Author: I decided to have a go at a Halo piece because, for the most part, a lot of halo fan fiction is badly written, I figure I can't do worse at the least. Comments would be helpful:)
The arbiter stepped forward as the question hung in the air "And where, Oracle, is the Ark?".
"Well that depends", a few seconds past, waiting for an explanation. "Depends on what, Oracle?". "Units of measurement and places of reference, taking this installation as the center and a standard unit the average distance between each installation that would place the ark roughly 4881.4 tera units to the relative galactic southwest, perpendicular to this installation". Stunned silence passed for a few seconds as this information sunk in. The sergeant, having lost track halfway in, and lacking an understanding of astrophysics of that commander and Arbiter, reacted first, "That, was not helpful".
"Chief, we have estimated it will be 15 minutes before that ship will be too far into Earth's atmosphere for us to shoot it down. Either it doesn't reach that point or you find someway to be elsewhere". The chief picked up his smg, released the magazine and checked the weapon before re-assembling it, finishing with cocking lever, the action clearing his mind "Understood". Truth...
Truth gripped the sides of his chair harder, This was not the plan. The Covenant attack was slowing, although the brutes had brute force to help in the field of battle, ship to ship combat required finesse. Reach had given the Covenant problems with just 20 Super Mac guns, over 300 was absurd. Truth's attempts to copy Regret's tactics had met failure, the brutes had simply charged the stations at full speed making themselves easy targets for Mac rounds and human strike craft. Truth would have to do something he'd gotten good at, Truth began to wait.
"I simply gave it in relative terms, unless you want to give me something I can use of reference you understand I cannot make it simpler". The sergeant, having understood less for hearing this, gave an inquiring look to the commander. Miranda thought for a moment, before turning to the arbiter, who had detached himself from the humans, "Star Charts, navigational data banks, do you have any access to them on your ships?" "Of course, elites currently occupy most of the ships left occupying this system, it would be relatively simple to.." "Thats a yes?" Johnson's stance shifted, he felt the need to move. "Yes, however I cannot leave yet, High Charity is nearly over run by the parasite, if control is completely lost" The arbiter shook his head "I dare not think what the parasite could do loose".
"Your highness, a hole has been made in the grid, we can start moving in more ground forces before they respond" "Laytrusk, prepare this ship to make for the breech, I am done with hiding".
Laytrusk quickly consulted some reports "It would not be safe.." "I think I can judge my safety best". Laytrusk flared with anger momentarily, from a prophet, that was a reprimand, and not a light one. "Make for the breech at 427, 647, 23, best speed. "Chief ten, the engines do not respond!"
"Patrol 4, respond!" The chief took a little time to loot the corpses of weapons, although he preferred UNSC weapons, smgs with no ammunition were a dead weight. Howls echoed at the end of the corridor. The Chief aware the lack of thrust had been noticed.