less.

It seemed as though he had just gone to sleep when he was woken by a voice in his ear.

"That's the ship. Prepare to board in about 20 minutes."

"Great Wrench," replied Plague, "but I've got to ask you one thing. How are we going to get through their shields?"

"Well, I've been thinking about that on the way, and I think I know how." He stopped there.

"Well," said Plague.

"We've got to attract their fire."

"What!"

"Well, the only times they let down their shields are when they've just made a slip space jump, or when they fire." Explained Wrench, "Since they didn't just jump here, we've only got one option."

"How are we going to attract their attention?" asked Plague, "We should be in range of their radar now, but they're not firing."

"Well," said Wrench, "I've been jamming their radar signals, and sending back false ones. They can't see us. All I've got to do is stop, and they'll be all over us."

Plague turned to Brute, who was obviously listening, though he was perfectly still. Plague raised his hand to chest level, and extended his index finger, the Spartan signal to ask if another is ready.

Brute nodded ever so slightly, but Plague saw it. "Hit it." He said.

'Brute'

Brute was ready for anything, though he grew increasingly nervous since he knew his life would be in danger before he had any control over the situation. Of course, like Plague, he trusted Wrench with his life, but was nervous anyway. The only Spartan who was completely comfortable with space travel was Wrench himself.

Brute picked up a view screen and switched it to fore camera. He could see the approaching ship and for some reason took comfort in it. He knew he would be fine once there, but he had to survive this first. Brute noticed that the plasma cannons along the ship had begun to glow. After a few seconds, two fired.

The pelican lurched quickly to avoid the plasma, and get closer to the ship. Those two started charging again, but in the mean time the others began firing in a wave. The fire almost never let up. It was a constant, deadly game with plasma bolts.

They were now close enough to the ship that it filled the view screen. Brute wasn't sure how well they could dodge plasma at this range, but trusted Wrench, and so didn't do anything. The plasma kept coming, and despite the disadvantage they were at, Wrench continued dodging them. Brute saw many coming very close though, and he hoped they were almost there.

However good a pilot Wrench was though, he wasn't perfect. A sudden blast shook the ship and it began rolling toward the Covenant vessel. Brute opened a channel to Wrench immediately.

"What was that?" he asked, although he already knew.

"Plasma bolt hit the right wing and knocked it completely off. We're spiraling toward the ship now. I'm struggling for control. If we hit their shields, we'll be deflected into space." Wrench replied.

This was exactly what Brute was worried about. He was trapped in this ship and his life was in the hands of a pilot who was struggling just to maintain control. Faintly, he felt something he had not felt for a long time. He felt fear.

Wrench cut the link, or maybe it broke itself. Brute didn't care.

Slowly, Brute could feel the ship stop spinning. Wrench must have been gaining control, at least over the spiral. He wondered how long it would take to get enough control to avoid the shields, and how much time they had.

'Wrench'

Wrench had never had a harder piloting experience in his life. The ship was nearly impossible to control, and he estimated about thirty seconds before they hit the shields. If he didn't find a way out of this fast, it would be mission over and failed.

He had managed to stop the spiral, but he had no control over the engines at all. He couldn't brake the pelican, and he couldn't turn her. He was helpless.

He must have had only had ten seconds left, but he still didn't give up. He had to find a way to steer clear of the shields. There was always a way. He could find it, or fail. He couldn't fail.

Suddenly, it came to him. It was obvious. He checked the ship's thrusters. They were intact and ready to be operated at 50. It would be enough. He activated them and pushed the ship up, narrowly missing the shields.

However, the limited power of the thrusters could not pull up away from the ship. Instead they skimmed along the shields, only a few yards away.

Wrench noticed that they were still heading slightly down, and would still hit the shields soon if action was not taken. He checked all thrusters and engines, and all were working to their full extent to keep the ship up. There was nothing left to do. He had spent his last bit of luck.

However, he still tried. He could think of nothing. He checked all around the cockpit for something he could do. Still, there was nothing. He switched his view screen to aft camera and saw the ship fire another round of plasma.

Acting upon instinct, he reached up and shut of the thrusters. The ship dropped through the shields while they were down, and they were safe. Wrench felt relief, and reached up to activate the thrusters again, to keep them from hitting the ship itself now that they were through the shields.

The thruster didn't activate. They had burned out from the long period of use. It hadn't been more than a half a minute, but the thrusters were for quick, short bursts used for minor course correction, they couldn't withstand extended periods of use more than a few seconds.

There was nothing he could do to save the ship. He could see that now. There was only one thing they could do. There was no other option. He opened a com link to his teammates and ordered them to prepare to bail out. They didn't question him, and he cut the link.

He couldn't believe what he was doing. He had never even used his pelican on a mission before, and now he was letting it be destroyed. He reminded himself that he had no choice, and let the thought go. He couldn't dwell on such things. He had to focus on the mission.

He stood up, with certain difficulty, then was slammed into his seat again as the pelican collided with the Covenant ship. There was then a continuous scraping noise, and Wrench could just imagine his pelican sliding across the hull of the enemy ship.

He got up again, and opened the door to the troop bay. Plague and Brute were on their feet and ready. Wrench hit the button to open the troop bay door, and it began retreating into the ceiling.

He could see as it opened, the hull of the Covenant ship racing by. Plasma cannons, and other features zoomed past as sparks flew into the air. The pelican face backward, so that the objects came towards them then past the drop ship.

Plague went first. He grabbed the top of the troop bay entrance, and pulled himself up onto the top of the ship. Brute went next, and Wrench followed reluctantly. As he climbed onto the top, he saw Plague standing above the cockpit, ready to jump.

Wrench came up the rest of the way, and slowly made his way to the other end of the ship. Plague didn't bother opening a link or trying to communicate anything to the other two. They know what he was feeling, and he them.

Plague turned, and jumped off the pelican, followed quickly by Brute. Wrench looked down at the cockpit window and for a second he hesitated, but no longer. He looked up, and jumped.