Chance Guards
Posted By: Loopframe<mpb0212@geeksnet.com>
Date: 19 September 2002, 12:58 am
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The alarm sounded on the bridge of the Boolean III, an Imperial Class Cruiser. They had been searching throughout the entire Serpentis Vector for the lost ship, Odin VII. Millions had crossed their fingers hoping the ship was not engaged by the Covenant, and they had just appeared at a randomized Slipstream coordinate and landed out of radio contact. There wasn't much chance for them if the Covenant dropped in; Odin VII was not made for battle.
But now it was the Boolean being engaged. They hadn't seen or even detected the Covenant until they were right on them, blazing plasma turrets into the Boolean's hull. One Chimera Class against 2 Covenant AAA class cruisers? Not a chance in this world.
And that's exactly what Captain James B. Withers was thinking. He had swiftly sounded the alarm, and turned to the A.I. "Hazel" for help.
"Protocol says we either engage or enter Slipstream? Under our circumstances, I'd say you have only one choice that leaves this ship intact." Hazel was a more experienced construct, having been transported to and from many kinds of ships. She hadn't seen a lot of action with the Covenant, however. Her appearance reminded the Captain of his daughter, Susan, back on Earth with her mother. Young, curly hair and blue sparkling eyes...Withers quickly drove that thought out of his mind, he had more important things to do.
"Permission granted to enter Slipstream, Hazel. Randomize coordinates at will." The General sighed. Many vessels had either been lost at space for quite sometime or pursued again by the Covenant if they landed too close. He couldn't afford to keep up this losing battle against the other two Covenant cruisers, they had to go, and they had to go now.
Hazel had announced over the intercom they were entering Slipstream, and directed everyone to their station. The Captain went ahead and gave the order to activate two Apocalypse-warheads for safety measures incase the ship landed in the Covenant's range again. The window's view went completely black, all the stars fading away as they entered Slipstream. Time almost stood still as the ship blanked in and out of space, zipping into the unknown. The Captain held his breath.
They slipped out of the Slipstream, and the brightness of the planet in front of them blinded nearly all of the bridge's crew. Withers cussed under his breath as he realized they landed a little too close to a planet, and the ship was being pulled in by its gravity.
"Hazel, turn us around and fire up the engines. Ninety percent, and double-time it." The construct graphical appearance nodded, and the ship began to turn. It turned only to see one of the Covenant ships just blink out of the Slipstream. The second one flanked it to the left, both closing in on the cruiser.
"Damnit, Hazel, how did they track us?" The captain angrily turned to the A.I., scowling at it not out of hatred towards her, but to their situation.
"Sir, we now only have two options. Self-Destruct, or land on the surface first and then self-destruct the ship. We have enough portable radio equipment to get in one call to the UNSC. Plus we have enough soldiers to put up a substantial fight until reinforcement comes."
Withers looked at the construct, a glint of hope in his eye.
"Hazel, turn this girl around. We're going to try and land it. As we enter the atmosphere, give me readout of the environment from your scanners up here. I need to know what's down there."
"Yes sir. And I'm sending a message to the intelligence officers back at the UNSC offices." The construct blinked out, busy with her work. Meanwhile, the rest of the Boolean III's crew got ready for the unexpected. The rumble of the oncoming Covenant ships closing in on their prey was heard in the background...
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