Cyberpunk: Spartan Walker

Chapter 143 Prelude to Reach ([-])

The main control computer noticed the abnormal condition of Nana Kamano's body, carefully removed the intravenous syringe and catheter from Nana Kamano's body, and slowly opened the transparent glass door of the cryochamber.

She twisted around, moved her arms, and coughed violently.When she regained her breath, Kamano Nana heard the sound of military boots hitting the rubber floor of the freezer.After a while, a small square towel appeared in view.

Kamano Nana looked up at the person coming - it was Di Qing.She was holding a towel in her hand and was leaning sideways, looking at the other freezing chambers in the hibernation room. "Take your time, Warrant Officer. This is your first time sleeping for such a long time."

Kamano Nana was flattered that the captain personally welcomed her awakening. Coupled with Di Qing's patient teaching of her studies, the relationship between the two became even closer.

"Captain, thank you, I can do it myself." Nana Kamano took the towel and thanked her softly.

Di Qing rubbed the joint of her arm, as if there was still some discomfort there, then turned to look at her, but did not speak immediately, but stared at her face and frowned. "What's wrong? Did any crew member bully you?" She pointed at the corner of Kamano Nana's eyes.

Nana Kamano was stunned, and looked up at the surface of the glass door of the cryocontainer. She saw her face inside was filled with tears and her eyes were red.

"Ah, no, no, no one bullied me, I just had a nightmare." As Kamano Nana said, she wiped the tears on her face with a towel, for fear that she would show her vulnerable side in front of the captain.

She worried that she would be deemed unsuitable for a job in the Navy and would be transferred off a warship.

"Nightmare?" Di Qing looked at the central control computer next to the freezing chamber, "Shouldn't it? The computer will affect your dreams. I will try my best to give you a good dream. At least I have never had nightmares while sleeping."

Kamano Nana laughed dryly and found an excuse to excuse herself.She stretched out her slender legs from the freezing chamber and stepped on the ground. Her head was now swollen and swollen, and it felt as if it was going to explode.Taking a deep breath, she hoped to get rid of this nauseating dizziness as soon as possible.

After confirming that Kamano Nana was safe and sound, Di Qing nodded. "Get ready and report to the bridge. The battleship is about to leave the slip space." After saying that, Di Qing quickly left the dormancy room.

The hurried steps showed that Di Qing still had a lot of work on her hands, but she came specifically to welcome her awakening, which made Kamano Nana even more confused.

She shook her head and put aside distracting thoughts, quickly arranged her clothes, found her luggage, and then reported to the bridge of the Yinchu.

There was a tense atmosphere in the bridge. The technicians were staring at the display screen in front of them and chatting constantly.When Kamano Nana sat down in the weapons officer's position, she happened to hear Lieutenant Theodore reporting to Di Qing that he would leave the slip space in one minute.

Di Qing stared expressionlessly at the void outside the observation window and ordered: "Warrant Officer Kamano Nana, preheat the magnetic accelerator cannon. Lieutenant Hicks, be prepared for continuous jumps."

No one knows what they will see when they leave the fault space - Reach has fallen, and the human defense line has been pushed to the home planet Earth. Maybe after returning to regular space, they will be greeted by a battle to defend their homeland, or a war. A planet filled with glass and scorched earth.

"Yes, sir." As soon as Kamano Nana's fingers touched the keyboard, a familiar feeling suddenly surged from the bottom of her heart like a tide.She quickly completed the parameter settings and waited for the last moment to arrive.

The sounds in the bridge gradually disappeared, and Nana Kamano could smell the smell of uneasiness filling the air.

The floor-to-ceiling windows were gradually covered by dark green light, and stars came into view.Then a huge earth-yellow planet occupied one-third of the starboard camera screen, and its equatorial position was surrounded by an asteroid belt.

Fortunately, no Covenant warships were found within sight. "Report, Lieutenant Lucius." Di Qing said.

Lieutenant Lucius listened to the voice in the earphones, then grinned and said, "Successfully established contact with the Earth. She is safe and sound. There is no trace of the Covenant nearby."

Waves of cheers erupted inside the bridge. Di Qing listened with a smile, and it took a few seconds for them to quiet down. "Lieutenant Theodore, where are we now?"

"The edge of the solar system, sir."

It is obvious that the relatively backward jump technology caused their landing point deviation, and they should have entered the earth's orbit directly - but everyone is not surprised by this.

"Set a route to the Mars Mislia Armory," Di Qing ordered. "We will return to Earth after completing the supply replenishment."

"As ordered, sir."

Transport ships filled with civilians emerged from the side of the Yushu one after another. Nana Kamano looked through the observation window at the barely visible blue planet, and infinite anticipation suddenly surged in her heart.

****
January 2552, 8 in the military calendar at 30 hours

Epsilon Eridanus system, Reach, UNSC shipyard in Asaph.

The scorching plasma beam shot out from the Phantom troop carrier overhead and hit the metal wall next to the rapidly running Phase III Spartan Warrior Carter-A259.The melted molten iron sizzled and splashed on his "Thunder Hammer" armor, causing ripples on the surface of the energy shield.

He picked up the BR55 battle rifle and fired a burst at the Grunt shooter located on the port side of the troop carrier. The Grunt screamed and fell off the troop carrier, and the plasma turret suddenly misfired.

Carter took a step, stopped for a moment, and opened the communication channel with a "pop" sound, "Emil, destroy that Phantom!"

There was a sound of bearing rotation from the Emil-A239, and then his breathy voice came out, "Roger, sir."

The sound of the surrounding machines working suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving only the "buzzing" sound of the electromagnetic coil when the magnetic accelerator cannon was charging.With his peripheral vision, Carter saw that the lights in the cabin next to him dimmed, and then the metal platform beneath his feet shook violently. The magnetic accelerator cannon above his head opened fire, and a blazing metal bullet roared out and headed straight for the Phantom troop carrier.

The Phantom troop carrier's engines spurted fire and the hull began to turn. But it was too late.It had no power to parry, and was passed straight through by this heavy shell, turning into metal debris flying in the sky, mixed with surging blue-purple flames.

At this moment, the whistling sound of the Long Sword interceptor flying over spread throughout the Asa Shipyard, and the air flow caused the metal plate next to Carter to tremble slightly.He thought that this must be the noise made by Colonel Price when he was chasing the Pillar of Autumn away.

Before Carter could catch his breath, another Phantom troop carrier emerged from behind the low hill next to it and headed straight for the magnetic accelerator cannon, where Emil was.

(End of this chapter)