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ERIC NYLUND
249
"Aye, Doctor."
Linda's medical data winked on a display along with the entire
Spartan roster: a long list of every Spartan's current operational
status. Only a handful was left, almost every one of them listed
as WOUNDED IN ACTION or MISSING IN ACTION.
"No KIAs?" Dr. Halsey murmured. She touched
SPARTAN-034's entry. "Sam is listed as missing in action. Why
would that be? He died in 2525."
"ONI Section Two Directive Nine-Three-Zero," Cortana re-
plied. "When ONI went public with the SPARTAN-II program, it
was decided that the reports of Spartan losses could cause a crip-
pling loss of morale. Consequently, any Spartan casualties are
listed as MIA or WIA, in order to maintain the illusion that Spar-
tans do not die."
"Spartans never die?" she whispered. Dr. Halsey swiveled out
of the contoured chair and pushed the monitors out of her way
with a sudden violence. "If only that were true."
There was so much to do and so little time left for her, the Spar-
tans, and the human race. She could do something, though. She'd
save them one person at a time, starting with Linda, then Kelly,
and then a handful of very important others.
Of course, it meant betraying everyone who trusted her—but if
that was the only way Dr. Halsey could save herself, and her soul,
then she'd do it.