Final Strike Ch20 -spartan-182

1639 hours, September 18, 2557 Military Calendar
SOL system, Onboard Covenant Colony ship Transcending Perfection
Will reversed the Phantom’s thrusters and slowed to a drift as they neared the massive NOVA. Around the size of a Longsword, it was painted Covenant-purple and the only reason John could see it was that it had hundreds of warning stickers and caution symbols all over it. “We’re here, sir.”
John opened a private COM line to Will. “Get us right above it and prepare to open the back hatch. I’ll go EVA and activate the bomb. You are to head at full speed to the opposite side of Earth.”
“Sir, I can’t leave you out here.”
“That’s an order. I do not care what Kelly or you have to say in objection to this. It’s my mission and its my responsibility. I owe my life to you two and I plan to repay it.” John spun around and floated towards the back hatch. He grabbed the handrail next to the hatch and prepared to push off into the blackness of space.
“Wait, sir, I have another idea. Stand on one of those circles back there.” John did so and as soon as he touched the round platform, it opened up to reveal the inky blackness below. Will rotated the drop ship until the Transcending Perfection’s hull came into view. He hit a series of commands and John felt the familiar gravity induced nausea of a gravity-lift.
John was suddenly pulled out of the Phantom at high speed as the gravity beam launched him towards the NOVA. He activated his boot’s magnetic soles and felt them clamped down onto the Transcending Perfection’s hull. He looked up and saw the platform close on the Phantom. Then it spun around and raced away from John and the NOVA. John could only imagine Kelly’s reaction to this new predicament. He trusted her but he also knew that she would rather die with him and Will than leave a mission half-completed. Only Will had veer shown the ability to swallow his pride and execute an order that meant leaving a mission or fellow soldier behind. That ability made John glad to have Will on this mission.
John lowered his gaze and sprinted towards the NOVA. He checked his motion sensors and picked up a huge number of Covenant forces approaching his position. He checked his assault rifle – one and a half clips left of ammo. He pulled back the charging lever and steadied his breathing. He would need every shot to make it to the NOVA. Suddenly he grounded to a halt. In front of him, he could make out the faint shimmering of camouflaged Elites.
Suddenly fourteen thousand Elites wavered into view. All wore the commando thruster packs and armor of the Covenant space forces. John stared at them and raised his assault rifle. He began to charge as he fired off three round bursts that caught the Elites in their heads. Five fell and he reloaded as he neared the group. Another ten fell before he saw his bolt jam open – no more ammo.
The closest Elite activated an Energy Sword and raised it into the air. John lunged at the Elite and snapped its wrist holding the sword. The blade flickered off and the handle floated in front of him. With an unseen smirk, John grabbed the handle and activated the Energy Sword. He flicked his wrist and cut the Elite in half. Next, he lunged into the Elite to his left and opened up its intestines. John lunged towards the next Elite and cut off its arms in two fast jabs. He grabbed the Elite’s thruster pack and spun to face away from the NOVA.
He sliced open the propellant tanks on the pack. The explosion launched him backwards, towards the NOVA. He flew past the Elites who were too shocked at the display to react. John released the thruster pack, which tumbled off into the inky blackness. He reached out with his arm and grabbed hold of a handhold on top of the NOVA.
John felt his arm pop out of its socket but he ignored the pain and pulled himself down onto the NOVA’s shell. He found the access panel and lifted its lid. There was a small display screen and archaic keyboard inside. He punched in a series of commands and set the detonator to his COM frequency.
He looked out towards Earth in a vain attempt to locate his team’s Phantom. A plasma bolt silently passed in front of his face and singed his face. He stared at the approaching Elites and prepared himself for another fight. He had to buy his team enough time to get behind the planet.