Extraction (TPF)

“We need to go, now!”
Samuel ran aboard the ONI Into Darkness along with the rest of Osage as Requiem was falling towards the sun. Shoving himself into the tactical systems seat, he watched as the pilots put everything into the engines to get off of Requiem.
“The shield world is going to collapse into the sun. And we’ll be dead, full power!”
“Commander, we need to get out of here ASAP!”
Oriana was telling the Prowler Flight Commander what she already knew.
“No shit SPARTAN!”
He moved one hand to his personal identification tags to find the small silver locket given to him by Aniela. Samuel ran his thumb over the heart shaped metal to ease his nerves. Seeing the Flight Commander yelling at the staff as Requiem was hurling itself at a sun was not a relaxing experience.
“Aim for the hole!”
“Heh.”
Oriana shot a cold stare at Darrick after the quick noise he made.
Samuel continued to run his finger over the locket as Into Darkness screamed towards the hole at full power. All he wanted to see next was space.
With sweat starting to drip down his face, Samuel grabbed the locket like he did on each insertion.
“We’re not going to make it.”
“Stop being a pessimist Lieutenant. We’re going to make it.”
Oriana wasn’t fond of the Flight Commander shooting back at her so quickly.
Samuel stared at the tactical systems to see Covenant and UNSC vehicles making a mad dash to space, no one wanted to be cooked alive. He started to tap his foot on the ground while clenching the silver locket, hopefully his superstition would let him live.
“Sam’s nervous. He’s tapping his foot.”
He shot a look at Levi before returning to his duty.
“What do we have on our systems Spartan?”
The Flight Commander stood above him as he continued to run analysis and scans to detect crafts in the area. The IFF screen looked like a Christmas tree.
“Covenant starfighters, transport ships and anything that can fly. UNSC as well. Once we’re outside, we’ll need to cloak up and hide.”
“Keep me posted on that.”
Into Darkness overclocked its engines and put everything to get out. Samuel’s girp on the locket became extremely tight. All he wanted was to get home.
“I said put everything into engines!”
The technician worked furiously to get as much as he could in.
“If I put more in, we lose power! I can turn off shields-.”
“Do it!”
Samuel tightened his seat straps as he prepared for more g force. He was thankful to have a MJOLNIR suit on to counter the g force.
“This little maneuver is going to save us four minutes! Power is being rerouted! Hold onto something or strap in!”
The Flight Commander strapped down into her seat as Oriana parked next to Sam as he studied the systems. With the engine running at 145%, the crew of Into Darkness began to see space.
“You know, that locket of yours is helping here.”
He glanced at Oriana before looking back at the screen, not sure if there was a hint of sarcasm.
“Always has.”
“Except your damn foot tapping.”
“Are the kids ok?”
She looked behind her to see the Gammas enjoying their experience of another near-death experience.
“Kids are fine. They’re acting usual.”
Staring at the information about Requiem’s impact into the sun, he let the locket go and held the piece of armor he carved Mathilda’s Spartan tag into.
Whenever things got grim, he briefly pressed his palm into the etched writing to calm his mind and relax his body. Samuel closed his eyes and said the tag quietly to himself along with Aniela’s name. Opening, he focused on the Covenant ships and their trajectories.
“Seraph at our six. Weapons hot. Deploying the mines.”
“The mines?!”
“We’ll lighten the load.”
The Flight Commander didn’t object to the decision. Samuel keyed the activation of the mines and waited for them to line up with the Seraph.
“C’mon.”
Seeing the split second, Samuel deployed the mines and missed all chances. He reduced the weight of the Prowler and rested his palm on Mathilda’s Spartan tag. Launching the second drop, he hit the Seraph and it spiraled to the ground.
“Thanks Math. We’re clear.”
Into Darkness shot into space and cloaked up, giving the crew a chance to catch their breath. Luck seemed to be on their side.
“Pull out game on point. Nice one Commander.”
Samuel muted Darrick after the remark.
Category:The Weekly