- MaxRealflugel
- |
- Elder Mythic Member
Part Two
Like its namesake the Dawn began to flare like a rising star. The leading edge of the frigate was not designed to re-enter the atmosphere of a planet backwards, let alone in half. Large sections of metal began to tear from the main structure and damaged Archer missile pods were exploding with the buffeting and overwhelming heat.
John pushed the engines of the Pelican to beyond their operational maximum in an effort to keep up with the remains of the Dawn. But the situation seemed to conspire against him.
The planets’ gravity and the already excessive momentum gripping the Dawn, meant that he was gradually falling behind without the ability to talk to his trusted guide. Despite years together, fighting against the best the Covenant could offer there was little he could do except follow the broken frigate. This was were John hated being. In a situation that was not subject to his physical strength, endurance or speed. He was more at home on the ground where he could move faster and hit harder than anyone else in the UNSC and most probably the majority of his former enemy; the Covenant. In the air though he was like a fish out of water, and all of his survival instincts were relying on the mechanical movements of a dented drop ship. He prefered solid ground, a good rifle and a team that he could no longer call upon.
John was immediately tempted to think back to a time when SPARTANS were the last best hope for the survival of Humanity, but gradually their numbers had dwindled to just a handful of skilled individuals. Even now he was unsure of wether any of them were still alive. Deep down though he hoped they were.
The Pelican jerked suddenly, bringing John back to reality. The frigate had now pushed itself into a 12 kilometre lead, and even with his faceplate fully polarized and at maximum maginification there was little detail that he could make out. Captain Keys had been able to land the Pillar of Autumn on the first Halo, but then he had an entire ship to utilise not a collection of damaged and broken deckplates with half a MAC gun.
Suddenly the Dawn began to move slowly to the left and then the whole ship rolled over to expose the more intact dorsal section to the ferocious heat. Cortana was still in control.
John followed as best as he could behind the Dawn for the next twenty minutes, and managed to make up some ground as the large twisted frigate performed a series of S-turns in order to slow its descent. Then John heard a sound he did not expect.
“Chief…is Cortana…antenna …non functional…am using…ships sensor array plating…you hear me?” said a distant and distorted Cortana
John could only make out parts of the transmission but it was enough to reassure him of Cortana’s status.
“Barely Cortana, I’m just behind you. I’ll follow you in.” replied John
Nothing further came from frigate except a wash of static.
John continued to follow the burning ship as far as he could and then slowly pulled back on the control column to bring the nose of the Pelican level with the horizon, and watched as the ship sliced a fiery scar into the grass covered surface of the planet beneath. Even before the battered UNSC frigate come to a stop John was already landing.
Once down John punched the ramp release switch so hard that the control surface crumpled under his strength, but the welfare of the Pelican was the least of his concerns. He raced from the ramp and towards the Dawn with a speed that even Linda would have been proud of, but he was greeted with a searing wave of heat that blistered and bubbled the remaining layer of his already scarred colour scheme. Pale green paint fell from his armour in thin scorched flakes upon the ground as he pushed his suit of Mjolnir armour beyond its limit.
The main hangar bay that had provided John with the means to escape was now a shattered mess and even the remaining Pelicans, although already damaged, were now an unrecognisable sight. John carried on running to the far end of the ship where the engines were located and climbed in through one of the few intact deck hatches. John continued to race throughout the remaining sections of the ship until he reached the area where he had left Cortana.
“Cortana, Cortana can you hear me!” shouted John
He stood next to the cracked holo plate that had served as Cortana’s command cell and waited for her to appear as though afraid to remove her chip, either through concern of more damage or through the fading hope that she was still functioning.
“Cortana.” Whispered John
John began to reach for the chip housing below the holo plynth when it suddenly illuminated to reveal the familiar image of his companion.
“What took you so long?” asked Cortana
“Funny, real funny next time lets do something harder.” joked John
John placed the chip back in its portable housing in his armour, where it belonged and then collected a few supplies before heading back to the Pelican. It was good to have her back in his head.
“Chief there’s something I need to tell you,” Cortana paused before continuing “You were in stasis for quite a while.”
“How long?” asked John
“Longer than you think.” Replied Cortana
To be continued…