Halo Lighting System First Strike Games - Manual (Page 118)

114 HALO: FIRST STRIKE
In unison the Spartans turned and fired at the far corner of the
formation of tanks. Two blue-white blobs of liquid sun spat from
the Wraiths and detonated. There was a dazzling light, an expan-
sion of superheated white fire—and then there was glass-smooth
ground and the smoldering skeletons of seven Wraith tanks.
More luck. If the tanks had been active, with hatches secured,
they might have survived the first volley.
Kelly's tank surged ahead and bulldozed aside the surviving
tanks near them.
Fred turned, accelerated to full power, and smashed through
a line of retreating Grunts, a series of small, satisfying thuds
reverberating through the cockpit.
The two Wraith tanks shattered through a line of trees, splin-
tering their trunks. Beyond lay the main Covenant camp. A thou-
sand Grunts and Jackals ran toward them, weapons and personal
shields ready, but none of them fired.
They charged past the two tanks.
"They think we're on their side," Fred said. "They're going to
see what attacked them. Let's not show them otherwise until we
have to."
Kelly's acknowledgment light winked on, and she pushed a
path through the onrushing Grunts—who quickly parted before
her.
Half a kilometer ahead was a stand of hexagonal gold and
silver structures: the shielded tents of the Elites. There were half
a dozen stationary plasma turrets, "Shades," guarding them, and
beyond them lay the mountain under which were ONI Section
Three's secret research caverns. The Covenant were there as
well.
Without thinking, Fred tapped a control; the display magni-
fied. A hundred Covenant Engineers maneuvered heavy equip-
ment: laser drills and conveyor belts and giant insectlike machines
that looked as if they could dig through the entire mountain.
"They found the caverns," Fred told Kelly. "Looks like they're
going to dig them out."
But again ... why? Why not just blast them from orbit? The
Covenant had never taken prisoners—except the occasional strag-
gler to execute for sport. They didn't go to this much trouble.
Unless it wasn't Delta Team they were after.