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Halo 2: From The Maw Onwards>>>(Part 4) (Chapter 1)
Posted By: Mr.Master<Mr_Master_BB@hotmail.com>
Date: 3 February 2005, 4:38 AM
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"It is useless for sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while wolves remain of a different opinion"
William Ralph Inge, D.D. 1860-1954
1227 Hours
126 Hours Since Destruction Of Halo, 2552
Central Planet Of The Plenusion System, Plenus Prime
Planet Surface (Airborne)
Watching noncommittally the raindrops sliding down the porthole, the Master Chief scanned the mountainside for any signs of a recent burn up caused by The Relentless. Of course it was futile, when faced with the supercomputer powers of an ONI detection scanner. The Chief had rejected the idea of a scanner, trusting his eyes far more. And as a side effect, the scanner diminished the one thing to do while flying just 500 feet from sea level. Scanning for the Admiral's ship. He considered having a debate with Cortana. Although it would mean hooking in to the nearest terminal, as she was in the Navigation Room. Besides, he told himself, it just isn't the same to hear her through a terminal. Currently he reviewed his position. Stuck in the Command Room with hardly a view, as the room was protected in the belly of the ship. Sergeant Bellhouzer was in the Turret Control Room, giving the young Marine pups a quick lesson on how to aim and fire a Lantern Rocket Pod from a moving Cormorant. However, by the Chief's definition a 180 minute lecture was not "quick". Nothing to do, no one to discuss the operation with...until a sudden idea struck. With a light tap on the shoulder (light by the chief's definition, not Major Harold's...), he got the attention of the Major, Commander-In-Chief of Operation KillHouse.
Cursing loudly, Harold proclaimed "Ouch! What was that for?"."
"Sorry sir. Requesting permission to take stock of the armory and test-fire select weapons. Sir."
"Permission granted, Spartan 117. Report back at 1350 hours or in the case of a spotting. Shouldn't be too long now"
Harold glanced at the ONI scanner and sighed. By this time John was already in the Main Hangar, heading for the Armory.
At the Armory, John was greeted by a wiry young Marine of the rank Sergeant-At-Arms. The Sergeant immediately recognized the Chief's intent and directed him to the Shooting Range. However, the Chief was surprised when his guide ushered him into a small side room marked ONI Research+Development . His guide, Mark Zen, explained how he had gotten a call from the Command Room notifying him to welcome the Chief and to show him some of the ONI prototype weapons aboard. Using an invisibly latch handle to open a previously unnoticed hutch, Mark produced a small, sleek, black sidearm. Zen elaborated:
"The pistol is designed after an ancient 9mm design of the 20th century, the 92FS. However, there the resemblance ends. The weapon, dubbed the 93FS, is a completely new breed. With a bullet capacity of 30+1, coupled with a small clip size, there is no need for supply drops. It also has a completely new type of bullet. Imagine a .45 caliber bullet, taking up only 5mm of vertical space when in the clip. Now imagine a tiny injector needle connected to a super- compressed helium bottle. As the bullet is loaded into the chamber, a tiny fraction of a single percent of the amount of helium in the bottle is injected into the bullet. The bullet expands to the size of a .45 caliber in less than a millisecond, and is capable of firing at 40,000 feet per second with the pull of a trigger, due to an unusual method of propulsion. Amazing, isn't it?"
After capturing the chief's attention, Mark Zen continued.
"Now you're probably realizing that if the bullets are full of compressed helium, the bullet can't be propelled by gunpowder and it will have no shell. Thus, the bullet is propelled by a 'ball' of compressed helium. The helium is so compressed that it turns in on itself like a black hole, and does not diffuse into the air. The bullet is forced into the ball by a blast of helium from the gas bottle. The enormous pressure of the helium ball automatically forces the bullet to the center of the helium ball, and the immense pressure forces it into a perfect balance. And with just a wisp of gas from the bottle, the bullet is blown out of balance in the direction of the muzzle. The immense pressure forces the bullet out at incredible speeds and-Whammo! 40,000 feet per second. But perhaps the biggest advantage of this weapon is this: the helium in the bullet corresponds poisonously with san unknown substance in the blood of Grunts, Jackals, and Elites. Unfortunately Hunters are immune not. Tests show the poison to severely numb the alien senses. Now to the specs: A standard M6D sidearm contains only 12 bullets. Times that by 2.5, times the firepower by 3, times the accuracy by 2, times the Feet Per Second by 4, and you have the 93FS-MSA [Marine Side Arm]. I rest my case" Finished Mark as he smiled, thinking of all the possibilities undoubtedly flitting through the Master Chief's head...
The Master Chief accepted the weapon and handed the Marine his M6D. Zen explained how to care for the weapon;
"Always keep it in you're new holster when not using it, and keep it locked! In order to clean the weapon and oil the slide, you must first remove the Helium Sphere. Be warned! The Sphere is in a constant vacuum when in the weapon, and it is automatically encased in a special vacuum shield using a magnetic field. You must never, never let that Sphere come into contact with pure Plutonium. In fact never bring it close enough for a Geiger Counter to shake itself loose. To put it shortly, the reaction between the two elements is negative, as Plutonium rejects the highly compressed helium Sphere in a very negative way. Other than that, you should be fine, although this weapon is a prototype, subject to less than a quarter of the tests a standard weapon goes through before it is available for Military use."
As Zen continued his lecture Cortana was duly recording it from a nearby Terminal. After all, you couldn't count on the Chief to watch for every little detail.
As Mark gestured towards the Firing Range, the 'sighting' klaxon went off.
"Master Chief to the Navigation Room--Master Chief to the Navigation Room..."Sounded the PA.
Quickly Mark produced his own 93FS and handed John a handful of spare clips.
"Master Chief Sir! You're Pelican will be waiting for you in Docking Bay 5, be there in ASAP."
Without so much as an acknowledgement to Zen John was out the Armory door and jogging through the Main Hanger, suddenly a flurry of activity. Heading into a side passage marked 'NAVIGATION' he moved towards the farthest door. Swiping his access card, he came face-to-face with Major Harold. Apparently the Major had left the Command Room for the Navigation Room.
"Good to see you, Chief. The sighting occurred just moments ago. It appears to be the burnout trail left by The Relentless , but we lack visual confirmation as the burnout occurred on the far side of the mountain we're bypassing just now."
John noticed a tactical display on the wall showing Harold's Cormorant circling around a mountain small in diameter but apparently standing over 3 miles high! Quickly the Chief got down to business.
"What's our situation, Major?"
"We will be in visual contact of The Relentless ETA 5 minutes. The Scanners can't pick up life signs until we hit the far side of UnNamed Mountain due to high concentrations of Lead in the mountain itself."
"And what exactly are you implying sir?"
"That we have no clue whether or not there are survivors from the crash, whether this is an ambush and the burnout is fake, or whether the burnout is real, there are survivors, and the Covenant are attacking!"
"I see. What information do we have relevant to the situation that could be of any use?"
"Only that which the burnout tells us. If it is authentic, the crash occurred exactly three hours and forty-three minutes ago. Anything else is a guess at best, a wild speculation most probably."
"When will we touchdown?"
"After ETA to the far side of UN Mountain (UnNamed Mountain), a hot-drop for you in just 15 minutes...or an hours wait while we prepare a landing and simultaneously engage enemy forces."
"Understood. My briefing, sir?"
"Ah, yes. The object of Operation KillHouse is to extract as many Marines and friendly Non-Combatants as possible. Priority goes to Admiral Kardoza and the Command Crew, naturally. You are briefed. Report to Hangar 5, where--"
"My Pelican will be waiting. Already on it, sir. See you dirtside."
"Good luck, Chief."
As Spartan 117 exited the Navigation Room, he slipped Cortana into her slot. The moment she was connected, her voice sounded reassuringly in his helmet. Well, somewhat reassuringly...
"Leave me in there with all those old gray haired bogeys! Do you have any idea how boring it is to listen to the Major discuss Cuban cigars? Or his Grandma's great old Lemon Cake? Don't think I'm gonna forget this one Chief! Why, if I had my way..."
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