[Naked Crook]

Nighthawk watched below as UNSC forces started to fall back. He could hear Jacob announcing that the UNSC was losing ground. Nighthawk sighed, but he had to partially agree. He could see the sheer overwhelming force that the Covenant had mustered, and he knew that they would not be able to hold for much longer. Nighthawk: Jacob...we can only fall back so far. If we give The Covenant too much ground, they will get too close to the Spaceport...and a hell of a lot of civilians are going to die as a result! We already lostalmost the entire population of one city. Can you really live with the notion of losing a second one!? We cannot lose any ground! Regroup with as many Marines as you can, and reform the line...but do not issue a retreat! Nighthawk gave one final check, and saw that there was no more heavy armor coming towards the Spaceport. Either the Covenant had run out of heavy armor, or they were holding back until the heavy armor could get through without being destroyed. Nighthawk: I don't see any more heavy armor. I think I will group down there with you guys, help you hold the line. Meanwhile: Above San Angeles, Burke could hear Harrison's order. For the moment, he did not respond. He had other ideas. UNSC Operations Officer: Sir...I have a line to our ODSTs on the Covenant Assault Carrier that we were attacking. Patching them through. Burke: Fireteam Kepler...do you copy? An ODST spoke through the comm line. ODST: Lieutenant O'Connell here sir. Burke: What is your status over there? ODST: I managed to get my team to link up with Fireteam Echelon and Fireteam Colossus. We have managed to fight our way to the main engineering deck, and we are about to rig explosives to the main weapon batteries. Burke: Son...I am about to issue you new orders...and you may not like them. Burke paused. Burke: I want you to instead rig all of the explosives onto the main power reactor for the ship...and detonate it...immediately. ODST: Sir...if we do that...we will destroy the entire ship...with all of us still aboard. Surely we could extract before we are forced to detonate? Burke: I am afraid it will not be that simple. You see, the ship you are on is in very close proximity to several other support ships that are providing vital fire support for the entire Covenant fleet. The only way we can destroy all of those ships, is if those explosives are detonated ASAP. Those support ships could break off at any moment, and if we lose this opprotunity...well...the fleet may not survive long enough to launch any more attacks. There was silence over the comms for a moment. ODST: Sir...are you ordering us to die? Burke felt a tightness in his gut. Burke: Yes...I am. You have your orders son. I expect you to carry them out. Burke waited for an acknowledgement. ODST: Yes sir... Burke shook his head, as the comm line went dead. The other officers were looking at Burke as the comm line went dead. Burke looked at the communications officer. Burke: Get me Harrison...