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ERIC NYLUNO
225
to thirteen percent. Structural integrity rated poor. I estimate the
hull will fail in no more than five minutes."
"Understood," the Admiral replied.
They didn't have much choice but to play the hand that they'd
been dealt. The longer they stayed in this environment, the more
damage the Covenant ships surrounding them incurred. If As-
cendant Justice had engines, the Admiral could accelerate that
process. But if they waited too long, their own ship would disin-
tegrate around them.
Admiral Whitcomb glanced up to see how the rest of his crew
was holding up under the pressure.
Locklear paced, his hands flexing. The ODST was a weapon
with its safety permanently clicked off... and on overload charge.
Sergeant Johnson stood near the sealed bulkhead, rifle slung
over his shoulder. He was looking at the crew and probably for-
mulating his own opinions about them. He was rock-solid. One
glance into his dark eyes and the Admiral understood what drove
the man: pure cold hatred of the enemy. The Admiral could ap-
preciate that.
Dr. Halsey tended the Spartan called "Kelly" on the deck. The
doctor was brilliant... but a total mystery to him. They had met
half a dozen times before at upper-echelon social gatherings,
and he'd found her to be charming and outwardly likable. But
he'd read enough reports of her "projects" that he'd found it im-
possible to relate to her. If half the rumors he'd heard about her
were true, she'd been mixed up in every black op from here to
Andromeda. He didn't trust her.
"Doctor Halsey," the Admiral said. He released his grip on the
railing and clasped his hands behind his back to conceal his
sweaty palms. "Clear my bridge of the wounded, ASAP."
Dr. Halsey looked up from her data pad and the fluctuating
patterns of Kelly's biosigns. "Admiral, I don't want to move her.
She not entirely stable."
"Do it, Doctor. She's a distraction. We have a battle to fight
here."
Dr. Halsey shot him a look that could have stopped a plasma
bolt dead in its tracks.
Lieutenant Haverson stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"Ma'am, there's an escape craft just off the bridge." He moved