Alpha One - Chris Burton [146]
* * * *
Jake was protected from the Eagle’s laser cannons by the Eagle itself, but he could clearly see Obeya was not. The Kryl were bombarding the cockpit area with cannon blasts, and it was only a matter of time before her shields failed.
He thought it was necessary to obtain control and remove the weapons threat as quickly as possible. Jake placed the charges on the inner door and was in the process of setting the timers. It was imperative that he created as much havoc as possible when the door opened. He applied more charges than he needed, to ensure that the blast door blew right in on itself. He would then launch a combined stun-cloud grenade, and then fire indiscriminately around the main passenger compartment while he sought cover to protect himself from the Kryls’ weaponry. Jake took a big gamble. He was still reliant on his assertion that Winterburn could not seek to control his mind and that the other Kryls could not either. He also bargained on both Carla and Joely being held in the holding cell and not in the main compartment. Jake was nearly ready. He needed to protect himself from the blast which meant exiting the outer door and remote detonating the charges. Jake commenced his assault on the Eagle.
* * * *
The blast pushed the Eagle’s inner door off its hinges and into the Eagle’s main compartment. Jake threw his stun grenade, waited five seconds and then charged into the main chamber with his hypercannon discharging plasma bursts to all four corners of the compartment. It had gone just as Jake planned, and he found himself aboard the Eagle with three dead Kryl by his side.
So far so good, he thought. He needed to find Winterburn though and again as anticipated Winterburn, was in the smaller rear compartment. He was on his own.
Jake was just about to open fire again, when Winterburn interjected, “I have to say I am impressed with your entrance and your persistence. If this is about Carla and Joely, then they are lucky to have you on their side.”
Jake ignored him. “I am assuming control of this vessel and returning you and the ship to the Halo 7.”
“I doubt that, Jake. Do you really think you will be given the opportunity to return to your vessel? Look at your jump ship; it is already beyond repair. You would have to seize control of this ship. My drones will overpower you before you get a chance.”
“Did you see what happened to the three Kryl in the main passenger compartment?”
“Do you think that would have happened had I not asked them to leave you to me?”
“You cannot control my mind. I have already proven that more than once. You and your fellow Kryl will stand down and allow me to take control of this ship.”
“I am afraid you have been duped, my young friend. I asked my drones to leave you to me because I have been waiting for you since the first day we met. You could say this moment has been etched on my mind ever since. As for us not being able to enter your mind...” Winterburn laughed.
“That is correct. I cannot enter the mind of the person who is about to take my life. I have known from the moment I saw you that you are my killer and that it would take place here on this Eagle. That is your destiny and mine.”
Jake frowned. Winterburn was mad.
“What do you mean, I am your killer?”
“Kryl, and particularly my caste, a Kronan, have many gifts, and insight into their own demise is one of them. This has always been the case, my friend. I have always known I would die by the hands of a human, shortly after the galaxy fissure opened. I have achieved my objective and it is my time to die. Joely and Carla are merely part of the timeline that leads to my death. I must meet Joely to meet Carla, so that ultimately I would meet you here today.”
“Aren’t you going to try to stop me?”
“From killing me? There will be a struggle and I will die. It is as simple as that. Don’t think for one moment that puts you in the clear. My drones will assume control of your mind and kill you.”
Jake was suddenly scared. He quickly told himself not to be taken in by Winterburn’s lies. “I