I have a bridge to look after here.
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
"I have a bridge to look after here." is a flash-fiction story included in the Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide. It is about Captain James Cutter and his thoughts about his career and family on board the UNSC Spirit of Fire while en route to rendezvous with the UNSC Prophecy.[1]
Plot synopsis
Cutter stands on the Spirit of Fire's bridge observing slipspace's eerie casted light. Immense and serene, the ship moves through this unnatural dimension. His orders are clear: Rendezvous with the Prophecy and join the fleet heading to Harvest. The Captain remembers fondly how he mastered the word "rendezvous" in Mrs. Ash's sixth-grade spelling test. As he mutters the word, Serina, the ship’s AI, suddenly appears.
Serina teases him about the Prophecy, mentioning that it could have been his ship had he accepted the command offer. Blake, another crewmember, overhears and glances up from his console. Cutter reassures Serina that he’s content with his current command; despite Spirit of Fire not being the fastest or most heavily armed, it's a vital fleet ship bringing essential supplies, water, fuel, and ground support. More importantly, it's stationed at Reach, sparing Cutter from long deployments. He briefly thinks about his daughter and her potential spelling test today, knowing that passing on command of the Prophecy likely ended his chances for future prestigious positions. However, he has no regrets, seeing as the choice was easy.
Serina breaks his reverie, reminding him she’s on the bridge. She playfully mentions that it took her long enough to adjust to him as captain, and Cutter, slightly irritated but amused, asks for a status update. She reports that the ship is "loaded for bear" and will exit slipspace in 32 hours and 12 minutes. She also notes that Professor Ellen Anders is unhappy with her quarters and insists on seeing Cutter. Interrupting Serina’s complaints, the Captain orders Blake to attend to the Professor, much to Blake’s silent frustration as he feels babysitting civilians is beneath him.
With Blake gone, Serina playfully questions what "loaded for bear" actually means. Cutter sits back, thinking of his early days as an Ensign, his father’s disappointment when he joined the UN Colony Logistics Office, and later applied to flight school. His father had scorned him for being "nothing more than a trucker." However, Cutter’s time piloting colony ships, though monotonous, eventually led to his command of the UNSC Glasgow and later caught command's attention after an incident with Insurrectionists. His father’s approval finally came when he toured the Spirit of Fire with Cutter, acknowledging that Cutter’s mother would have been proud.
Cutter sighs and tells Serina that tomorrow will be a long day.
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