Script Chapter 1
The Pillar of Autumn<
[Begin first cutscene]
[Initial shot of the Halo, Threshold is looming in the background. The camera pans up as the Halcyon-class Cruiser: Pillar Of Autumn, and several Bomber-craft fly overhead]
Captain Jacob Keyes: "Cortana, all I need to know is did we lose them?"
Cortana: "I think we both know the answer to that."
[Camera zooms into the bridge of the PoA, focusing on Keyes]
Keyes: *sigh*..."We made a blind jump, how did they-"
Cortana: "-Get here first? The Covenant ships have always been faster. As for tracking us all the way from Reach, at lightspeed my maneuvering options were limited."
Keyes: "We were running dark, yes?"
Cortana: "Until we decelerated. No-one could have missed the hole we tore in sub-space."
[Keyes leans over a crewman operating a control-panel and inspects a sceen while cupping his chin]
Cortana: "They were waiting for us on the far side of the planet."
Keyes: "So, where do we stand?"
Cortana: "Our fighters are mopping up the last of their recon picket now, nothing serious. But I've isolated approach signatures for multiple CCS-class battlegroups, make it three captial ships per group. And in about ninety seconds they'll be all over us..."
Keyes: "Well that's it then. Bring the ship back up to combat alert alpha. I want everyone at their stations."
Cortana: "Everyone, sir?"
Keyes: "Everyone. And Cortana,"
[Cortana's hologram image appears]
Cortana: "Hmm?"
Keyes: "let's give our old friend a warm welcome..."
Cortana: "I've already begun..."
[Scene change: We are now overlooking a massive docking-bay with numerous Pelicans, Warthogs, Scorpions, and Marines moving around]
Cortana: "Attention all combat personnel, please report to your action stations...
5th Platoon secure airlocks on deck eleven. 14th Platoon rendezvous with 22nd Tactical at bulkhead C-14."
[Camera focuses on Sergeant Johnson]
Johnson: "You heard the lady, move like you got a purpose!"
[A group of Marines quickly form two parallel lines]
Cortana: "This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill."
[Johnson walks down the two columns of Marines as he gives his encouraging pre-battle address]
[Begin difficulty specific area]
[Easy]
Johnson: "Men, keep your eyes downrange, fingers on your triggers, and we all go home in one piece."
[Normal]
Johnson: " Once again, it is our job to finish what the fly boys started. We are leaving this ship platoon, and engaging the Covenant on solid ground. When we meet the enemy, we will rip their skulls from their spines and toss 'em away LAUGHIN'!"
[Heroic]
Johnson: "Men, heres where we show those split-chin squid-head sons-of-bitches that they could not have picked a worse enemy than the Human race. We are going to blow the hell out of those dumb bugs until we don't have anything to shoot 'em with. And then we are going to strangle them with their OWN, LIVIN', GUTS!"
[Legendary]
Johnson: "Men, we led those dumb bugs out to the middle of nowhere to keep from gettin' their filthy claws on Earth. But we stumbled onto somethin' that's so hot-for that they're scramblin' over eachother to get it. Well, I don't care if it's god's own anti-sonofabitch machine, or a giant hoolahoop, we're not gonna to let 'em have it, what we will let them have is a belly full of lead, and a pool of their own blood to drown in!"
[End difficulty specific area]
Johnson: "Am I right Marines?? "
Marines: "SIR, YES SIR!!"
Johnson: "MmmHmm, damn right I am. Now move it out, double-time!!"
[The two columns of Marines break, and jog out of the area]
Cortana: "Attention all personnel, we are re-engaging the enemy, external and internal contact imminent."
Johnson: "All you greenhorns who wanted to see Covenant up-close, this is gonna be your lucky day."
[Scene change: We are now in a room filled with control-panels overlooking the Cryo Chamber]
Control-panel reads:
>X - CORTANA 1 0 CRYOSTOR. 23.4.7
>(PRIORITY ALPHA)
>UNSEAL THE HUSHED CASKET
[Cryo Chamber Assistant stares in awe at the control-panel]
CC-Assistant: "Whoa...Sir?"
CC-Technician (Sam): "Right, let's thaw him out."
CC-Assistant: "Okay, bringing low-level systems online. Cracking the case in thirty seconds...He's hot! Blowing the pins in five..."
[End first cutscene]
------
[Begin second cut scene]
[The Master Chief steps out of his Cryo-Tube as the Cryo Assistant looks on]
[End second cut scene]
------
[Begin third cut scene]
[On the Bridge of the PoA, the Master Chief stands behind Captain Jacob Keyes who is looking at a large screen displaying various information such as target distances, landing trajectories, etc.]
MC: "Captain Keyes."
[Keyes turns to face the Chief and shake his hand]
Keyes: "Good to see you Master Chief, things aren't going well. Cortana did her best, but we never really had a chance..."
[Cortana's hologram image appears]
Cortana: "A dozen Covenant superior battleships against a single Halcyon-class cruiser. With those odds I'm content with three, make that four, kills."
[Cortana turns to face the Chief]
Cortana: "Sleep well?"
MC: "No thanks to your driving, yes."
Cortana: "So you did miss me..."
[We hear a large explosion. The Master Chief stumbles, Keyes holds onto a control-panel for support]
Keyes: "Report!"
Cortana: "It must've been one of their boarding parties, I'd guess an anti-matter charge."
Crewman: "Ma'am, Fire-control for the main cannon is off-line!!"
Cortana: "Captain, the cannon was my last defensive option."
Keyes: "Alright then...I'm initiating Cole-Protocol article-2, we're abandoning the Autumn. That means you too Cortana."
Cortana: "While you do what, go down with the ship?"
[Keyes chews on his unlit pipe]
Keyes: "In a manner of speaking...The object we found, I'm going to try and land the autumn on it."
[Keyes points to the Halo on the large view-screen with the end of his pipe]
Cortana: "With all due respect, sir, this war has enough dead heroes."
Keyes: "I appreciate your concern Cortana, but it's not up to me. Protocol is clear, destruction or capture of a shipboard AI is absolutely unacceptable and that means you're leaving ship. Lock in a selection of emergency landing-zones, upload them to my neural ace,"
[Cortana crosses her arms in solemn acceptance]
Keyes: "And then sort yourself for hard transfer."
Cortana: "Aye aye, sir."
[Cortana's hologram disappears momentarily]
Keyes: "Which is where you come in Chief, get Cortana off this ship, keep her safe from the enemy. If they capture her, they'll learn everything: Forced deployment, weapons research...Earth."
MC: "I understand."
[Cortana's hologram reappears]
Cortana: "The Autumn will continue evasive maneuvers until you initiate a landing sequence. Not that you'll listen, but I'd suggest letting my sub-routines handle the final approach."
Keyes: "Excellent work Cortana...Thank you. Are you ready?"
[Cortana sadly takes one last look at the Bridge of the PoA and closes her eyes]
Cortana: "Yank me."
[Keyes hits a few buttons on a control-panel, removes a credit-card sized chip from below Cortana's circular holographic projector and hands it to the Master Chief.]
Keyes: "Good luck, Master Chief."
[The Master Chief takes the chip in his hand, looks at it briefly, and inserts it into the side of his helmet.]
Cortana:"Your architecture isn't much different than the Autumn's..."
MC: "Don't get any funny ideas."
[End third cut scene]
------
[Begin fourth, and final cut scene]
[A frightened Marine runs for a Lifepod, but falls on his face]
Frightened Marine: "Oh no...Oh no..."
[The Master Chief runs up behind him, grabs him with his left hand, and tosses him into the pod. He then turns back and sweeps his Assault Rifle in one hand over the area, taking one last look at the inside of the PoA]
Cortana: "Now would be a very good time to leave."
[The Master Chief turns and jumps into the pod, the doors hiss shut behind him. He stands in the middle of the pod and steadies himself with one hand holding the ceiling]
MC: "Punch it."
Lieutenant (Pilot): "Aye aye, sir."
[The pod launches from the PoA, fire ripples out of numerous breaches in the hull and explosions are going off everywhere]
Lieutenant: "We're disengaged, going for minimum safe distance."
Marine: "We're gonna make it, aren't we sir? I don't wanna die out here."
[The master Chief puts a comforting hand on the Marine's shoulder]
Cortana: "Look!"
[The Master Chief quickly moves to the front of the pod and takes a look out the window. The Halo is visible, getting closer every second.]
Marine: "What is that thing Lieutenant?"
Lieutenant: "Hell if I know, but we're landin' on it."
Marine (Ar-Isildur): "The autumn, she's been hit!"
Cortana: "I knew it, the Autumn is accelerating, Keyes is going in manually!"
[The camera pans out as the PoA hurtles over the tiny lifepod. Massive beams of energy from unseen Covenant vessels sail through the abyss and tear into the PoA]
[Cortana says the following at different times in the various difficulties. For what reason, I don't know. But it's placed at this location on Legendary, and fits the most here]
Cortana: "The damage to the super-structure is extensive, I don't know how much more abuse the Autumn can take..."
Lieutenant: "Heads up everyone, this is it...We're entering the ring's atmosphere in five..."
[The pod banks into the atmosphere, it becomes encased in a fiery blaze]
Cortana: "You sure you wouldn't rather take a seat?"
MC: "We'll be fine."
[The Chief extends both arms to his sides and holds on. As the rumbling increases he crouches lower and braces himself]
Cortana: "If I still had fingers, they'd be crossed...."
[End final cut scene]
(Skeletor would like to thank "The Ramen King" for his assistance on this chapter)
