The silence on the combat range was somehow unsettling.
Even more unsettling were the extra security personnel; today, there were three times the normal numberof MPs patrolling the gate.
John parked the Warthog and was approached by a trio of MPs. “State your business here, sir,” the leadMP demanded.
Without a word, John handed over his papers—orders direct from the top brass3. The MP visiblystiffened. “Sir, my apologies. Dr. Halsey and the others are waiting for you at the P and R area.”
The guard saluted5, and waved the gate open.
On survey maps, the combat training range was listed as “UNSC Military Reservation 01478-B.” Thesoldiers who trained there had a different name for it—“Painland.” John knew the facility well; a greatdeal of the Spartans6’ early training had taken place there.
The range was divided into three areas: a live-fire obstacle course; a target practice range; and the P&R—“Prep and Recovery” area—which more often than not doubled as an emergency first-aid station.
John had spent plenty of time in the aid station during his training.
The Master Chief walked briskly to the prefabricated structure. Another pair of MPs, MA5B assaultrifles at the ready, double-checked his credentials8 before they admitted him to the building.
“Ah, here at last,” said an unfamiliar9 voice. “Let’s go, son, on the double, if you please.”
John paused; the speaker was an older man, at least in his sixties, in the coveralls and lab coat of a ship’sdoctor. No rank insignia, though, John thought with a twinge of concern. For a moment, the image of hisfellow Spartans—very young, and clubbing, kicking, and beating un-uniformed instructors intounconsciousness flashed into his memory with crystal clarity.
“Who are you, sir?” he asked, his voice cautious.
“I’m a Captain in the UNSC Navy, son,” the man said with a thin-lipped smile, “and I’ve no time forspit and polish today. Let’s go.”
A Captain—and new orders. Good. “Yes, sir.”
The Captain in the lab coat escorted him into the P&R’s medical bay. “Undress, please,” the man said.
John quickly disrobed, then stacked his neatly11 folded uniform on a nearby gurney. The Captain steppedbehind him and began to swab John’s neck and the back of his head with a foul-smelling liquid. Theliquid felt ice-cold on his skin.
A moment later, Dr. Halsey entered. “This will just take a moment, Master Chief. We’re going toupgrade a few components12 in your standard-issue neural13 interface14. Lie back and remain still, please.”
The Master Chief did as she said. A technician sprayed a topical anesthetic15 on his neck. The skin tingled,then went cold and numb2. The Master Chief felt layers of skin incised, and then a series of distinctclicking sounds that echoed through his skull16. There was a brief laser pulse and another spray. He sawsparks, felt the room spin, then a sense of vertigo17. His vision blurred18; he blinked rapidly and it quicklyreturned to normal.
“Good . . . the procedure is complete,” Dr. Halsey said. “Please follow me.”
The Captain handed the Master Chief a paper gown. He slipped it on and followed the doctor outside.
A field command dome19 had been assembled on the range. Its white fabric7 walls rippled20 in the breeze.
Ten MPs stood around the structure, assault rifles in hand. The Master Chief noted21 these weren’t regularMarines. They wore the gold comet insignia of Special Forces Orbital drop Shock Troopers—“Helljumpers.” Tough and iron-disciplined. A flash of memory: the blood of troops—just like these—soaking into the mat of a boxing ring.
John felt his adrenaline spike23 as soon as he saw the soldiers.
Dr. Halsey approached the MP at the entrance and presented her credentials. They accepted them andscanned her retina and voiceprint, then did the same to the Master Chief.
Once they confirmed his identify, they immediately saluted—which was technically25 unnecessary, as theMaster Chief was out of uniform.
He did them the courtesy of returning their salute4.
The soldiers kept looking around, scanning the field, as if they were expecting something to happen.
John’s discomfort26 grew—not much spooked an Orbital drop Shock Trooper.
Dr. Halsey led the Master Chief inside. In the center of the dome stood an empty suit of MJOLNIRarmor, suspended between two pillars on a raised platform. The Master Chief knew it was not his suit.
His, after years of use, had dents27 and scratches in the alloy28 plates and the once iridescent29 green finishhad dulled to a worn olive brown.
This suit was spotless and its surface possessed30 a subtle metallic31 sheen. He noted the armor plates wereslightly thicker, and the black underlayers had a more convoluted32 weave of components. The fusionpack was half again as large, and tiny luminous34 slits36 glowed near the articulation37 points.
“This is the real MJOLNIR,” Dr. Halsey whispered to him. “What you have been using was only afraction of what the armor should be. This—” She turned to the Master Chief. “—is everything I hadalways dreamed it could be. Please put the suit on.”
The Master Chief stripped the paper gown off and—with the help of a pair of technicians—donned thearmor components.
Dr. Halsey averted38 her eyes.
Although the armor’s components were bulkier and heavier than his old suit, once assembled andactivated, they felt light as air. The armor was a perfect fit. The biolayer warmed and adhered to his skin,then cooled as the temperature difference between the suit and his skin equalized.
“We’ve made hundreds of minor40 technical improvements,” she said. “I’ll have the specifications41 sent toyou later. Two of those changes, however, are rather serious modifications42 to the system. It may take . . .
some getting used to.”
Dr. Halsey’s brow furrowed43. John had never seen her worried before.
“First,” she told him, “we have replicated44, and I might add, improved upon the energy shield theCovenant Jackals have been using against us to great effect.”
This armor had shields? The Master Chief had known that ONI research had been working on adaptingCovenant technology; Spartans had standing46 orders to capture Covenant45 machines wherever they could.
The researchers and engineers had announced some breakthroughs in artificial gravity—some UNSCships were already undergoing trials with the grav systems.
The fact that the MJOLNIR armor possessed shields was a stunning47 breakthrough. For years, there hadbeen no luck back-engineering Covenant shield tech. Most in the scientific community had given uphope of ever cracking it. Maybe that’s why Dr. Halsey was worried. Maybe they hadn’t worked out allthe bugs48.
Dr. Halsey nodded to the technicians. “Let’s begin.”
The techs turned to a series of instrument panels. One, a slightly younger man, donned a COM headset.
“Okay, Master Chief.”The tech’s voice crackled through John’s helmet speakers.“There’s an activationicon in your heads-up display. There is also a manual control switch located at position twelve in yourhelmet.”
He chinned the control. Nothing happened.
“Wait a moment, please, sir. We have to give the suit an activation49 charge. After that, it can acceptregenerative power from the fusion33 pack. Stand on the platform and be absolutely still.”
He stepped onto the platform that had held the MJOLNIR armor. The pillars flickered50 on and glowed abrilliant yellow. The pillars started to spin slowly around the base of the platform.
The Master Chief felt a static charge tingling51 in his extremities52. The glow intensified53 and his helmet’sblast shield automatically dimmed. The charge in the air intensified; his skin crawled with ionization. Hesmelled ozone54.
Then the spinning slowed and the light dimmed.
“Reset the activation button now, Master Chief.”
The air around the Master Chief popped—as if it jumped away from the MJOLNIR armor. There wasnone of the shimmer56 that normal Covenant shields had. Was it working?
He ran his hand over his arm and encountered resistance a centimeter from the surface of the armor. Itwas working.
How many times had he and his teammates had to find ways to slip past a Jackal’s shield? He’d have torethink his tactics. Rethink everything.
“It provides full coverage—”Dr. Halsey’s voice piped through the speakers.“—and dissipates energyfar more efficiently57 than the Covenant shields the Spartans have recovered, though the shield isconcentrated on your arms, head, legs, chest, and back. The energy field tapers58 down to a hair under amillimeter so you don’t lose the ability to hold or manipulate items with your hands.”
The lead technician activated39 another control, and new data scrawled59 across John’s display.“There’s asegmented bar in the upper corner of your HUD,”the technician said,“right next to your biomonitor andammunition indicators61. It indicates the charge level of your shield. Don’t let it completely dissipate;when it’s gone, the armor starts taking the hits.”
The Master Chief slipped off the platform. He skidded62—then came to a halt. His movements felt oiled.
His contact with the floor felt tentative.
“You can adjust the bottom of your boot emitters as well as the emitters inside your gloves to increasetraction. In normal use, you will want to set these to the minimal63 level—just be aware your defenses willbe diminished in those locations.”
“Understood.” He adjusted the field strengths. “In zero-gee65 environment I should increase those sectionsto full strength, correct?”
“That is correct,”Dr. Halsey said.
“How much damage can they take before the system is breached66?”
“That is what you will learn here today, Master Chief. I think you’ll find that we have several challengesin store for you to see how much punishment the suit can take.”
He nodded. He was ready for the challenge. After weeks spent traveling in Slipspace, he was longoverdue for a workout.
John slid back his helmet visor and turned to face Dr. Halsey. “You said there weretwo major systemimprovements, Doctor?”
She nodded and smiled. “Yes, of course. ” She reached into her lab coat and withdrew a clear cube. “Idoubt you’ve ever seen one of these before. It is the memory-processor core of an AI.”
“Like Déjà?”
“Yes, like your former teacher. But this AI is slightly different. I’d like to introduce you to Cortana.”
The Master Chief looked around the tent. He saw no computer interface or holographic projectors67. Hecocked an eyebrow68 at Dr. Halsey.
“There is a new layer sandwiched between the reactive circuits and the inner biolayers of your armor,”
Dr. Halsey explained. “It is a weave of additional memory-processor super-conductor.”
“The same material as an AI’s core.”
“Yes,” Dr. Halsey replied. “An accurate analysis. Your armor will carry Cortana. The MJOLNIR systemhas the nearly the same capacity as a ship-borne AI system. Cortana will interface between you and thesuit and provide tactical and strategic information for you in the field.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“Cortana has been programmed with every ONI computer insurgency69 routine,” Dr. Halsey told him.
“And she has a talent for modifying them on the fly. She has our best Covenant-language-translationsoftware as well. Her primary purpose is to infiltrate70 their computer and communications systems. Shewill intercept71 and decode72 point-to-point Covenant transmissions and give you updated intelligence in thefield.”
Intel support in an operation where there had been no reconnaissance. The Master Chief liked that. Itwould level the playing field significantly.
“This AI is the computer specialist we’ll be taking onto the Covenant ship,” the Master Chief said.
“Yes . . . and more. Her presence will allow you to utilize73 the suit more effectively.”
John had a sudden flash—AIs handled a great deal of point defense64 during Naval74 operations. “Can shecontrol the MJOLNIR armor?” He wasn’t sure he liked that.
“No. Cortana resides in the interface between your mind and the suit, Master Chief. You will find yourreaction time greatly improved. She will be translating the impulses in your motor cortex directly intomotion—she can’t make you send those impulses.”
“This AI,” he said, “will beinside my mind?” That must have been what that “upgrade” to his standardissueUNSC computer interface had been for.
“That is the question, isn’t it?” Halsey replied. “I can’t answer that, Master Chief. Not scientifically.”
“I’m not sure I understand, Doctor.”
“What is the mind, really? Intuition, reason, emotion—we acknowledge they exist, but we still don’tknow what makes the human mindwork .” She paused, searching for the right words. “We model AIs onhuman neural networks—on electrical signals in the brain—because we just know that the human brainworks . . . but not how, or why. Cortana resides ‘between’ your mind and the suit, interpreting theelectrochemical messages in your brain and transferring them to the suit via your neural implant75.
“So, for lack of a better term, yes, Cortana will be ‘inside’ your mind.”
“Ma’am, my priority will be to complete this mission. This AI—Cortana—may have conflictingdirectives.”
“There is no need to worry, Master Chief. Cortana has the same mission parameters76 as you do. She willdo anything necessary to make sure that your mission is accomplished77. Even if that means sacrificingherself—or you—to accomplish it.”
The Master Chief exhaled78, relieved.
“Now, please kneel down. It’s time to insert her memory-processor matrix into the socket79 at the base ofyour neck.”
The Master Chief knelt. There was a hissing80 noise, a pop, and then cold liquid poured into the MasterChief’s mind; a spike of pain jammed into his forehead, then faded.
“Not a lot of room in here,” a smooth female voice said. “Hello, Master Chief.”
Did this AI have a rank? Certainly, she was not a civilian—or a fellow soldier. Should he treat her likeany other piece of UNSC-issued equipment? Then again, he treated his equipment with the respect itdeserved. He made sure every gun and knife was cleaned and inspected after every mission.
It was unsettling . . . he could hear Cortana’s voice through his helmet speakers, but it also felt like shewas speaking inside his head. “Hello, Cortana.”
“Hmm . . . I’m detecting a high degree of cerebral81 cortex activity. You’re not the muscle-boundautomatons the press makes you out to be.”
“Automaton?” the Master Chief whispered. “Interesting choice of words for an artificial intelligence.”
Dr. Halsey watched the Master Chief with great interest. “You must forgive Cortana, Master Chief. Sheis somewhat high-spirited. You may have to allow for behavioral quirks82.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I think we should begin the test straightaway. There’s no better way for the two of you to getacquainted than in simulated combat.”
“No one said anything about combat,” Cortana said.
“The ONI brass have arranged a test for you and the new MJOLNIR system,” Dr. Halsey said. “Thereare some that believe you two are not up to our proposed mission.”
“Ma’am!” The Master Chief snapped to attention. “I’m up for it, ma’am!”
“I know you are, Master Chief. Others . . . require proof.” She looked around at the shadows cast by theMarines outside the fabric walls of the command dome. “You hardly need a reminder83 to be prepared foranything . . . but stay on your guard, just the same.”
Dr. Halsey’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I think some of the ONI brass would prefer to see you fail thistest, Master Chief. And they may have arranged to make sure you do—regardless of your performance.”
“I won’t fail, Doctor.”
Her forehead wrinkled with worry lines, but then they quickly disappeared. “I know you won’t.”
She stepped back, and dropped her conspiratorial84 whisper. “Master Chief, you are ordered to count toten after I leave. After that, make your way to the obstacle course. At the far end is a bell. Your goal willbe to ring it.” She paused, then added, “You are authorized85 to neutralize86 any threats in order to achievethis objective.”
“Affirmative,” the Master Chief said. Enough uncertainty—now he had an objective, and rules ofengagement.
“Be careful, Master Chief,” Dr. Halsey said quietly. She gestured at the pair of technicians to follow her,then turned and walked out of the tent.
The Master Chief didn’t understand why Dr. Halsey thought he was in real danger—he didn’t have tounderstand the reason. All he needed to know was that danger was present.
He knew how to handle danger.
“Uploading combat protocols87 now,” Cortana said. “Initiating electronic detection algorithms. Boostingneural interface performance to eighty-five percent. I’m ready when you are, Master Chief.”
The Master Chief heard metallic clacks around the tent.
“Analyzing sound pattern,” Cortana said. “Database match.Identified as—”
“As someone cycling the bolt of an MA5B assault rifle. I know. Standard-issue weapons for Orbitaldrop Shock Troopers.”
“Since you’re ‘in the know,’ Master Chief,” Cortana quipped. “I assume you have a plan.”
John snapped his helmet visor back down and sealed the armor’s environment system. “Yes.”
“Presumably your plan doesn’t involve getting shot . . . ?”
“No.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Cortana sounded worried.
“I’m going to finish counting to ten.”
John heard Cortana sigh in frustration88. John shook his head in puzzlement. He’d never encountered a socalledsmart AI before. Cortana sounded . . . like a human.
Worse, she sounded like acivilian . This was going to take a lot of getting used to.
Shadows moved along the wall of the tent—motion from outside.
Eight.
There was a snag in this mission and he hadn’t even reached the obstacle course. He would have toengage his fellow soldiers. He pushed aside any questions about why. He had his orders and he wouldfollow them. He had dealt with ODSTs before.
Nine.
Three soldiers entered the tent, moving in slow motion—black-armored figures, helmets snug89 over theirfaces, crouched90 low, and their rifles leveled. Two took flanking positions. The one in the middle openedfire.
Ten.
The Master Chief blurred into motion. He dove from the activation platform and—before the soldierscould adjust their aim—landed in their midst. He rolled to his feet right next to the soldier who firedfirst, and grabbed the man’s rifle.
John brutally91 yanked the weapon away from the soldier. There was a loud cracking sound as the man’sshoulder dislocated. The wounded trooper stumbled forward, off balance. John spun92 the rifle andslammed the butt55 of the weapon into the soldier’s side. The man exhaled explosively as his ribs93 cracked.
He grunted94, and fell unceremoniously to the floor, unconscious.
John spun to face the left-flank gunner, assault rifle leveled at the man’s head instantly. He had the manin his sights, but he still had time—the soldier was not quite in position. To John’s enhanced senses,amped up by Cortana and the neural interface, the rifleman seemed to be moving in slow motion. Tooslow.
The Master Chief lashed10 out with the rifle butt again. The trooper’s head snapped back from the sudden,powerful blow. He flipped95 head over tail and slammed into the ground. John sized the man’s conditionup with a practiced eye: shock, concussion96, fractured vertebrae.
Gunner number two was out of the fight.
The remaining gunner completed his turn and opened fire. A three-round burst ricocheted off theMJOLNIR armor’s energy shield. The shield’s recharge bar flickered a hairbreadth.
Before the soldier could react, the Master Chief sidestepped and slammed his own rifle down—hard.
The trooper screamed as his leg gave out. A jagged spoke97 of bone burst through the wounded man’sfatigues. The Master chief finished him with a rifle butt to his helmeted head.
John checked the condition of the rifle, and—satisfied that it was in working order—began to pull ammoclips from the fallen soldiers’ belt pouches98. The lead soldier also carried a razor-edged combat knife;John grabbed it.
“You could have killed them,” Cortana said. “Why didn’t you?”
“My orders gave me permission to ‘neutralize’ threats,” he replied. “They aren’t threats anymore.”
“Semantics,” Cortana replied. She sounded amused. “I can’t argue with the results, though—” She brokeoff, suddenly. “New targets. Seven contacts on the motion tracker,” Cortana reported. “We’resurrounded.”
Seven more soldiers. The Master Chief could open fire now and kill them all. Under any othercircumstances, he would have removed such threats. But their MA5Bs were no immediate24 danger tohim . . . and the UNSC could use every soldier to fight the Covenant.
He strode to the center pole of the tent, and with a yank, he pulled it free. As the roof fluttered down, heslashed a slit35 in the tent fabric and shoved through.
He faced three Marines; they fired—the Master Chief deftly99 jumped to one side. He sprang toward themand lashed out with the steel pole, swiped out their legs. He heard bones crack—followed by screams ofpain.
The Master Chief turned as the tent finished collapsing100. The remaining four men could see him now.
One reached for a grenade on his belt. The other three tracked him with their assault rifles.
The Master Chief threw the pole like a javelin101 at the man with the grenade. It impacted in his sternumand he fell with awhoopf.
The grenade, minus the pin, however, dropped to the ground.
The Master Chief moved and kicked the grenade. It arced over the parking lot and detonated in a cloudof smoke and shrapnel.
The three remaining Marines opened fire—spraying bullets in a full-auto fusillade. Bullets pinged offthe Master Chief’s shield.
The shield status indicator60 blinked and dropped with each bullet impact—the sustained weapons fire wasdraining the shield precipitously. John tucked and rolled, narrowly avoiding an incoming burst ofautomatic-weapons fire, then sprang at the nearest Marine22.
John launched an openhanded strike at the man’s chest. The Marine’s ribs caved in and he droppedwithout a sound, blood flowing from his mouth. John spun, brought his rifle up, and fired twice.
The second soldier screamed and dropped his rifle as the bullets tore through each knee. John kicked thediscarded rifle, bending the barrel and rendering102 the weapon useless.
The last man stood frozen in place.
The Master Chief didn’t give the man time to recover; he grabbed his rifle, ripped off his bandolier ofgrenades, then punched his helmet. The Marine dropped.
“Mission time plus twenty-two seconds,” Cortana remarked. “Although, technically, you started to moveforty milliseconds before you were ordered to.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
The Master Chief slung103 the assault rifle and bandolier of grenades over his shoulder and ran for theshadows of the barracks. He slipped under the raised buildings and belly-crawled toward the obstaclecourse. No need to make himself a target for snipers . . . although it would be an interesting test to seewhat caliber104 of bullet these shields could deflect105.
No. That kind of thinking was dangerous. The shield was useful, but under combined fire it droppedvery quickly. He was tough . . . not invincible106.
He emerged at the beginning to the obstacle course. The first part was a run over ten acres of jaggedgravel. Sometimes raw recruits had to take off their boots before they crossed. Other than the pain—itwas the easiest part of the course.
The Master Chief started toward the gravel107 yard.
“Wait,” Cortana said. “I’m picking up far infrared108 signals on your thermal109 sensors110. An encryptedsequence . . . decoding111 . . . yes, there. It’s an activation signal for a Lotus mine. They’ve mined the field,Master Chief.”
The Master Chief froze. He’d used Lotus mines before and knew the damage they could inflict112. Theshaped charges ripped though the armor plate of a tank like it was no thicker than an orange peel.
This would slow him down considerably113.
Not crossing the obstacle course was no option. He had his orders. He wouldn’t cheat and go around. Hehad to prove that he and Cortana were up for this test.
“Any ideas?” he asked.
“I thought you’d never ask,” Cortana replied. “Find the position of one mine, and I can estimate therough position of the others based on the standard randomization procedure used by UNSC engineers.”
“Understood.”
The Master Chief grabbed a grenade, pulled the pin, counted to three, and lobbed it into the middle ofthe field. It bounced and exploded—sending a shock wave through the ground—tripping two of theLotus mines. Twin plumes116 of gravel and dust shot into the air. The detonation117 shook his teeth.
He wondered if the armor’s shields could have survived that. He didn’t want to find out while he wasstill inside the thing. He boosted the field strength on the bottom of his boots to full.
Cortana overlaid a grid118 on his heads-up display. Lines flickered as she ran through the possiblepermutations.
“Got a match!” she said. Two dozen red circles appeared on his display. “That’s ninety-three percentaccurate. The best I can do.”
“There are never any guarantees,” the Master Chief replied.
He stepped onto the gravel, taking short, deliberate steps. With the shields activated on the bottoms ofhis boots, it felt like he was skating on greased ice.
He kept his head down, picking his way between red dots on his display.
If Cortana was wrong, he probably wouldn’t even know it.
The Master Chief saw the gravel had ended. He looked up. He had made it.
“Thank you, Cortana. Well done.”
“You’re welcome . . .” Her voice trailed off. “Picking up scrambled119 radio frequencies on the D band.
Encrypted orders from this facility to Fairchild Airfield120. They’re using personal codewords, too—so Ican’t tell what they’re up to. Whatever it is, I don’t like it.”
“Keep your ears open.”
“I always do.”
He ran to the next section of the obstacle course: the razor field. Here, recruits had to crawl in the mudunder razor wire as their instructors fired live rounds over them. A lot of soldiers discovered whetherthey had the guts121 to deal with bullets zinging a centimeter over their heads.
Along either side of the course there was something new: three 30mm chain-guns mounted on tripods.
“Weapons emplacements are targeting us, Chief!” Cortana announced.
The Master Chief wasn’t about to wait and see if those chain-guns had a minimum-depth setting. He hadno intention of crawling across the field and letting the chain-guns’ rapid rate of fire chip away at hisshields.
The chain-guns clicked and started to turn.
He sprinted122 to the nearest tripod-mounted gun. He opened fire with his assault fire, shot the lines thatpowered the servos—then spun the chain-gun around to face the others.
He crouched behind the blast shield and unloaded on the adjacent gun. Chain-guns were notoriouslyhard to aim; they were best known for their ability to fill the air with gunfire. Cortana adjusted histargeting reticle to sync up with the chain-gun. With her help, he hit the adjacent weapon emplacements.
John guided a stream of fire into the guns’ ammo packs. Moments later, in a cloud of fire and smoke, theguns fell silent . . . then toppled.
The Master Chief ducked, primed a grenade, and hurled124 it at the closest of the remaining automatedweapons. The grenade sailed through the air—then detonated just above the autogun.
“Chain-gun destroyed,” Cortana reported.
Two more grenades and the automated125 guns were out of commission. He noted that his shields haddropped by a quarter. He watched the status bar refill. He hadn’t even known he had taken hits. That wassloppy.
“You seem to have the situation under control,” Cortana said, “I’m going to spend a few cycles andcheck something out.”
“Permission granted,” he said.
“I didn’t ask, Master Chief,” she replied.
The cool liquid presence in his mind withdrew. The Master Chief felt empty somehow.
He ran through the razor fields, snapping through steel wire as if it were rotten string.
Cortana’s coolness once again flooded his thoughts.
“I just accessed SATCOM,” she said. “I’m using one of their satellites so I can get a better look atwhat’s happening down here. There’s a SkyHawk jump jet from Fairchild Field inbound.”
He stopped. The automatic cannons126 were one thing—could the armor withstand against air power likethat? The SkyHawk had a quartet of 50mm cannons that made the chain-guns look like peashooters.
They also had Scorpion127 missiles—designed to take out tanks.
Answer: he couldn’t do a thing against it.
The Master Chief ran. He had to find cover. He sprinted to the next section of the course: the Pillars ofLoki.
It was a forest of ten-meter-tall poles spaced at random114 intervals128. Typically, the poles had booby trapsstrung on, under, and between them—stun grades, sharpened sticks . . . anything the instructors coulddream up. The idea was to teach recruits to move slowly and keep their eyes open.
The Master Chief had no time to search for the traps.
He climbed up the first pole and balanced on top. He leaped to the next pole, teetered, regained129 hisbalance—then jumped to the next. His reflexes had to be perfect; he was landing a half ton of man andarmor on a wooden pole ten centimeters in diameter.
“Motion tracking is picking up an incoming target at extreme range,” Cortana warned. “Velocity130 profilematches the SkyHawk, Chief.”
He turned—almost lost his balance and had to shift back and forth131 to keep from falling. There was a doton the horizon, and the faint rumble132 of thunder.
In the blink of an eye, the dot had wings and the Master Chief’s thermal sensors picked up a plume115 ofjetwash. In seconds, the SkyHawk closed—then opened fire with its 50mm cannons.
He jumped.
The wooden poles splintered into pulp133. They were mowed134 down like so many blades of grass.
The Master Chief rolled, ducked, and flattened135 himself on the earth. He caught a smattering of roundsand his shield bar drooped136 to half. Those rounds would have penetrated137 his old suit instantly.
Cortana said, “I calculate we have eleven seconds before the SkyHawk can execute a maximum gee turnand make another pass.”
The Master Chief got up and ran through the shattered remains138 of the poles. Napalm and sonic grenadespopped around him, but he moved so fast he left the worst of the damage in his wake.
“They won’t use their cannons next time,” he said. “They didn’t take us out—they’ll try the missiles.”
“Perhaps,” Cortana suggested, “we should leave the course. Find better cover.”
“No,” he said. “We’re going to win . . . by their rules.”
The last leg of the course was a sprint123 across an open field. In the distance, the Master Chief saw the bellon a tripod.
He glanced over his shoulder.
The SkyHawk was back and starting its run straight toward him.
Even with his augmented139 speed, even with the MJOLNIR armor—he’d never make it to the bell in time.
He’d never make it alive.
He turned to face the incoming jet.
“I’ll need your help, Cortana,” he said.
“Anything,” she whispered. The Master Chief heard nervousness in the AI’s voice.
“Calculate the inbound velocity of a Scorpion missile. Factor in my reaction time and the jet’s inboundspeed and distance at launch, and tell me the instant I need to move to sidestep and deflect it with myleft arm.”
Cortana paused a heartbeat. “Calculation done. You did say ‘deflect’?”
“Scorpion missiles have motion-tracking sensors and proximity140 detonators. I can’t outrun it. And itwon’t miss. That leaves us very few options.”
The SkyHawk dove.
“Get ready,” Cortana said. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Me, too.”
Smoke appeared from the jet’s left wingtip and fire and exhaust erupted as a missile streaked141 toward him.
The Master Chief saw the missile’s track back and forth, zeroing in on his coordinates142. A shrill143 tone inhis helmet warbled—the missile had a guidance lock on him. He chinned a control and the sound diedout. The missile was fast. Faster than he was ten times over.
“Now!” Cortana said.
They moved together. He shifted his muscles and the MJOLNIR—augmented by his link to Cortana—moved faster than he’d ever moved before. His leg tensed and pushed him aside; his left arm came upand crossed his chest.
The head of the missile was the only thing he saw. The air grew still and thickened.
He continued to move his hand, palm open in a slapping motion—as fast as he could will his flesh toaccelerate.
The tip of the Scorpion missile passed a centimeter from his head.
He reached out—fingertips brushed the metal casing——and slapped it aside.
The SkyHawk jet screamed over his head.
The Scorpion missile detonated.
Pressure slammed though his body. The Master Chief flew six meters, spinning end over end, andlanded flat on his back.
He blinked, and saw nothing but blackness. Was he dead? Had he lost?
The shield status bar in his heads-up display pulsed weakly. It was completely drained—then it blinkedred and slowly started to refill. Blood was spattered across the inside of his helmet and he tasted copper144.
He stood, his muscles screaming in protest.
“Run!” Cortana said. “Before they come back for a look.”
The Master Chief got up and ran. As he passed the spot where he had stood to face down the missile, hesaw a two-meter-deep crater145.
He could feel his Achilles tendon tear, but he didn’t slow. He crossed the half-kilometer stretch inseventeen seconds flat and skidded to halt.
The Master Chief grabbed the bell’s cord and rang it three times. The pure tone was the most glorioussound he had ever heard.
Over the COM channel Dr. Halsey’s voice broke:“Test concluded. Call off your men, Colonel Ackerson!
We’ve won. Well done, Master Chief. Magnificent! Stay there; I’m sending out a recovery team.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, panting.
The Master Chief scanned the sky for the SkyHawk—nothing. It had gone. He knelt and let blood dripfrom his nose and mouth. He looked down at the bell—and laughed.
He knew that stainless-steel dented146 shape. It was the same one he had rung that first day of boot. Theday Chief Mendez had taught him about teamwork.
“Thank you, Cortana,” he finally said. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You’re welcome, Master Chief,” she replied. Then, her voice full of mischief147, she added: “And no, youcouldn’t have done it without me.”
Today he had learned about a new kind of teamwork with Cortana. Dr. Halsey had given him a greatgift. She had given him a weapon with which to destroy the Covenant.
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1
instructors
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| 指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 ) | |
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numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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3
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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4
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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spartans
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| n.斯巴达（spartan的复数形式） | |
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fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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credentials
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| n.证明，资格，证明书，证件 | |
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9
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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10
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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12
components
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| （机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分 | |
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neural
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| adj.神经的，神经系统的 | |
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14
interface
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| n.接合部位，分界面；v.(使)互相联系 | |
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15
anesthetic
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| n.麻醉剂，麻药；adj.麻醉的，失去知觉的 | |
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16
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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vertigo
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| n.眩晕 | |
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18
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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19
dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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rippled
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| 使泛起涟漪（ripple的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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spike
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| n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效 | |
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24
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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technically
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| adv.专门地，技术上地 | |
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26
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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27
dents
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| n.花边边饰；凹痕( dent的名词复数 )；凹部；减少；削弱v.使产生凹痕( dent的第三人称单数 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等） | |
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28
alloy
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| n.合金，(金属的)成色 | |
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iridescent
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| adj.彩虹色的，闪色的 | |
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30
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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convoluted
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| adj.旋绕的；复杂的 | |
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33
fusion
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| n.溶化；熔解；熔化状态，熔和；熔接 | |
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34
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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35
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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slits
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| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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37
articulation
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| n.（清楚的）发音；清晰度，咬合 | |
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38
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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39
activated
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| adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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40
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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41
specifications
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| n.规格；载明；详述；（产品等的）说明书；说明书( specification的名词复数 )；详细的计划书；载明；详述 | |
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42
modifications
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| n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变 | |
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43
furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
replicated
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| 复制( replicate的过去式和过去分词 )； 重复； 再造； 再生 | |
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45
covenant
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| n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约 | |
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46
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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47
stunning
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| adj.极好的；使人晕倒的 | |
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48
bugs
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| adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误 | |
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49
activation
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| n. 激活，催化作用 | |
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50
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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52
extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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53
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
ozone
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| n.臭氧，新鲜空气 | |
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55
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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56
shimmer
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| v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光 | |
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57
efficiently
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| adv.高效率地，有能力地 | |
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58
tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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59
scrawled
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| 乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
indicator
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| n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器 | |
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61
indicators
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| （仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号 | |
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62
skidded
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| v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的过去式和过去分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区 | |
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63
minimal
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| adj.尽可能少的，最小的 | |
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64
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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65
gee
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| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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66
breached
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| 攻破( breach的现在分词 )； 破坏，违反 | |
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67
projectors
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| 电影放映机，幻灯机( projector的名词复数 ) | |
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68
eyebrow
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| n.眉毛，眉 | |
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69
insurgency
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| n.起义；暴动；叛变 | |
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70
infiltrate
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| vt./vi.渗入，透过；浸润 | |
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71
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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72
decode
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| vt.译（码），解（码） | |
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73
utilize
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| vt.使用，利用 | |
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74
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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75
implant
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| vt.注入，植入，灌输 | |
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76
parameters
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| 因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素 | |
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77
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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78
exhaled
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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79
socket
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| n.窝，穴，孔，插座，插口 | |
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80
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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81
cerebral
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| adj.脑的，大脑的；有智力的，理智型的 | |
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82
quirks
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| n.奇事，巧合( quirk的名词复数 )；怪癖 | |
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83
reminder
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| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
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84
conspiratorial
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| adj.阴谋的，阴谋者的 | |
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85
authorized
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| a.委任的，许可的 | |
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86
neutralize
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| v.使失效、抵消，使中和 | |
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87
protocols
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| n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 )；（外交条约的）草案；（数据传递的）协议；科学实验报告（或计划） | |
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88
frustration
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| n.挫折，失败，失效，落空 | |
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89
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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91
brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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92
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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93
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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94
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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95
flipped
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| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
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96
concussion
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| n.脑震荡；震动 | |
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97
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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98
pouches
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| n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋 | |
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99
deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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100
collapsing
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| 压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂 | |
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101
javelin
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| n.标枪，投枪 | |
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102
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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103
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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104
caliber
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| n.能力；水准 | |
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deflect
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| v.(使)偏斜，(使)偏离，(使)转向 | |
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106
invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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107
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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108
infrared
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| adj./n.红外线(的) | |
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109
thermal
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| adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的 | |
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110
sensors
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| n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 ) | |
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111
decoding
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| n.译码，解码v.译（码），解（码）( decode的现在分词 )；分析及译解电子信号 | |
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112
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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113
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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114
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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115
plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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116
plumes
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| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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117
detonation
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| n.爆炸；巨响 | |
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118
grid
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| n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅 | |
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119
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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120
airfield
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| n.飞机场 | |
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121
guts
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| v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠 | |
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122
sprinted
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| v.短距离疾跑( sprint的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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123
sprint
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| n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过 | |
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124
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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125
automated
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| a.自动化的 | |
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126
cannons
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| n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 ) | |
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127
scorpion
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| n.蝎子，心黑的人，蝎子鞭 | |
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128
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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129
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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130
velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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131
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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132
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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133
pulp
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| n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆 | |
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134
mowed
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| v.刈，割( mow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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135
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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136
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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137
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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138
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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139
Augmented
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| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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140
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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141
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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142
coordinates
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| n.相配之衣物；坐标( coordinate的名词复数 )；（颜色协调的）配套服装；[复数]女套服；同等重要的人（或物）v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的第三人称单数 )；协调；协同；成为同等 | |
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143
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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144
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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145
crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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146
dented
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| v.使产生凹痕( dent的过去式和过去分词 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等） | |
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147
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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