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HALO: FIRST STRIKE
additional copying that caused its breakdown, but that copy did
have some of my core personality programming as well. I just
hope it's not a sign of.. . some other instability."
Cortana had been on edge. She had been so distracted at times
she hadn't known the correct time. They had, however, all been
pushed to the breaking point in the last few weeks. And despite
any minor flaws, Cortana had always come through for him.
"We couldn't have survived without you," he finally told her.
"Your programming is as good as ours."
She tinged pink and then her hologram returned to a cool blue
hue. "Are my aural systems malfunctioning or was that a com-
pliment, Chief?"
"Continue to monitor Slipspace for any anomalies," the Mas-
ter Chief said, ignoring her.
He strode to the three forward viewscreens and stared into
blackness. He wanted solitude, to gaze at nothing, and complete
the task that he dreaded.
John pulled his team roster onto his heads-up display. He ran
down the list, designating all those who had died on Reach, and af-
terward, as Missing In Action. James, Li, Grace... and all his dead
teammates who would never officially be "allowed" to die. And in
his mind, they would never find any peace until this war was won.
He paused at Kelly's name.
John listed her as MIA, too. She was ironically the only Spar-
tan truly missing, whisked away by Dr. Halsey on some secret pri-
vate mission. John knew that whatever the doctor had planned,
she would protect Kelly if she could. Still, he couldn't help but
worry about them both.
He added Corporal Locklear to his list and designated him
Killed In Action. It was a more fitting end for a man who had
been as much a warrior as any Spartan.
The last three names on his list he stared at for a long time:
Warrant Officer Shiela Polaski, Lieutenant Elias Haverson, and
Admiral Danforth Whitcomb. He reluctantly listed them as KIA
and referenced his mission report, which detailed their heroism.
Two men had stopped a Covenant armada. They had willingly
died doing it, and they had bought the human race a brief respite
from destruction.
John felt glad. They were soldiers, sworn to protect humanity