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238
HALO: FIRST STRIKE
or later. He had, however, always thought it would be later ...
and never now.
The Master Chief stared at the tiny triangles, squares, dots,
and bars that made up the spatial coordinates. "We've seen these
before, on Cote d'Azur."
"Yes. And according to Doctor Halsey, her team on Reach
found similar markings in the underground vaults."
"What's the connection?"
"Unknown."
The Master Chief put these facts aside for the moment; the
greater meaning of the symbols and translation he'd leave up to
Cortana and ONI. The only insight that mattered to him was that
the Covenant were going to attack Earth.
"Was there a timetable or any other data encoded on the sub-
channel?" he asked.
"Affirmative. There's a coordinated series of orders to Cove-
nant warships scattered across the galaxy to rendezvous with a
mobile command-and-control base they call the 'Unyielding
Hierophant.' When they have sufficient force, they will collec-
tively make the jump to Earth."
The Master Chief moved toward the medical bay's doors.
They automatically parted. "Where is Admiral Whitcomb?"
"The Admiral is currently on the bridge," Cortana replied.
"But Doctor Halsey gave me strict orders that you are not to—"
"I don't take orders from civilians," he snapped. "Not even her."
The Master Chief passed out of the medical bay and marched
down the corridor.
"You know," Cortana said, her voice now coming from his
helmet speaker, "your attitude has degraded since we started this
mission—even before the battle for Reach."
"Noted," he replied.
The dim white light flooding the Gettysburg's passages was a
welcome change from the blue illumination the Covenant used
on their ships. John was glad to have his feet once more firmly
planted on the raw steel decks of a human vessel, even if the
walls of this passage were soot-stained.
He entered the Command elevator and punched the button for
the bridge. The gentle acceleration made new pain flare along