Cyberpunk: Spartan Walker

1930 hours, September 12, 2552, military calendar (corrected date)

On board the captured Covenant flagship Justice, heading to the slip space of Eridanus.

The dark space surged with light spots, the space split open, and the Gettysburg-Infinite Justice appeared in the constellation Eridanus.

Tommy stood on the bridge of the Supreme Justice, and the holographic display platform in front of him was projecting the asteroid belt in this sector. In fact, he would rather stay on the deck of the medical cabin with Anton and the others, waiting for Dr. Halsey to finish the operation on Linda, and wait there for her to wake up. Or in case she never wakes up, he can be there. Take one last look at her. But he must stand here, this is his belief, and he is the only one who knows the best in this place.

Lieutenant Hall, conduct a system check. Colonel Keyes ordered with his hands behind his back.

Lieutenant Hall leaned forward over the engineering console, lifted his blond hair from his eyes, and quickly looked at several screens. The residual radiation is subsiding, she said. The navigation system and scanners are working again. The reactor is at 60% power, and Coil 10 has a slight hysteresis leak. Engineers and technicians are working on repairs.

Magnetic hysteresis refers to the hysteresis of the magnetization of a magnet material when it is subjected to a magnetic field. Hysteresis leakage refers to an increase in current loss and a decrease in electrical efficiency due to excessive hysteresis.

Where's the plasma weapon? Keyes asked as he sat in the captain's anti-gravity seat.

Cortana's ghostly image appeared on the holographic display next to the star map. We only have one plasma turret to fire from, she replied, a red wave spreading over her image before cooling to its normal dark blue. The other two functioning turrets were malfunctioning and their magnetic coils could not be calibrated. This may be a side effect of radiation from the man-made object.

Is there only one cannon? Case muttered. He held the unlit pipe in his mouth, stared at the holographic screen in front of him, and sighed, Then we must make perfect shots. He turned back to the Master Chief and said, Show us the way, Master Chief.

The Master Chief stared at three giant holograms. In the center of the picture is the dazzling constellation Eridanus, with stars shining steadily. Advance 1.5 AU, he told the navigation officer. Coordinates 090,045.

The target is 1.5 astronomical units. Lieutenant Lovell reported, The coordinates are confirmed, and we are turning.

Design an elliptical route parallel to the plane of the asteroid belt. The Master Chief added, Cortana, search for asteroids about two kilometers in diameter.

Scanning in progress, she said. This may take some time. There are more than a billion active celestial bodies, some of which are hidden in dark shadows.

Tell me again about your mission when you were a child. General Whitcomb said on the side. Have you and other Spartans been here before?

Yes, sir, the Master Chief replied, Me, Fred, Linda, Kelly, and Sam. That was the Spartans' first real mission: infiltrating a Rebel base. We captured them. leader, take him back to the Military Intelligence Bureau to give him orders.

I didn't even know the Spartans were active in 2525, Lieutenant McKay said.

We just didn't have today's Mjolnir armor and advanced weapons. We looked no different from other space special forces. Tommy explained to her.

I highly doubt it, Lieutenant McKay said in a low voice.

The general raised a thick eyebrow. You mean five people infiltrated this space station in a zero-gravity vacuum? And then slipped out of enemy territory with a prisoner who happened to be the bandit leader?

Yes, sir. That's basic duty.

I guess the mission didn't encounter any setbacks?

The Chief was silent for a moment, and a wave of intense grief came over him as he thought about the dozens of people they had killed at that base. He didn't think so much about it at the time. Regardless of whether it was human or not, any obstacles that were not conducive to completing the task were removed. Now, after twenty years of fighting for humanity, he didn't know if he could still kill people without good reason.

No, sir, the Master Chief finally replied, the enemy has casualties. We must blow up their cargo bay to escape.

So, the general said, tapping his fingers on the armrest of his seat, the rebels won't be happy to see a UNSC ship visiting them, right?

I think so, sir.

A weak signal was detected in the D-band. Cortana said, Adjust the course by 330 degrees.

Yes, Lieutenant Lovell said, 330 degrees.

It's gone now, she said, but I must have heard something.

Keep the course, Case ordered. We'll just follow it.

There's something I don't understand. Lieutenant McKay said, while squinting at the holographic image in front of him, Why are these people still here?

Pirates and rebels, the general replied, they rob UNSC ships, sell arms, and do black market business. You may have been young at the time, Lieutenant, but not everyone was willing to accept it before the war with the Covenant. Jurisdiction of Earth Government.”

Rebels? the lieutenant said with some surprise, I have read about it in books. But after the war with the Covenant, why did they continue to break away from the UNSC forces? With us, their chance of survival will definitely be greater. Bar?

The general laughed sarcastically. Some people don't want to fight, kid. They just want to hide from people like this one, under the rocks. Maybe they think the Covenant won't bother them. A look appeared on his face. Smile, Then, let us change everything for them right away.

The elevator doors opened on both sides, and Dr. Halsey stepped onto the bridge, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. It looked to Tommy as if she had just returned from a fierce battle—tired and dazed. He noticed a drop of blood on the lapel of her wrinkled white lab coat.

The Chief stared at her, and Tommy took a step toward her and asked, How is she?

She's fine, Dr. Halsey whispered. Linda will pull through. The rapidly cloned organ has been successfully transplanted.

Tommy exhaled the breath he had unconsciously held and looked back at John. John nodded at him and Tommy nodded back. There were no words to express how he felt. One of his siblings, his friend, someone he thought was dead...is alive again.

Thank you, Dr. Halsey, the Master Chief said sincerely.

She waved her hand dismissively, with a strange look in her eyes - as if she felt a little regretful that the operation was successful.