Astro's Halo 5 Script - COMPLETE

Community General Discussion
1

There are a few Halo 5 plot/script threads floating around in the forums, and some of them are quite fun to read. And even though I tried not to, I too have had ideas bubbling around in my head about where Halo will go in 5. After some time, I have finally decided I should put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and share my view of Halo 5 with the Waypoint community.

Contents

Prologue

I - Bravo 6

II - Song of Retribution

III - ONIRF Trevelyan

IV - Absolute Record

V - Infinity Actual

VI - Atonement

VII - Installation 00

VIII - The Zone

IX - Primordial

Epilogue

Afterword

Note, my script requires that Naomi 010 survives the events of Mortal Dictata, as she becomes the Chief’s companion, much like the Arbiter was in Halo 3. Players 3 and 4 would be Spartan IVs.
P.S. Had to do some jiggling about, as the OP became to big to add links to each Rally Point, all fixed now though.

So what are we waiting for, lets get stuck in :slight_smile:

2

Prologue

The prologue opens in a Human hospital corridor, a woman walking towards the camera. As she gets closer you catch her name tag ‘Dr Sharon Thorne’. She walks outside and down some steps, pulling out a cigarette and lighter. Before she can light up, she is bathed in orange light. Hearing a scream she turns around, tensing up and dropping the cigarette.
She too screams as layer by layer her body is dematerialised in to ash and orange digital flecks, which rise up in to the sky. The camera follows the flecks all the way up to the Mantle’s Approach, just in time to catch John plant a pulse grenade inside the Didact’s chest. With a bang, the Didact stumbles over the side of the light bridge and in to the slip space event below.
The camera follows him in, and pops out at the Requiem end. As he struggles to stand, two knights appear and support him at either side.
They help him down in to a seat aboard a small Forerunner craft.

Didact: Stay, and aid our ally.

Cut to the Forerunner ship as it rises up in front of a sunset. Inside the ship the Didact speaks to some kind of floating camera.

Didact:
Humanity stands as the greatest threat in the galaxy. Refusing to eradicate them is a fools gambit.

The ship flies up to the ceiling of Requiem and out in to space.

Didact:
The reclamation has already begun.

The ship creates a slip space portal before promptly disappearing. Fade to black.

Didact:
And we are hopeless to stop it.

Seven Months Later - Sydney, Earth

An early morning sun rises above Sydney. A Strident-class heavy frigate descends above the city, coming to a rest on one of the large landing runways of a UNSC facility. The hanger bay opens and allows three warthogs to drive out, two towing trailers carrying UNSC crates.
The warthogs drive up to and through sliding doors on the side of the facility, coming to a stop next to loading bay 17. The bay doors open to reveal Admiral Osman, winged by several armed personnel.

Osman:
Dr Glassman, welcome to Bravo 6. How’s the arm?

Glassman steps out of the warthog carefully, snapping of a salute.

Glassman:
Getting better, Admiral. Got a, special delivery from Infinity.

Osman:
Indeed. He have a station set up for you down in the labs, you’ll be right at home.

Glassman:
Thank you, Admiral. It’s nice to have my feet on natural soil again.

The men in the other warthogs dismount and start carrying the crates through the loading bay. Osman turns to one of the guards.

Osman:
Escort the doctor down to the labs in the Gamma wing, I have an appointment to attend.

Guard:
Yes Sir.

Cut to the Master Chief standing on a balcony overlooking some of the research bays, watching scientist apply new armour to some of the Spartan IVs, while others already wearing some are testing out their manoeuvrability. His attention is quickly centred upon a single Spartan, a tall female with very light blonde hair and grey eyes.
Osman steps up behind him.

Osman:
They say your refusing to upgrade to the mark-eight.

He turns and salutes.

John:
She designed it, Sir. (lowering his head) It’ all I have left.

Osman turns to face the Spartans, followed by John.

Osman:
I could speak to the Dev’s, have them model a Gen-two after it?

John:
That won’t be necessary. I can outmatch seventy-nine per-cent of Spartans using the mark-eight suite. This one will do just fine.

Osman:
If you insist. I know you’ve also refused another paired A.I.

She pulls out a data chip linked to a chain and holds it out to the Chief.

Osman:
I brought you this, should you change your mind.

The chief takes the chip and places it in one of the pockets in his armour.

John:
Thank you. I’m combat ready whenever you need me.

Osman goes to say something but is interrupted by a blinking red light on her belt. She grabs her hand-held device and checks the display. She then looks up at John.

Osman:
The silent alarms been triggered in Gamma-wing, Glassman. We got trouble!

The Chief starts in to a sprint and rushes past the Admiral.

John:
I’m on it.

Fade to black.

3

Mission I - Bravo 6

Rally Point Alpha

The scene opens with Dr Glassman entering one of the labs in Gamma-Wing. On the table in the centre of the lab sits the glass container holding the Janus Key.
Glassman bends over and gets in close for a good look.

Glassman:
You are a curious object, aren’t you.

The Janus Key starts to glow red and pulsate.
Behind Glassman is a window looking in to a corridor, and on the other side is another window to a separate lab. You can see in the other lab two scientists gathered around another forerunner object brought back from Requiem, it too is pulsating like the Janus Key.

The device opens up and produces a slip space portal, from which three promethean knights spawn. They quickly kill the scientists as several Elites arrive through the portal as well.

Glassman:
(Unaware of the events behind him) Lani, come take a look at this.

Receiving no answer, he turns to see the enemies in the other lab. Before they spot him, he drops to the ground, and crouches under the window. Using his data pad he activates the silent alarm, just as the glass is shattered by plasma bolts. An Elite jumps through the window and walks strait to the Janus Key.
Using his energy sword, he slices the cap end off of the container and retrieves the Key. The Elite spots Glassman on the floor and tosses the Key to one of his companions.

Elite:
(subtitles) Take the Librarian’s gift to the ship, this ones mine.

The others take off down the corridor, as the Elite picks up Glassman by the nick with one hand, readying his sword with the other, while he struggles to break free.

Elite:
(subtitles) You won’t get away this time, Nishum.

John:
(voice off-screen) He won’t have to.

John’s fist impacts the Elite’s face, shocking him in to dropping Glassman. He then kicks the Elite in the chest, sending him backwards in to the wall of the lab. Picking up the larger half of the Janus Key capsule, he smashes it over the Elites head, spraying glass everywhere. He quickly grabs the Elite’s sword and drives it through it’s neck in to the wall behind.

Glassman:
Holy hell!

Female Voice:
John lookout!

A promethean knight in the corridor levels it’s Binary rifle on John, not before a Spartan jumps on to its back. The Spartan rolls forward holding on to the knight’s face plate, causing the knight to also roll over and land on its back. When the knight opens its face plate, the Spartan stomps it’s boot inside and rips off the plates. The face now fully exposed, the Spartan grabs her combat knife and plunges it in to the skull causing the knight to dematerialise.
The Spartan stands up and stows her knife.

John:
Naomi?

Naomi:
John, its good to see you.

John:
Likewise. Dr Glassman, are you alright?

Glassman:
I’m fine cough, (holding his neck) the elites, they have the Janus Key.

John:
Which way?

Glassman:
Down there (pointing), hurry.

John:
Stay put Doctor. Naomi, lets move!

-End Cutscene-

Intruder Alert

From here you take control of the Chief. For the sake of getting used to controlling the Chief, the first corridor is empty. At the end of the corridor there is a weapons rack by the door.

Naomi:
Chief, here grab a weapon.

On the rack is an Assault rifle and a Magnum. once equipped, you activate the switch and open the door in to the next section of research labs, filled with knights.

A.I. via tannoy:
Intruder alert, unauthorised personnel in Gamma-Wing, section five. Correction, unauthorised personnel in sections three, four and five.

Osman:
How the hell did they get in to the facility?

Glassman:
Slip space portal, probably local. Be on the look out, their ship probably isn’t too far away.

Osman:
Noted.

Naomi:
If they can jump in, why don’t they jump out?

Glassman:
Why don’t you stop one and ask? Let me know how that turns out. Maybe they don’t fully understand the tech?

After clearing out that section, the room shakes, the lights flicker and there is a loud rumble.

John:
What’s going on up there?

Osman:
A Covenant cruiser just dropped out of camo above the facility and took out the Frigate in bay one. Sergeant Travis, spin up the MAC. I want that ship gone before our guests can stand us up.

Travis:
Yes Sir.

Glassman:
Even with camo, how did a ship that size know how to dodge our radar?

Osman:
Halsey.

John:
What?

Osman:
No time to explain, I’ll debrief you once you’ve flushed out the roaches.

You enter a large open hallway with multiple levels on both sides. Armed guards are facing off against prometheans. At the far side off the hall there are two elevator shafts, one of which contains the Elites with the Janus Key, and is already riding up the shaft.

Naomi:
Chief, there. Elevator at the far end of the hall.

Travis:
Sir, MAC is online.

Osman:
Good. Now take out that ship, and try to put her in the bay, I don’t need two wreckages on top of Bravo-six.

Travis:
Yes Sir.

There is another loud crack as the room shakes again.

Travis:
Direct hit. Cruiser is loosing altitude…but smaller craft are escaping.

Osman:
Hell! Do we have any ships in rage?

Travis:
(After some time) Closest is twenty minutes out.

Henson:
This is Captain Henson of the Destroyer Harrogate. We’re in dry dock, but can send Pelicans to assist.

Osman:
Great, send what you can, and get that Destroyer out of bed Captain.

After you clear the room, you are able to proceed to the elevator at the back of the hall. You activate it and start riding to the surface. at the top you enter a security check point before heading down another corridor to the loading bays.

4

Mission I - Bravo 6

Rally Point Bravo

-Start Cutscene-

The Elites exit the hanger bay to find a Phantom waiting for them. The one carrying the Key and two others get aboard while the last two get gunned down by Chief and Naomi as they come busting through the bay after them. The Phantom turns to face them and open fires causing the Spartans to dive for cover. The plasma blasts open a few creates before the craft backs out of the facility and disappears.
Both coming out of cover, Naomi radios in.

Naomi:
The Janus Key is on a Phantom leaving the facility. Track it.

Travis:
Looks to be following the highway out of the city.

John:
Admiral, requesting permission to pursue.

Osman:
Granted

Naomi:
How exactly do you suggest we do that.

John:
With these.

-End Cutscene-

Take a girl for a ride

Standing in front of John and Naomi are a set of four ONI REAP-X bikes.
They control pretty much like the UNSC mongoose, but can travel at the speed of a boosting Ghost.
You exit the facility through the same doors as the Phantom did to find the UNSC Frigate laying in a burning mess. In order to get out of the facility grounds you must ride up on to the wreckage of the Frigate and ramp over the wall and down on to the highway.
Following the Phantom, you ride down the highway, using the machine guns on the bike to get rid of the Covenant troops that other Phantoms dropping to try and stop you. This would be very much like Coastal Highway from OSDT.

Travis:
The Phantom’s headed for the Harrogate.

Osman:
Spartans, make sure they don’t escape with the Janus Key.

Naomi:
Wouldn’t dream of it Sir.

A little further down the highway, the Pelicans from the Harrogate arrive, and start blasting Phantoms out of the sky. You continue down the highway, but you are not quite fast enough.

Henson:
Report. Covenant troops are taking over the Harrogate.

Naomi:
Damn it! Faster.

As you veer off the highway and in to the parking lot of the dry dock, the Harrogate is starting to lift off of the ground.

John:
Service ramp! Punch it!

You hit the ramp at full speed, sending the bikes in to the air, starting the final cutscene.

-Start Cutscene-

As the bikes fly though the air, Chief and Naomi leap off them, and with a little help from their built in thruster packs, manage to land on the back of the rising Destroyer.

Osman:
Spartans, status?

Naomi:
We’re reached the Destroyer Sir, preparing to board.

As the ship climbs higher, blue motes of light appear at the front of the ship.

John:
Radiation spike, she’s gonna’ jump!

Both Spartans race for the maintenance hatch at the stern of the ship. Once they reach it, they quickly open up and drop out of sight, sealing the hatch behind them. The destroyer pushes through the hole is slip space, and vanishes. Fade to black.

Halo 5

5

Mission II - Song Of Retribution

Rally Point Alpha

The screen is black. You hear the squeal of a hatch opening and light enters the room, a deck on the UNSC Destroyer Harrogate. A pair of green boots land on the deck, followed by a pair of steal blue ones.

John:
Where are we?

Naomi walks over to a console on the wall and interacts with it.

Naomi:
(After a moment) F-deck, near engineering. Bridge is this way, chances are, that’s where they have the Janus Key. (Turning to John) What are we waiting for?

-End Cutscene-

Destination Unknown

From here you make your way through the small confines of the ship, moving through the engineering decks, past the ODST launch bays to the mess hall. Along the way fighting knights and crawlers but also various Covenant who arrived on the Phantoms. While in the mess hall, the ship shudders.

John:
Are we being attacked?

Naomi:
I think we just exited slip space.

John:
We can’t have gotten far. Lets Keep Moving.

You continue moving through the ship, eventually arriving in the corridor outside the bridge. As you start to dispatch the final Elites, one makes a run for the door.

-Start Cutscene-

Inside the Bridge, the door opens and the Elite comes running in, shooting to another Elite who is flying the ship.

Elite:
(subtitles) Contact the Song of Retribution, demons have made it on to the-

Crack!
Blood spatters over the Pilot as the Elite drops to the deck out of view, revealing John holding up a Magnum.

Pilot:
DEMON!

Naomi:
Don’t even thing about it.

Naomi approaches the Elite pilot with her gun levelled on his head. The Chief walks up to the Elite and recovers the Janus Key.

John:
Package secure.

Looking out of the forward window he sees a fleet of ships, including a CAS-class Assault Carrier and two Covenant Destroyers.

Naomi:
They’re expecting us, yes?

Pilot:
Yes.

Naomi:
Which one? The big one?

Pilot:
Yes (after Naomi pokes his head with her gun).

Naomi:
Good, now take us in. Nice and slow.
(In Sangheilie) And don’t get cute, I know your language.

She moves to join John at the window.

John:
How did you?

Naomi:
A friend. (Looking out at the ships) Any ideas.

John:
We’re outmatched, running isn’t an option. If that’s Jul 'Mdama’s flag ship, this is a perfect opportunity to take it out. Once we’re inside, cause as much destruction as possible, go home.

Naomi:
And I assume you’re plan involves Dr Halsey?

John:
Wait? What have I not been told?

Naomi:
John, Dr Halsey’s working with Jul 'Mdama, she escaped with him before Requiem was destroyed.

John:
That’s not… Why would she… We find Halsey, then we leave.

The UNSC ship drifts towards the Carrier. Passing through the energy shield of the Carrier’s hanger, it settles nicely down on the deck. As Covenant troops approach the ship, it lets off a MAC round, then another. The shots impact the wall close to the front of the ship, sending debris everywhere and filling the hanger with smoke.
The smoke clears to show the UNSC ship severely damaged at the front, and a large smouldering hole that extends several layers deep in to the Covenant ship. John and Naomi emerge from the crippled nose of their ship.

-End Cutscene-

6

This is pretty good so far, and I like your decision to have Naomi as the Chief’s companion rather than the Arbiter. However, I am going to make a few recommendations and/or feedback that should help you along:

  • Just to make navigating through your script a little easier and faster, could you maybe add links to each Mission in your Original Post? I do that with my script, and it does help for people who don’t like scrolling down a page for three and a half hours just to get to your most recent addition to your story.

  • Another way to make your script more “user-friendly”: Always have a way to inform the reader on which line is dialogue or description. Most formal script formats will have descriptions in italics, that’s what I do. Other people do it differently. DecepticonCobra has the dialogue in his various scripts center-aligned, and I’ve even seen some people color-code it. Overall, try to make a clear distinction between description and dialogue.

  • In Mission I, Part 1, I noticed that you bypassed the word filter. While I’m sure that you’re already aware of this, you can get banned for that and I’d hate to see your post get edited or your thread get locked just because of a single line by Glassman. Edit the dialogue and remove the bypass.

7

Thanks for the heads up, I’ll do some editing and make it more user friendly.

:slight_smile:

8

Mission II - Song Of Retribution

Rally Point Bravo

Point of Entry

You first start by making your way through the several burning holes left my the MAC shots.

Naomi:
Bringing up scans of the Shadow of intent. (After a moment) This way.

You push on, fighting your way through corridors and several larger rooms before reaching an elevator shaft. You stand over the waypoint on the platform for a while as nothing happens.

John:
They’ve shut off the elevator shafts, they’re anticipating our movements.

Naomi:
Damn. What now?

John:
The adjacent hanger, there could be Banshees we can use to take a short cut, outside the ship.

You now return back down the passages you came before taking the opposite turn to reach the second hanger bay. In the hanger there are several Wraiths that attack you. There are a couple you can grab and use to destroy the others and a few Phantoms that hang in the air. After you are done, you exit the Wraiths and make your way up to the second level where the Banshees are docked.
Once you are air born you exit the hanger and in to space outside.

Naomi:
Marking a waypoint, far side of the expanse. There’s a small hanger we can enter, puts us closer to the Carrier’s bridge.

The waypoint is on the mid area of the frontal bulbous section of the Carrier, directly across from the hanger bay. In this section you are attacked by other Banshees, Phantoms and a couple of Liches. Once the liches are taken care of, you can proceed to the waypoint. As you get close, the screen fades to black.

-Start Cutscene-

The two Banshees float in through the doors just as they close. The hanger is the same as the FF Map Corvette, only with one single door at the rear instead of two at the sides. John and Naomi exit their craft and movie in to the middle of the hanger.

John:
Naomi, set a waypoint for the bridge.

Just as he finishes, Elites start pouring in through the doors and prometheans teleport in to the room. The Spartans ready their weapons, but literally hundreds of enemy contacts fill up the room. Just as they are about to fire, two loud voices fill the hanger.

Halsey:
STOP!

Jul:
(subtitles) Stand down, they possess the Librarian’s gift.

Halsey:
Don’t shoot, you won’t win. Surrender your weapons. They will escort you to the bridge.

John and Naomi look at each other before handing their guns to an Elite and following them out of the room.

A door slides open to show Jul and Halsey on the bridge, a large open room with a hologram of the fleet hovering in the middle, upgraded form the standard bridge to look more like the Corvette’s.

Halsey:
Why didn’t you tell me it was them? That it was Spartans?

They enter the room followed by the Elites.

Halsey:
John? (Surprised)

John:
Doctor Halsey.

Halsey:
Naomi.

John:
What’s going on.

Jul:
Hand over the Janus Key!

John:
No.

The surrounding Elites raise their weapons on the Spartans. Dr Halsey vanishes just like a knight and appears in front of John.

Naomi:
Woah!

John:
Doctor, your arm?

Halsey’s severed arm has been replaced with and artificial limb which looks to have been fashioned from a promethean knight. She holds it out to John.

Halsey:
It has its benefits, I have Spartan Palmer to thank. Now if you don’t mind, please hand me the Key.

John reaches for the Key and reluctantly places it in Halsey’s hand. She teleports back to the middle of the room, taking out her half of the Janus Key.
She joins the two together and illuminates the room in floating planets and installations. If you pay close attention, you can spot several known locations, such as Earth and the Halos.

Halsey:
Show me the Absolute Record.

The holograms move around and Halsey settles her attention on a object floating just off screen.

Halsey:
Interesting. Getting there may prove difficult however.

Jul:
Take these prisoners to the Relentless Spirit. They are too dangerous to be kept on this ship.

Halsey quickly turns, pulling apart the Key and ending the light show.

Halsey:
Wait, you can’t do that!

Jul:
(Standing up to her) You would do well to remember whose ship your on Human.

John starts to make a move for Jul, but Naomi quickly stops him and gestures for the door. Halsey fidgets, contemplating defying Jul, but decides against it.
The Spartans are escorted off the bridge.

Halsey:
At least let me speak with them.

Jul grunts and gestures to the door. Halsey starts walking but quickly decideds to teleport instead.
Cut to the hanger bay where John and Naomi are approaching a Phantom. Halsey appears.

Halsey:
(As she trots up to him) John!

John:
(Turning) Doctor?

Halsey:
John, I read you debriefing after New-Phoenix. Cortana…I’m sorry.

John:
She died making sure I was safe.

Her turns his back to her, ready to board the Phantom.

Halsey:
John, you have to trust me. This…isn’t what it looks like.

John walks away and in to the Phantom, lifting off the ground. Halsey, saddened, bows her head as the Phantom exits the hanger.

-End Cutscene-

9

Mission III - ONIRF Trevelyan

Rally Point Alpha

The scene opens inside a prison cell on board the Covenant destroyer Relentless Spirit. The Master Chief stands facing the shield door keeping his eyes on the Elite standing outside, while Naomi is sitting on the bench, a little more relaxed.

Naomi:
John, you’ve been stood for five hours. You should take a break.

John:
We’re captives in the heart of a Covenant ship. We can’t afford let out guard down.

Naomi:
Don’t worry, help is on the way.

John:
How can you be sure?

Naomi:
(Holding out her arm) Tracking device. They’ll find us.

John:
We’ll see.

In the distance, muffled gun fire can be heard, Human Assault rifle. The Elite grunts at another crew member and motions for the door. There is a rumble and the lights flicker. When they come back on, the shield doors have vanished but before the Elite can notice, a green arm wraps around his neck and pull him out of view.
The other Elite, oblivious, makes it to the brig entrance just in time for the doors to blow open and send him flying.

Grant:
Take that, hinge-head!

Madsen:
I’m not sure he heard you.

Thorne:
(Nudging the Elites head with his boot) Too late now.

DeMarco:
Majestic, spread out, search the cells.

Before the Spartans can search them all, John and Naomi emerge from the far cell. Madsen whistles.

Thorne:
Master Chief.

John:
Spartans.

Hoya:
We’re here to bust you out.

John:
I assume you have an escape plan.

DeMarco:
(Using radio) Ivy, how’s our exit.

Ivy Fireteam Member:
(Over radio) Taking some heat, nothing we can’t handle.

DeMarco:
Chief, if you don’t mind, the meter’s running. Majestic, move out.

-End Cutscene-

Thought I’d try shooting my way out

The mission starts in the brig. Your objective is to reach the hanger where the Spartan VIs have Pelicans waiting to extract you. It doesn’t take long to get there, about as long as after you rescue Keys in CE.
Once you help clear out the hanger, you are prompted to pilot the Pelican out. Majestic climb in to the back, while Naomi and any additional players take the gunner seats. As you leave, Ivy and the other Pelican stay behind.

John:
They’re not leaving?

Thorne:
Waiting on Crimson, they’re rigging the ship to blow.

As you exit the ship in the Pelican, you get a good look outside. Your inside a hollow world. You can see the world curve upwards on the horizon but the rest is obscured by cloud.

John:
Is this…a shield world?

Naomi:
Yeah, I’ve been here before. But so have Jul and Halsey, they have the home field advantage, so to speak.

Grant:
Chief, there’s a research facility three clicks from her requesting air support. They say Covenant forces lead by a Human entered the structure.

John:
Mark a waypoint.

Grant:
No need. Head for the Forerunner city, it is the research facility.

The Forerunner city looks similar to the Ridgeline structure from the CEA map.
This part of the mission plays out similar to Shutdown in Halo 4, where you encounter Phantoms, Serifs and Liches as you make your way to the structure. The ground below you is made up of grassland, rivers and forests. Half way though this section, Ivy contacts Majestic.

Ivy Fireteam Member:
Ivy and Crimson are clear of the Destroyer. We are set to burn, in five…four…three…two…one.

You can spin the Pelican around in time to see the Destroyer burst in to flames sending chunks of burning purple debris flying over the landscape.

Ivy Fireteam Member:
One down.

John:
Where’s the flagship?

Thorne:
Unknown. Infinity is above the cloud scanning, but, this place is pretty huge.

Madsen:
They say it’s diameter is equal to Earth’s orbit, and that it can shrink down to just a few meters, in a slip space bubble of compressed dimensionality.

Hoya:
Wow, there’s some big words you’re throwing out there Madsen.

Madsen:
Not as big as the beating Owens gave you in the War Games (laughing).

Hoya:
You know I let her win.

DeMarco:
You looking for a date Hoya?

Thorne:
Esposito beat you too it.

Hoya:
What? Damn.

Grant:
Haha.

You push on to the Forerunner city. The Covenant have left a few Wraiths and a Scarab blocking the entrance to the city. Using the weapons on the Pelican you take them out. Once you have taken care of all of them Grant informs you of another Wrath.

Grant:
Wraith, to the right!

-Start Cutscene-

The Wraith’s plasma mortar impacts on the right wing, causing the engine to ignite in a ball of flame. The Pelican begins to list and spin as it falls out of the sky.

John:
Time to bail.

John and Naomi pop the hatches over the cockpit and jump out, as Majestic all bail out of the rear hatch. The burning Pelican slams down top of the Wraith, crushing it.
Using thruster packs, the Spartan slow their descent to land heavily but safely on the ground.

John:
Spartans, sound off.

Each of the Spartans sound off, readying their weapons before entering the forerunner structure. Naomi looks at the fused wreckage of the Pelican and Wraith.

Naomi:
You did that on purpose, didn’t you?

John pauses and looks at her for an extended period of time.

Cortana:
(Echo) We’re not gonna make it, pull up, PULL UP!

John shakes his head and turns toward the entrance to the structure.

John:
Halsey and Jul are inside, lets move.

-End Cutscene-

10

Mission III - ONIRF Trevelyan

Rally Point Bravo

Majestic

You take control of the Chief inside a large forerunner street in the city.
The design of the area is heavily influenced by the Lockup map from Spartan Ops. You move through various sections, such as plazas and side streets containing decorative vegetation like bushes and trees, while fighting Covenant troops that are trying to stop you moving further in to the city. Located throughout this section are small UNSC stations where scientists have been conducting research in the city.
You eventually reach a T junction in the street, with a large abbey type building at the head of the T. After clearing the area, a side door in the street opens and several scientists come running out.

Scientist 1:
Oh thank god, I thought we’d never be able to escape. There were just too many, and we have no weapons.
John:
We need to get these scientists to safety.
DeMarco:
Hoya, Madsen, escort these Techs back to the entrance for evac’.

Madsen:
Aww man.

DeMarco:
Majestic!

Madsen:
Aye, Sir.

Hoya:
This way ladies and gents, lets get you to safety.

The two Spartans and the scientists head back down the street while you move to the abbey entrance. After activating the switch, the door opens allowing you to move inside. The door closes behind you.
Inside, the walls are a darker silver with a green hue, similar to the inside structure of Lockup.
Again, you make your way through several rooms, including an elevator that takes you deeper below the surface of the city. Eventually you reach a large open room. In the center is a platform with several portal gates, similar to the area from Midnight. Extending from the platform are four light bridges is a cross shape, each leading to a balcony at the edge of the room, one of which you are stood on.

Thorne:
Must be some kind of…transport terminal.

Naomi:
They must have used it to travel to a different part of the shield world.

John:
Then that’s where we’re going.

DeMarco:
We’ll stay put, hold this position, make sure nobody follows you.

Grant:
We got your back guys.

Naomi:
Thanks.

Majestic stay put while you and Naomi cross the light bridge to the center platform where four Hunters are waiting. After taking care of them, there is only one portal still open. You jump through it to end this section.

11

Mission III - ONIRF Trevelyan

Rally Point Charlie

High Noon

The portal spits you out in a small open area that you can move around in. The biome has changed, from grassland and forest, to more rocky shore line.
Directly ahead of you, you can see the shore line curve round and meet up at the other side to form a lake. In the distance there appears to be several small structures located around the lake, each at equal distances.
You make your way around the edge of the cliff face to see the closest of the structures only a few hundred meters away.

Naomi:
No sign of any Human settlement. I don’t think this area of the shield world has been visited before.

Above the Forerunner structure and the surrounding area, slip space ruptures appear in the sky. The Song of Retribution, a Destroyer and several smaller cruisers exit and hang over the your location. The area below is too far down to drop, but there is a door in the cliff face you enter which leads to an elevator.
The elevator takes you down to ground level, where Covenant troops are waiting for you. After taking them out, you move outside in to the open area surrounding the Forerunner structure.
Covenant troops from the closest cruiser have deployed in to the area to stop you, including Ghosts, Wraiths and a few Banshees. There are lots of places to take cover and high jacking a vehicle isn’t difficult.
Once the area is clear of enemies there is a loud rumble, a large wave crashes against the shore line and a beam of light shines up from all of the structures surrounding the lake.

John:
Something’s happening over the lake.

Naomi sets a waypoint for the shore line. When you reach it, you can see the water level in the lake dropping to reveal a large metal bowl shape with another structure constructing itself, rising from the bottom.
The light beams from the surrounding structures angle down towards the center structure which begins to glow a bright blue colour, as high winds pick up and start swirling around the center, ripping off chunks of rock from the shore line.
The center structure pulses and fires a blinding light in to the sky, sending your visor white, even if your not looking in that direction. When you regain your vision, a large portal has opened up over the centre structure.

John:
A portal. We’re running out of time. Contact Infinity, get them here asap.

Naomi:
Spartan zero-one-zero to Infinity, if you can hear this we need assistance. Our location is unknown, but there is a giant blue ball hanging over us.

Naomi:
(After a moment) No reply, what now?

John:
We get inside that structure and stop them from leaving.

As you climb the ramp up to the structure, one of the smaller cruiser moves in closer and activates it’s gravity beam.
The inside of the structure isn’t big, only a few rooms filled with troops for you to dispatch. Once clear you reach a door leading in to the final room.

-Start Cutscene-

John and Naomi run in to the room, which looks to be a control room of some kind. Resting on top of the control panels is a data pad, Halsey’s. Chief walks up to it, taking it in his hand.

Naomi:
What does it say?

The data pad is blank except a single message in the middle of the screen.
“I’m sorry”
Chief looks up and out of the large glass window at the front of the room. Halsey and Jul stand on a balcony extending from the front of the structure. They step in to the gravity beam and rise in to the cruiser.
All the Covenant ships begin to move off towards and in to the portal, first Jul and Halsey’s ship, followed by the lager two and finally the other small cruisers. As the final ship is about to enter, it is stuck by a MAC blast which cripples it’s tail end, sending it spiralling out of control, but still through the portal.
Infinity has arrived.
John and Naomi run out on to the balcony and jump in to the back of a Pelican that has dropped in to pick them up. As the Chief jumps in, he bangs the side off the hatch twice. The Pelican shoots up in to the air and in to the hanger bays of Infinity.
On the bridge, Lasky is hunched over the holo-deck in the middle of the room.

Infinity Crewman:
Captain, the Spartans are aboard.

Lasky:
Good, punch it. Follow those ships.

Infinity Crewman:
Aye, Sir.

Infinity’s engines fire, sending her rocketing towards the portal. Out of the forward viewing area, the black centre of the portal grows until it fill the entire window. The ships shuddered as it passes through the high winds surrounding the portal.

Palmer:
Hold on!

As quickly as the shaking started, it stops and the front window fills with stars. Lasky steps away from the holo-deck and up to the window. Heavy boots can be heard in the distance getting louder.

Lasky:
Roland, report. What happened to the ships?

Roland:
Slip space signatures detected, they must have jumped again when they arrived.

Palmer:
They know they’re no match for Infinity.

Lasky:
Where are we?

Out of the front window there is a large Forerunner installation. It looks like a giant starfish with a small rocky planet floating in it’s center. Most of the surface is a mixture of greens and blues, however the area around the center is charred black and brown. Two of the eight arms look to be under construction, their surface a mixture of greys and oranges, while another two of the arms are detached and are floating close by.

John:
The Ark. I’ve been here before.

Lasky:
Installation zero-zero. But I thought that the Ark was used to fire the Halo rings. Is that why they’re here?

Palmer:
Everything she’s done, I wouldn’t put it past her.

John:
Excuse me? Without Doctor Halsey’s work, the Human race would have been destroyed when the Covenant invaded.

Palmer:
She’s working Jul 'Mdama. She’s a traitor and you know it!

John:
Is that why you tried to kill her!

Naomi:
Enough! (Stepping between the two Spartans) We need to focus.

John:
(Giving Palmer an extended stare) She’s here, for the Absolute Record.

Roland:
This place is one-hundred thousand miles across, easy. It’ll take us days to search for it, and we don’t even know what ‘it’ even is.

John:
I have an idea.

-End Cutscene-

12

Mission IV – Absolute Record

Rally Point Alpha

The scene opens with two Pelicans moving fast and low over a body of water, jets of mist shooting up as they pass. The camera follows the Pelicans as the water drops away over a water fall, and the drop ships slow down as they approach the front of a large temple like structure. The craft move in through the opening at the front of the building, turn and drop their hatches as they hover over two horned shaped platforms arching around in a circle.
John and Naomi step out of one, while Lasky and Palmer step out of the other.

Lasky:
So this is the Cartographer?

John:
Yes. We used it to locate Truth, and the Covenant. Each installation has one, or more than one, I’m not certain.

Lasky:
And you think we can use it to find the Absolute Record?

John:
If the Absolute Record is on the Ark, then this map will show us.

Chief presses the console. A large wire model of the Ark appears in front of them, mostly made of blue light, but some areas are shaded red and pulsate, obviously showing damaged or sections undergoing repair. A small flashing light on the map indicates the Cartographer.

John:
There, that’s us. Cartographer, show me the Absolute Record.

The map swivels so that the arm containing the Record is closest to the console, a second light appearing.

John:
There.

Lasky:
Roland, are you getting this.

Roland:
Every last morsel, it’s delicious.

Palmer:
Can we get a more detailed view?

Without warning, the map zooms in closer to the Record. A mountainous area with a glacier running close by.

Roland:
Scanning the location with Infinity. (After a moment) We’ve got several AA towers in place. We’ll need to take them out before we can launch an attack.

Naomi:
Send us in, we can go in quick and quiet, punch a hole for you to drop of resupply.

John:
She’s right, it’s our best shot.

Lasky:
Very well. Roland prep a Pelican for the Chief, heavy weapons. We’ll be back in twenty.

-End Cutscene-

No Silver Medal

You take control of the Chief in the back of a Pelican, you can look around and see Naomi sitting opposite you (and two other Spartan IVs if playing with 4 people). Out of the back hatch you can see the craft moving over snowy mountains eventually coming to a stop by a rocky outcrop.

Pilot:
This is a close as I can get you, those AA towers would bat me out of the sky.

Naomi:
This’ll do just fine. Come on Chief, lets move.

You jump out of the craft and on to the snow. The Pelican move off to reveal a grand vista before you. You are quite far along one of the Ark’s arms, so you can see a lot if the Installation curving up in front of you. You can also clearly make out the areas that are damaged.
Pieces of Alpha Halo B are scattered across the surface, some looking like natural flat topped mesas with metal sides, while some haven’t blended at all with the environment and stick out like sore thumbs. Strato-sentinels making repairs in the distance.
(If anything, this level is a homage to the level Assault on the Control Room, borrowing similar map designs and environments.)
You start with a Sniper rifle and a Rail gun, and make your way down the cliff side path around the mountain. You pass round in to a gorge area with a cliff edge on the other side and a bridge at the far end.

Naomi:
Covenant on the far side, take them out.

You continue to move down your side of the cliff, encountering enemies on your side too, until you reach the bridge crossing the other side. Once there, a door takes you inside the cliff face where you move through several rooms and corridors before exiting on the other side of the cliff.

John:
There, the other side of the glacier.

Naomi:
The AA tower. Should be easy enough.

At the far side of the glacier sits a Covenant AA tower. The glacier is about three-hundred meters across, and for the first third you make your way across the top of the glacier, but then you are forced to drop down in to the cracks. Below the surface is very reminiscent of the final mission from Reach where you fight the drones. The walls a very rounded and worn away and there a several spots where the ground is missing at the far bottom is running water. You can also hear groaning crunching noises as the glacier shifts slightly.

Naomi:
Grab a close quarters weapon, its pretty tight down here. And watch your step.

You round a corner to see a grunt fumbling with a plasma grenade, which detonates in his hands. The resulting explosion shatters some of the ice floor, forcing you to choose another path over the ice. Similar to some of the glass from previous games, certain sections of ice can be shattered when shot or in close proximity to an explosion. You can use this to your advantage, but watch out when you jump as landing on it will cause it to give way.

Lasky:
Infinity to Master Chief, progress report.

John:
We are closing in on the anti-air tower. I’ll radio in when its clear to make your approach.

When you emerge from the ice, you are in an open area containing a Wraith protecting the AA tower. There is also a steep gourge leading away from the area towards the Absolute Record. The AA tower is a mixture of the Halo 3 and Reach towers, with an inside area containing a core for you to destroy, but the gun itself has two cannons that fire alternately from one another. Once the tower is destroyed, the area is clear for resupply.

John:
Spartan one-one-seven to Infinity, anti-air is down. Location is ready for drop off.

From around the corner, four Pelicans approach carrying vehicles. Two of them have Scorpion tanks, while the other two have Snow-Hogs (Warthogs with tank tracks), one fitted with a Gauss Cannon and the other with rockets.

Palmer:
Christmas has come early.

Naomi:
Thanks for the new toys.

Palmer:
The Warthogs are optimised for use on the arctic terrain. Fireteams Wolf and Sword will be joining you. Good hunting Spartans.

13

Mission IV – Absolute Record

Rally Point Bravo

What the ladies like

From here, you are given the option to drive either a Scorpion or a Warthog, Wolf and Sword will grab what you don’t. You first have to make your way down a steep sided gorge, similar to Uprising in Halo 2. Along the way, you encounter other Covenant vehicles like Ghosts and Wraiths, but there are also watch towers and Phantoms that drop troops in.
Before too long, you reach a point where the gorge is too narrow to move down, and a little further on it’s blocked anyway. However there is a multi-story door in the cliff face that you can access.

Naomi:
Chief, you’ll have to get the door to keep moving.

John:
On it.

The door opens in four sections, with smaller parts moving over the top of them. Beyond is a walled tunnel with several turns and filled with infantry. You exit the tunnel in to a huge ice cavern with stalagmites and stalactites, some joining, other not. Like the Halo 2 map, Waterworks, if you shoot the stalactites with a strong enough weapon, they will fall and do massive damage to whoever it lands on. There are multiple Wraiths in this area.
At the far end, there is another chasm.

Naomi:
They have deactivated the bridge from the far side. We’ll need to fine another way across to get it back online.

Across from the main area is a stalactite that has fallen and bridges the gap. You precariously make your way across before dispatching ground troops on the other side, and reactivating the light bridge.

John:
Bridge online.
Naomi:
Everybody, keep moving!

Numerous Spartan IVs:
Yes, Ma’am.

You cross the bridge to get your ride back and join the rest of the Spartan IVs as they make their way to the other side.
There is another tunnel which brings you out at the lake end of a space similar to Valhalla, only the lake is a cliff edge and there are no Forerunner towers.

John:
Second AA tower in sight.

In the centre of this section sits another AA tower for you to destroy. Like Reach, you can either stand back and pepper it with gunfire until it explodes, or you can fight your way up to it and take out the plasma core inside.
Once the tower is down, another Pelican swoops in from the cliff end of the area.

Palmer:
Looks like you could youse some resupply, Spartans.

The Pelican drops of another tank and Fireteam Rhino.
At the far end of the area, there is another door for you to activate and open.
This tunnel leads to another large cavern with no bottom. if you look down you can see the foundations of the Ark, made up of long metallic beams and segmented square tiles. Crossing the expanse is a bridge much like the one from the Halo PC map Gephyrophobia. Also, like the map, there are enemies on the far ledges with Shade turrets that you can take out before they kill you.
The door at the far end opens you out in to a large open area with a very grand temple like entrance at the far end.

Roland:
By the looks of it, I think you’ve reached the entrance.

Naomi:
What? By how pretty the entrance is, or by the sheer mass of Covenant artillery they have outside.

There is a third AA tower accompanied by a Scarab tank at the far end of the area, with the space in between you and them littered with troops. To take out the Scarab from the ground, you have to disable its legs like in Halo 3, then board it and destroy the power cell inside, although the design of the Scarab is slightly different.
Alternatively, you can climb to the upper levels of the AA tower and jump onto it from there. After the area is clear,

John:
Last ant-air tower down.

Lasky:
Good, time to move in to the structure.

The console rests in the center of the door. When you activate it, it flashes red and makes a clunking noise, but then nothing happens.

John:
They must have locked it down from the inside.

Lasky:
We’ll take care of that. Spartans, move to a safe distance.

In the sky above you, Infinity moves in to view, her port side facing the entrance.

Lasky:
Weapons free!

You hear a MAC warming up right before the entrance explodes in a cloud of snow, smoke and debris.

Lasky:
Doors open.

You move in to the entrance hall. It had been filled with Covenant troops with Wraiths and Ghosts ready to stop you if you managed to open the door, but now all that is left is a charred hallway filled with dead bodies and rubble. At the far end of the hall is a smaller door.
You enter in to the next room as the door closes behind you.

14

Mission IV – Absolute Record

Rally Point Charlie

The Reveal

As the door closes behind you, you are prompted to open the one in front. This leads in to an enormous hall, similar to the one before the end of Requiem in Halo 4. The walls are lined with statues of Forerunners, some you recognise such as the Didact, Librarian and Faber, but others you do not. Floating high in the air is a replica of the Forerunner capital (Interesting Concept). The capital is in it’s open position unless you look directly at it, then it will curl up in to its spherical shape.
The far end of the hall widens and comes to an end in a cylindrical shape with a circular platform in the center. The platform is made up of several pieces forming the common Forerunner symbol.

John:
Elevator, come on.

When you step on the platform there is a low buffering sound, and then the elevator starts descending in to the shaft. Before you reach the bottom, the shaft opens up in to a large sphere, four-hundred meters across. The elevator stops at a walkway which runs around the equator of the sphere, with four bridges extending to the center where a second sphere sits, about one-hundred meters wide.
The outer walls are a dark grey with veins of blue lights running over them.

Naomi:
There! Doctor Halsey.

Reaching the far end of the bridge are Halsey and Jul, reaching the door in to the central sphere.
As you approach the bridge in front of you, it breaks apart in to large fifty meter sections which methodically fly around the room and stop in a rearranged position.

John:
This way.

You fight your way around the equator of the outer sphere until you reach the new position of the bridge. As you cross the first quarter of bridge, it disassembles again and begins to move.

Naomi:
Hold on!

As the section moves through the air it tilts on an axis, however, artificial gravity keeps you firmly on the surface, making it look like the room is turning.
When it comes to rest, in another new position, you are able to reach the second section of bridge, with more Covenant to fight. Once you reach the second section, the bridges move again.
This time as you move through the air, another section joins you.

Naomi:
Quick, to the next section before it splits.

The pieces do indeed split when you reach the second, before moving to form solid bridges again. As you cross on to the final piece, it rotates around the central sphere to the reverse side from the door.
You make your way around to the ‘front’ of the sphere where the door is and step inside.

-Start Cutscene-

The two Spartans come running in to the central room. The floor is made from black tiles, and the wall don’t appear to exist at all, in fact the inside dome of the sphere looks like the view of space. In the middle of the room is a raised platform with a pedestal, a hologram of the galaxy floating above it. Jul turns to see the Spartans.

Jul:
(subtitles) Guards!

Before Jul can close his mouth, Halsey turns on the spot, swinging her artificial arm. A hardlight shield materialises and bats Jul of the center platform and on to the floor below. As he tries to get up, John runs up to him and boots him up side the head, knocking him out cold.

Naomi:
Cabarets over Doctor Halsey.

Halsey:
Are you here to execute me like the last Spartan, Naomi?

Naomi:
No, Ma’am, we’re here to rescue you. We’ll see that you get a fair trial back on Infinity.

Halsey:
Trial? Everything I have done is for the betterment of Humanity.

Naomi:
Does that include the raid in Sydney ? Good men lost their lives in the attack.

Halsey:
You think that was my plan? I could plan an Op better than a simple smash and grab. Besides you should take a look at yourself, I know all about Margret, Serin and Kilo-five.

John:
This is not the time!

Halsey:
No, it isn’t.

Halsey inserts the Janus key in to the pedestal. The room hums as it warms up. Veins of light flow down the platform and across the room, but before they reach the walls they stop and retract back to the pedestal. The humming stops.

Halsey:
I…don’t…think…

Without warning, the room tilts, causing everyone to topple over and slide toward the exit. Before they reach it, two arches raise from the floor in front to the door and a slip space portal opens up, swallowing John, Naomi, Halsey and the unconscious Jul.

Continues on next post.

15

A slip space portal opens over a platform and the four of them drop out in to a heap on the floor. The room is dark with the only light coming from the end of the walkway.

John:
Everyone OK?

Naomi:
Good here. Halsey?

Halsey:
Never been better. (Noticing John is staring at the far end of the walkway.) What is it John?

John:
The Didact.

At the far end of the walkway, silhouetted by the light, the Didact turn to face them. John fires a round at him, but the bullet passes straight through, just a hologram. The walkway lights up enough to see it, but not enough to light the room.

Didact:
Ah Reclaimer, so considerate that you should join us.

John:
I killed you, at Earth.

Didact:
And yet here I remain. I am no mere primitive beast Reclaimer, you will have to try harder than that if you wish to defeat me. And without your precious ancilla, you would be doomed to fail.

John:
You daren’t fight me in person, you coward.

Didact:
How foolish to dare face you in flesh and risk contamination of my superior form.

Halsey:
Contamination?

Flood:
Screech/whale

Didact:
Bare whiteness to the final act of my revenge. Humanity spreads across the galaxy like a foul disease. I call upon another to put an end to your actuality.

Gravemind:
(Revealing himself in the light) Humanity, filled with anger and hate. Join us in sublime existence, this will be your fate.

John:
(Turning to Halsey) Doctor, get us out of here.

Halsey:
Working on it (accessing a console close by).

John:
(Turning back to the Didact) What about your Mantle of Responsibility?

Didact:
The mantle shelters all who conform to it’s convention. Humanity has long since shown disregard for such beliefs. You continue to consume while failing to protect. You must be eradicated.

Halsey:
Got it!

A portal opens up behind them. Naomi grabs Jul and drags him through. Halsey steps up the portal before turning to see John, still facing the Didact.

Didact:
You rather run insead of facing your enemy. Who is the coward now?

Halsey:
John, come on!

The Chief steals himself from the Didact’s attention and joins Halsey as they jump through the portal, emerging on the other side with Naomi on top of a rocky mesa.

John:
Spartan one-one-seven to Infinity, do you read?

Lasky:
Chief, what happened, we lost you there.

John:
We have the doctor and need extraction.

Lasky:
What’s your location?

Naomi:
(Fiddling with device) Activating distress beacon.

Lasky:
Received. Pelicans will be with you shortly.

Fade to black

16

Mission V – Infinity Actual

Rally Point Alpha

A Pelican swoops in to the hanger bay of Infinity. It turns so that it’s rear hatch faces the Lasky, Palmer and Majestic who are stood waiting. The drop ship touches down and the hatch opens. Down the ramp walks the Chief, winged by Halsey and Naomi, who has Jul’s hands cuffed behind him.

Lasky:
Well this is…interesting.

Palmer:
Jul 'Mdama, welcome aboard. Doctor Halsey, not so welcome. I’d carry out my orders right here if I didn’t think it would start a fight.

Lasky:
Sarah!

Palmer:
Take the prisoners to the brig, separate cells.

John:
(Stepping in front of Halsey) I don’t think so.

Halsey:
No John, it’ll be fine, trust me.

Halsey steps of the ramp and lets herself be taken by Palmer.

Naomi:
(At Jul) Come on big guy, lets show you a little good old fashioned Nishum hospitality (She Jokes).

Jul:
(Subtitles) I will have your heads for this.

John:
(At Lasky) Sir, we have a problem.

On Infinity’s bridge Lasky, Naomi and the Master Chief surround the holo-deck, looking at scans of the Ark.

Lasky:
So your saying that somewhere below the surface of the Ark, there’s a Gravemind?

John:
Yes. I assumed I’d killed it when we fired the Halo. The ring destroyed itself and caused all the damage to the Ark.
But the Gravemind managed to survive High Charity’s destruction before that, so I shouldn’t have been so confident.

Roland:
If anyone is the expert here, you are Chief. Any suggestions on our next move?

John:
The Didact means to unleash the Flood on Humanity. Currently he’s grounded on the surface, so he’ll be looking to acquire a ship.

Down in the hanger, a marine is looking out of the opening at two incoming Pelicans in the distance.

Marine:
Oscar two-seven-two and Lima zero-one-five, you are clear to dock.

John:
(On the bridge) From there, he’ll need to get back to the rest of the galaxy. The portal back to Trevelyan is still open, we’ll need to shut it down.

Lasky:
I’ll contact ONI, have them shut it off at their end.

Marine:
(In hanger) Birds you are comin’ in a little hot, slow your approach.

John:
(On the bridge) We should also make sure we can close it from our end if they fail. Have we found Jul’s ships?

Roland:
Still searching.

Marine:
(In the hanger) Pelicans, you are way too hot. Abort, say again, abort!

John:
(On the bridge) Good, the sooner we find them, the sooner we can destroy them.

Marine:
(In the hanger) Clear the hanger! Brace for impact!

The Pelicans sweep in to the hanger, crashing in to the back wall.

Roland:
Sir, two Pelicans just crashed in the hanger bays. I’m seeing unknown contacts.

Lasky:
Roland, get all available units down there now, stop them before they get further in to the ship.

Chief, Naomi and Palmer make for the exit of the bridge, the door closing behind them.

-End Cutscene-

Women and children first

Palmer:
Come on, tram systems this way.

Sarah Palmer joins you as an NPC for the beginning of this mission.
You make your way down several corridors, not containing enemies but crewmembers rushing to their stations.
There is a loud rumble that shakes the ship.

Lasky:
Roland, damage report.

Roland:
Atrium’s been breached, through the dome. Their steeling our own birds from the hangers to reach different parts of the ship.

Lasky:
Chief, how soon can you be there?

John:
Almost at the trams.

You reach the station where several trams are waiting. Palmer hops in to one, indicating which tram will take you to the atrium. As soon as you get in, the doors close and the tram shoots off down the track.

Palmer:
Roland, has the dome been sealed yet?

Roland:
No ma’am, blast doors are jammed. It looks like you might have to free them manually.

Naomi:
Oh, great.

The tram comes to a stop and the doors open for you to exit. A quick walk down the corridor and you come to the atrium, a large cylindrical room about two-hundred meters across. The floor of the room is designed like a woodland park with grassy areas, rolling mounds, trees and shrubs, with pathways working their way through. There are several balcony levels on the walls of the atrium with a transparent metal dome covering the roof (see Thursday War, p361).
There is a gapping hole in the dome where a Pelican has crashed through, parts of which are stopping the blast shields from closing (the atmosphere hasn’t vented, as Infinity is still in the Ark’s atmosphere).
You must fight your way through the park area, where you encounter many Flood forms including the Infection, Carrier and the Spartan IV Flood forms.

Palmer:
We need to get to the far side. From there we can start working our way up to the roof.

In the midst of every thing, there are crewmembers running and screaming as they are chased down my the Flood. When you finally get to the balcony levels where you can start making your way up. After three levels you find an elevator that can take you the rest of the way. At the top you exit in to a room filled with Flood feeding on dead bodies, who quickly turn and attack you.
Once the room is clear, Palmer moves over to a console on the wall.

Palmer:
I’m going to try and overload the hydraulics, force the shields to close.

There’s a groaning sound as the blast doors try to close with the Pelican debris in the way.

Palmer:
No use. Chief, try dislodging the debris with a Rail gun.

You grab a Rail gun and fire at the Pelican scrap hanging from the roof. After a couple of shots, the doors are able to close.

17

Mission V – Infinity Actual

Rally Point Bravo

The Cole Protocol

John:
Lasky, blast doors are closed.

Lasky:
Excellent. Now get down to the hangers-

Roland:
Belay that, hangers are overrun. Sir I’ve getting confirmed contacts all over the ship.

Lasky:
Damn. (After a moment) Right, evacuate the ship. Tell all life boats to wait as long as they can for evacuees, but as soon as Flood forms are spotted, launch. Same with the Frigates. Palmer, head to the brig and retrieve our guests.

Palmer:
Aye, Sir.

Lasky:
Chief, you and Naomi head down to engineering and extract Roland, where not leaving him behind. From there you can also enact the Cole Protocol.

Naomi:
Orders received.

In a quick time event, the Chief drops to his knees. All you can see in the deck, your vision tunnelling and turning green.

Gravemind:
Arrrrrrrrrgh! This ship will be mine!

Naomi:
Chief, what’s wrong?

The QTE’s over and the Chief returns to his feet, the player regaining control.

John:
We have to destroy the ship!

Palmer:
One step at a time Chief, lets get everybody off Infinity first.

John:
Right.

You make your way down the corridor away from the balcony, to another tram station while fending off Flood forms, where you run into Majestic.

DeMarco:
Spartans, nice of you to join us.

Palmer:
Can it, DeMarco! (At the Chief)That tram will take you to engineering (pointing). Majestic, your coming with me to fetch Jul and the Doctor. We’ll regroup at the Frigate Damocles.

You hop in to the tram and it speeds down the track. You get most of the way before the tram car drops off it’s tracks and grinds to a halt. You are prompted to release the front end hatch and walk down the track to the next exit.
The track is poorly lit and you encounter several waves of Infection forms. Upon exiting the track and traversing a few corridors filled with Flood, you find yourself on S-deck, specifically the main hall where the Spartans suit up. The place is overrun and several fires have broken out causing you to pick different ways through.
When you reach the far end, there is an open elevator shaft leading down to engineering, with the actual lift stopped at the floor below. You jump down on to the roof of the lift.

Naomi:
Shoot the cable, and we’ll ride this thing down to engineering.

John:
You sure?

Naomi:
John, you survived re-entry down to earth, this should be a piece of cake.

You shoot the cable and the elevator drops, allowing you jump height to increase. When you smash in to the bottom you are forced in to a crouch and your shields are depleted. From here you work your way through another series of corridors to reach the server room where there are several data banks lined up.

Roland:
There at the far end. You can transfer me on to a chip from there.

Naomi reaches for the console and transfers Roland to a detachable chip. She then pulls the chip out and reaches for the back of her head.

Naomi:
Mind if I?

Roland:
Go right ahead, literally.

Naomi secures Roland in her AI port.

Naomi:
Cole Protocol is in effect, I’ve also rigged the cores to blow once we exit. I’d like to see the Flood try to access them then.

John:
Don’t joke, the Flood are more capable than we know.

After you exit the room, the door closes behind you and the ship shakes.
You make your way through a few more corridors until you reach another elevator that will take you to the Frigate launch bay chamber. You arrive just in time to see one detonate from within, sending flames from it’s cracked hull as it drops out of the chamber.

John:
There’s the Damocles.

Roland:
(Marking a waypoint) Access is this way.

There are several catwalks that circulate the Frigates on various levels connected by ramps. You work your way up to reach the main entrance to the Damocles to start the final cutscene.

Continues on next post.

18

-Start Cutscene-

Palmer and Majestic reach the outside of Halsey’s cell and blast away a Flood form that was trying to get inside. She opens it to find Halsey ready and waiting.

Halsey:
Are you going to accuse me of instigating this invasion?

Palmer:
Oddly, no. Not this time.

Halsey:
But the thought had crossed your mind.

Palmer:
Maybe a little.

Halsey chuckles as she exits the cell. DeMarco opens Jul’s cell.

DeMarco:
Hey you, time to go.

Jul:
I do not require you help maggot!

DeMarco:
Fine, stay here then.

Jul grumbles as he reluctantly gets up and exits the cell.

Demarco:
At a boy, bargaining chips tend to loose the value when they’re dead.

With Jul and Halsey in tow, they all start running down the hallway to the Damocles.
Down in the launch chamber, Lasky arrives with several crewmembers.

Lasky:
(At the Crew) Get inside and ready to launch. Chief, have Palmer and Halsey arrived?

John:
Not yet. Wait, there!

Across the chamber, Palmer and the others emerge from one of the corridors and rush for the catwalk leading to the Frigate. Palmer stops to usher everybody across before her.

Palmer:
Everybody, move!

First Halsey and Throne, then Jul, Grant, Madsen and Hoya. Palmer looks back to see a massive Tank form burst through the door smashing Paul DeMarco against the wall.

Palmer:
DeMarco!

Landing on the floor, the Tank form trys to stomp on him but he just manages to roll out of the way, using his energy sword to cut it’s leg, causing it to fall. Before his has a chance to get up, a Spartan IV form leaps on to him driving its barbed limb in to his stomach.

DeMarco:
Arrrrgh!

Palmer:
No!

She fires her Magnums, peppering its face with bullets, but its too late. DeMarco’s arm falls to the deck and his sword deactivates. Madsen begins to bun back across the catwalk, but the Chief grabs him right before a chunk of flaming debris comes crashing through it, cutting them off from Infinity.

John:
Everyone get inside now, We’re leaving. Spartan Palmer, you’ll have to jump.

She thinks about it for a second before stepping back to get a run up. As more Flood enter the catwalks she guns it, leaping in to the air and across the gap. But its not enough, and she falls short, plummeting to the bottom of the chamber.

Lasky:
Sarah!

As she falls, Halsey materialises next to her grabbing on. The next thing you see is the two of them landing on the Damocles side of the catwalk in a heap near all the others. The two of them are helped up, Palmer looking at Halsey in surprise.

Palmer:
Thanks. I owe you one.

Halsey:
Two actually (looking down at her artificial arm).

Lasky:
(At Damocles crew) Launch the Frigate.

The last of them run inside as the hatch closes. The Frigate is released and falls out of the belly of Infinity. The neighbouring Frigate explodes causing the Damocles to drift to the side, crashing through most of the catwalks on its way out. The Damocles begins to level out and fly off away from it’s mother ship. Inside, Chief and the rest of the survivors are running down a corridor of the Frigate.

Roland:
Get ready for fireworks, a little going away present.

On the port side of Infinity, where her name is painted on the ship, a huge explosion erupts, strong enough to knock the ship in to a list. As the blast clears, Infinity is now seen to be loosing altitude.

Damocles Crewmember:
They’ve got target lock, MAC rounds! Brace for impact!

Infinity scores a direct hit on the starboard side of the Damocles, tarring a massive hole in her side.

Damocles Crewmember:
Direct hit, we’re going down!

In a section of the Frigate, now only containing the Chief and Naomi, the side wall of the corridor is ripped off with the explosion. Naomi manages to grab on to the edge of the hole with one hand while grabbing John’s with the other.

John:
Naomi!

The Master Chief’s hand slips and he is flung out of the ship. The camera follows him as he tumbles through the sky. He fires his thrusters to steady his spin, just in time to see the ground coming up, fast.

Cortana:
(Echo) Was I wrong?

He slams in to the ground, the screen going black.

19

Mission VI – Atonement

Rally Point Alpha

The screen fades from white.
The Chief stands alone in the desert (the same as in the Halo 5 trailer), looking around as if surprised to be there. The edges of the screen are faded, implying a vision or dream state.

Cortana:
(Each line by Cortana is actually a line from a previous game.) Chief? (Halo 2)

The Chief turns quickly to spot a glowing blue orb floating towards him. As it gets closer it grows and morphs in to the shape of Cortana. Even though her voice is at times erratic, her body remains calm.

John:
Cortana? How are you…?

Cortana:
Chief, we don’t have much time! (Halo 2)

John:
The Gravemind, it has Infinity.

Cortana:
I know. (Halo 4)
There’s a solution; a way to stop the Flood- (Halo 3)

John:
The Halo.

Cortana:
-without firing the remaining Halo rings. (Halo 3)

John:
Then what? How do I stop it?

Cortana:
(Voice of ONI Recon 111) There’s something in the crater, Ma’am. Something beneath the storm. (Pointing out across the desert)

John:
In the desert? What exactly am I looking for?

Cortana:
(Voice of 343 Guilty Spark) A construct? In the core?!

John:
An AI, a Forerunner AI?

Cortana:
(A mix of Cortana and a deep booming voice) A monument to your sins. (Halo 3)
Ah, now, I see. There’s a submerged section. (Halo 2)
(Voice of the Arbiter) Kill me or release me!

John:
What’s going on?

Cortana:
I just want to help you please! (Halo 4)
There’s no time. Get out of here / before it’s too late! (Halo CE)

John:
Understood. (After a moment) Can you stay?

Cortana:
No human life-signs detected. (Halo CE)
Chief… I’m so sorry. (Halo 3)
I’ve got a friendly contact! (Halo 3)
Warning! Threat level increasing! (Halo CE)
(Voice of Naomi) Chief, is that you?

The screen fades to white and then back again.
Naomi jumps out of a warthog and runs over to the Chief who is laying unconscious in a small crater in the sand.

Naomi:
Make some noise Chief!

John:
(Waking up) Urgh…I’ve fallen further.

Namoi:
I’ll bet. Your armour’s pretty beat up. (Helping him up)

John:
(Spotting bio-foam on Naomi’s torso) Naomi, your hurt.

Naomi:
(Covering it up) You think your landing was bad?

John:
Hmmm, what’s our situation?

They both start walking toward the warthog.

Naomi:
The Damocles is in bad shape. She slapped down about twenty clicks east of here. Infinity too, but we’re still scanning for a crash site. There’s an encrypted distress signal being sent out to all surviving life pods to rendezvous at the frigate. All hands on deck getting her air born, but it may bee a while.

John:
Good. We’re not heading strait back.

Naomi:
And that’s because…?

John:
There’s something out here, buried in the desert. It wants to help us.

Naomi:
Well right now we could use all the help we can get. (Spotting a small sand storm) Look out!

Naomi’s shield flairs as the sand bounces off of it, but the Chief’s doesn’t charge and the sand grates on his armour, dropping to one knee. When the sand stops, he stands, dusting himself off.

John:
My shield’s out.

Naomi:
Well this is the third time you’ve tried skydiving in it. Here. (Throwing him some rags) Should help stop the silica from getting in the cracks.

John:
Thanks.

-End Cutscene-

There is nothing in the desert, and no man needs nothing.

During the course of this mission, you will have no shields, your visor is cracked in the far right side and every so often your HUD flickers out and comes back.
You jump in to the warthog and start driving. If there are four players, then there are two warthogs.

Naomi:
I’m reading two lifeboats and a downed Pelican in this area. Marking waypoints for you now.

Much like the New Alexandria mission from Reach, you can choose which order you visit each objective. The area in between each is a mix of rolling sand dunes and jagged rocky outcroppings. Every couple of minutes a quick sand storm rushes through the area, reducing visibility drastically, but it only lasts about 30 seconds or so.

The first lifeboat you can find is at the bottom of a small ravine in the rocks. From the edge of the cliffs you can see several survivors fending off multiple Flood forms. There is no direct route down to the bottom, and too far to jump, you have to find another way to the bottom.
Regardless of how fast you make it down, by the time you get there only one marine remains, resting against the side of the lifeboat, holding his stomach with one hand while waving a Magnum in the other.

Crazy Marine:
Get away from me! I’ll shoot. Don’t come any closer, I’ll do it!

Naomi:
We’re not Flood, we’re Human. Come on we need to get you to safety.

Crazy Marine:
NO! Your one of them! You’ll try to eat me like the others! Oh God, Simmons, the LT, it got them all, YOU got them all!

He starts screaming and mumbling to himself. If you get close he will start to shoot you, too close and he will turn the gun on himself.

Crazy Marine:
NOT ME! (Spraying himself across the lifeboat)

Naomi:
Damn.

John:
No survivors, lets keep moving.

You make your way back out of the ravine and to the next objective.
The second lifeboat is on the side of a large sand dune, with four surviving Spartan IVs holding the high ground on top, several Flood forms trying to reach them. You take them out and get to the top.

Continues on next post.

20

Spartan IV One:
Man, you’re a sight for sore eyes.

John:
Status?

Spartan IV Two:
We came in hard but no casualties. Didn’t take long for these freaks to find us though.

Naomi:
Good job Spartans.

Spartan IV Three:
Sand storm, five o’clock!

With that, the storm engulfs the sand dune, reducing your visibility. You hear Flood cries and your motion tracker goes crazy. Several Flood forms rush at you from the sand cloud. As you take out the last of them, the sand clears.

Naomi:
Spartans, head east to the Damocles. Its a trek but keep pinging them, someone might come to get you.

Spartan IV Two:
Yes Ma’am.

You keep moving to the third objective, a crashed pelican in a stretch of open desert. There doesn’t look to be any survivors but there are plenty Flood forms stood around it, banging on the sides trying to get in.
As you kill them off, more arrive for you to dispatch. After a couple of waves and another sand storm, the coast is clear.

John:
This is Spartan one-one-seven, does anybody inside? (Banging twice)

Maine One:
(After a moment) We copy, back away from the door.

The hatch drops to the sand revealing the occupants, two marines and three scientists.

Scientist One:
Are they gone?

Naomi:
Yeah, all clear outside.

Marine Two:
Did anyone else make it?

Naomi:
The frigate Damocles, east, twenty clicks or so.

Scientist One:
What about an evac?

Naomi:
We’re kind of in a tight spot if you haven’t realised.

Marine One:
(Stood next to an upturned Troop-hog) Chief, help get this hog on its wheels, maybe we can use it.

When you flip the warthog, the survivors climb aboard.

Naomi:
Keep to the open areas, and your foot down.

Scientist Two:
Thanks Spartans.

Once all three objectives have been reached, you get a fourth.

Naomi:
That’s odd, I’m picking up another signature. Marking it now.

Naomi puts another waypoint on your HUD, approximately two kilometres away. As you approach the waypoint, the area around you becomes more open and flat. You notice that there is nothing at the waypoint, only open desert. As you arrive at it, the screen fades to white.

-Start Cutscene-

The warthog comes to a stop and Chief jumps out.

Naomi:
There’s nothing here.

John:
No, there’s definitely something here.

Naomi hops out and follows the Chief. They notice several rocks in front of them begin to rise up from the sand, hover in the air a moment and then drop.

Naomi:
What the…?

Far out in front of them a jet of sand blasts in to the air, followed by several more jets running in lines away from the center. Just as the sand is settling, yo can see the ground in the center dropping like a sink hole. The hole expands, reaching as far as John and Naomi stood at the edge.
The sand appears to drop in to a large cavern. The sand drops on to a large structure in the middle and then drifts over the edges. As it settles, the Chief and Naomi get a good look at what waits inside.
At the very bottom of the cavern is a series of jetties and walkways all connecting to two large pillars that rise up from the floor. Floating in between the pillars is a giant egg shaped object about 200 meters long by 120 meters wide, with the narrow end pointing down. Much like the Didact’s cryptum, it is made of several pieces, with veins of orange lights running over it. There are also multiple light beams connecting it to the large pillars at either side.

Naomi:
What is that?

John:
(Stepping closer to the edge) I’m not sure, but it-

The ground under them both gives way, sending them sliding down the steep walls of the cavern. They come to a stop about half way down on a ridge line in the rock. Now that they closer, they get a good look under the egg structure.
There is a walkway that runs directly under the egg, with a hard light console and a hologram of this image rotating above it.
The Chief looks back up to the edge of the cavern, several Flood forms climbing over it’s edge.

John:
Come on, we need to get down there.

-End Cutscene-