LEVEL 08: "Delta Halo"
CHAPTER 01: "Delta Halo"
CINEMATIC
Scene opens with a huge white and purple explosion in space. A Covenant cruiser, a number of buildings from New Mombasa, and finally the In Amber Clad pour out of the explosion. Scene cuts to In Amber Clad's bridge. Commander Keyes almost falls off her chair due to sudden deceleration.
COMMANDER KEYES:
Report!
CREWMAN 1:
Both engine cores have spun to zero. We're drifting.
CREWMAN 2:
Archer pods are cold. I'll need to re-key the system.
COMMANDER KEYES:
Do it, and find out where we are.
(Launch bay with ODST pods lining the walls)
COMMANDER KEYES (COM):
Sorry for the quick jump, Sergeant. Are you still in one piece?
(Inside of launch pod. Sergeant Johnson holds a cigar)
SGT. JOHNSON:
I'm good. Chief?
(Inside of the Master Chief's pod)
CORTANA:
We're fine.
(IAC bridge)
CREWMAN 1:
Ma'am. there's an object. Coming into view now.
COMMANDER KEYES:
Cortana, what exactly am I looking at?
In space, a huge blue planet obscured by the buildings dominates the scene. As the IAC moves, the camera pans and shows a Halo.
CORTANA:
That... is another Halo.
(Launch bay)
SGT. JOHNSON:
(takes cigar out of mouth, coughs) Say WHAT?
(Bridge)
COMMANDER KEYES:
So this is what my father found.
(Camera view shows front viewscreen, the blue planet and Halo)
COMMANDER KEYES:
I thought Halo was some sort of super weapon.
CORTANA (COM):
It is. Once activated, this ring will cause destruction on a galactic scale.
(Cut to Master Chief's pod. He's looking at the viewscreen, showing the blue planet and Halo.)
COMMANDER KEYES (COM):
I want all the information you have on the first Halo. Schematics, topography, whatever.
(Bridge)
COMMANDER KEYES:
I don't care if I have the clearance or not.
CORTANA:
Yes, ma'am.
COMMANDER KEYES:
Where's our target?
CREWMAN 2:
The enemy ship is stopped just above the ring, ma'am. We're going to pass right over it.
COMMANDER KEYES:
Perfect.
(Cut to space. The planet and Halo are much closer now, and the IAC speeds toward them)
COMMANDER KEYES:
Given what we know about this ring, it's even more important that we capture the Prophet of Regret. Find out why he came to Earth, why he came here.
(Cut to Chief's pod again. He nods to confirm)
COMMANDER KEYES (COM):
Chief, take first platoon. Hard drop. Secure a landing zone.
(Johnson's pod)
COMMANDER KEYES (COM):
Sergeant, load up two flights of pelicans, and follow them in.
SGT. JOHNSON:
Aye aye, ma'am.
(Launch bay. Johnson gets out of pod, walks to Chief's pod, and bangs on it. Chief bangs back. COMMANDER KEYES continues talking)
COMMANDER KEYES:
Until I can move and fight, I'm going to keep a low profile. Once you leave the ship, you're on your own.
MASTER CHIEF:
Understood.
(Bridge)
CREWMAN 2:
Over the target in five...
(Cut to outer space. IAC is moving above Halo. Cut to chief's pod)
CORTANA:
Hang on to your helmet!
Launch bay shows pods being launched towards the surface. Outside shot shows IAC moving above Halo and dropping the pods, which rush past the camera. The camera chases a pod through Halo's atmosphere. The screen blanks. Pods can be seen cutting fiery swaths in the sky from Delta Halo, as they release their airbrakes, which soon snap loose.
CORTANA:
Mind the bump.
The Delta Halo surface. A Jackal and grunt are standing around near an old Forerunner ruin built into the side of a cliff. When they notice the ODSTs, the Jackal turns his shield on, and the grunt attempts to get into the turret...twice. He begins shooting at the drop pods, which crash precariously a few yards from the side of the cliff. The Chief emerges from one of them.
CORTANA:
Could we possibly make any more noise?
(The Chief hoists a rocket launcher on his shoulder)
CORTANA:
I guess so.
END CINEMATIC
CHAPTER 02: "Helljumpers"
CINEMATIC
MARINE 1:
Sir, we gotta neutralize those turrets!
(A battle ensues)
MARINE 2:
Clear this LZ, the Pelicans are right behind us!
(When you clear out the LZ, for the first time)
CORTANA:
Artillery disabled, sergeant. Landing zone secure, for the moment.
SGT. JOHNSON (COM):
I hear ya. Startin' our approach, hang tight.
CORTANA:
Easier said than done. Inbound Phantoms.
(After first is neutralized)
CORTANA:
Another Phantom, on approach!
(If you stray a bit)
CORTANA:
Hold here until the Pelican arrives, Chief.
(Once second dropship is eliminated)
CORTANA:
Here comes our ride.
SGT. JOHNSON (COM):
I got a good view comin' in. There's a big building in the middle of this island's lake.
CORTANA:
I saw it too. It looks like a temple. If I were a megalomaniac (and I'm not) that's where I'd be.
MARINE 3:
Saddle up, we're movin' out!
(If you and some marines get into a Warthog, while you're rounding the corner over the cliff with the jackal snipers)
MARINE 1:
Dear Sarge, kickin' ass in outer space, wish you were here.
SGT. JOHNSON (COM):
I heard that, jackass!
You come up to a huge structure, with a drawbridge-like mechanism, drawing up, effectively trapping you on this side of the adjacent canyon. On the other side, a Wraith or two awaits you.
CORTANA:
The Covenant have control of the bridge ahead. They're going to try and bottle us up on this side of the gorge. The controls to extend the bridge should be inside this structure.
MARINE 1:
Watch out Chief! Wraiths on the far side!
CORTANA:
Good, the bridge is down. Now about those Wraiths...
SGT. JOHNSON (COM):
Roger that, armour's on the way.
CORTANA:
...I've been listening... So far the commander's...
A Pelican drops in, and leaves you a tank.
(Should you choose not to use it)
CORTANA:
You don't want the tank? Ooookay. We'll leave it for the others.
You proceed to wipe out the Covenant on this part of the ring.
END CINEMATIC
CHAPTER 03: "You Break It, You Buy It"
CINEMATIC
(When you arrive at another structure with a ton of Covenant)
CORTANA:
Careful. We're coming up on another structure.
CORTANA:
They're all pouring out of the middle! Let's get in there!
(If you go around to the right side of the structure)
CORTANA:
Pelican inbound. Let's clear a landing zone.
The Pelican makes an armory drop.
(As you pass a Regret hologram)
CORTANA:
Transcendence huh? More like mass suicide.
(You fight through several more areas)
END CINEMATIC
CHAPTER 04: "Off The Rock, Through The Bush, Nothing But Jackal"
CINEMATIC
You arrive at the top of a waterfall with another large area below you.
CORTANA:
Good, still no word about In Amber Clad on the Covenant Battlenet. It's odd...the Covenant know we made landfall, but they don't seem to consider us a very serious threat. Boy, are they in for a big surprise. This tower cluster should connect to the structure further out in the lake. Let's get inside.
(When you enter the structure)
CORTANA:
Watch yourself! Honor Guards!
After you defeat the Honor Guards, the level ends.
END CINEMATIC
