Chapter #3: Tsavo Highway
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 awakens in the crashed elevator, surrounded by rubble and smoke. He stumbles out of the wreckage and finds himself in a dark, underground cavern.
Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds: What happened?
Note that sometimes Stacker will appear in the place of Reynolds but will still say the dialogue.
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 comes to in the wreckage of the elevator, with wounded Marines being treated and other Marines trying to regroup. The elevator shaft above is engulfed in flames.
Commander Miranda Keyes (COM) (Signal with much static): Chief, please respond. What's your status, over? If you can hear me, find transport. Head for the town of Voi.
Wounded Marine #1: Ah! I've got a broken rib.
Marine Corpsman (Chips Dubbo): Hey. You wanna bleed out?
Wounded Marine #1: No...
Marine Corpsman: "Then I've gotta keep pressure on the wound."
Wounded Marine #2: (coughs) "I think I broke something!"
A squad of Marines are standing directly outside the elevator.
Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds: (coughs) Settle down, Marines! Somebody hit the emergency power.
Marine #2: On it, Sergeant.
The Marine heads to the generator room and activates the emergency power.
Marine #1: Any word from Charlie-Two? We got separated.
Marine #3: Nah, man. Alpha-Six, they're all gone too.
Marine Corpsman: The swelling, could be a fracture. You think you can stand?
Wounded Marine #1: I don't know, doc.
Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds: If you can walk, set your boots on the line.
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 and any Marines fit for duty form up on the other side of the maintenance bay, with an M12 Chaingun Warthog and an M831 Troop Transport Warthog (or two M12 Warthog LRVs on co-op) parked and functional. The Marine Corpsman remains with the wounded Marines. The lights above the two Warthog turn on.
Marine #1/#3: What's our situation, Sergeant?"
Reynolds: Not sure; can't reach the Commander. Too far underground.
If the Master Chief/Aiden-117 jumps in either Warthog:
Reynolds: Chief's got the right idea.
Reynolds: Let's mount up, get the hell outta these caves.
Marines: Yes, sir!
The Marines get in the Warthogs.
Marine #1: I'll get the door, sir.
The Marine opens the door (or the Chief can too), and the Warthogs proceed down the tunnel.
Reynolds: Second Squad? We're coming through!
At the gate leading out of the caves, two Marines from Second Squad are pinned down at a checkpoint by a small group of Kig-Yar and Unggoy. The Warthogs take out the Covenant forces, and head out. Another group of Kig-Yar spot the Warthogs and retreat into the hill away from the base entrance.
Reynolds: Don't leave any of 'em standing!
fter taking out the fleeing lance they observe the massive wreckage from the New Mombasa Orbital Elevator, along with a crashed Phantom.
A Warthog amidst the wreckage of the destroyed tether.
If the Chief approaches the cliff and sees a long line of the elevator's wreckage.
Marine #4 (COM): The Mombasa Space Elevator.
Marine #3 (COM): It collapsed when the city got glassed.
Marine #4 (COM): But the tether was thousands of kilometers high!
Marine #3 (COM): Yeah? Well, now it's scattered all over the Savannah.
Marine #4 (COM): (astonished whisper) Holy crap...
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 listens to a radio transmission from the wreckage of a crashed Phantom
Unknown Jiralhanae Commander (COM): Chieftains! Rally your packs!
The Warthogs continue on.
Reynolds (COMS): Chief, still can't get the Commander. COMs are a mess, Pelicans are scattered. Best thing now, get some distance between us and the base. Brutes are gonna be looking for survivors.
The Warthogs reach another crashed Phantom and kill the Covenant troops around it.
Unknown Jiralhanae Commander (COM): I see it, pack brothers! The Holy Relic! What fools, to live so long on hallow ground! Never knowing what lay beneath the surface.
The Warthogs keep pressing on, reaching a Covenant-held dam. A Phantom hovers overhead while many Covenant troops (including Shade turrets and Kig-Yar Snipers on higher difficulties) fire on the UNSC force. The Phantom leaves and it doesn't take long before the Warthogs overpower the Covenant at the dam.
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 navigates around the dam.
Gunnery Sergeant Stacker (COM): I repeat: My convoy's been hit. I've got wounded-(static). We're on the Tsavo Highway about-(static)-east of Voi. Someone, anyone, please, respond! (Static and cut-off).
The Warthogs arrive at the Highway, encountering Jiralhanae Choppers and hostile infantry. One Chopper rams and destroys a fully manned attacking Warthog. Another Chopper soon follows. On higher difficulties, a Jiralhanae War Chieftain armed with a fuel rod gun leads the Covenant troops.
After a pitched battle involving many Unggoy, Jiralhanae and Shade turrets, the UNSC force are victorious. The Warthogs journey forward toward the tunnels, but are blocked off by an . A swarm of fly out of the tunnel, but they are easily cut down by the Warthogs.
Stacker: Marines in Voi really needed my supplies, Chief. But I'm sure they'll be plenty happy to see you. Head on through the tunnel and give those boys a hand.
The Chief walks through the shield, and destroys its power source.
Prophet of Truth (Hologram): The gods will not begrudge our excavation. By uncovering this relic, we pay homage to their glory. When the dust settles, we will all see what I already know: here lies the Path, the start of our Great Journey.
The Warthogs continue along the Tsavo Highway through the tunnel. When they get out and reach a bridge, a Ket-pattern battlecruiser soars ahead.
ONI Recon 111 (COM): Commander. This is ONI Recon One-Eleven. The cruisers above-(static). They found-(static)
Commander Keyes (COM): Say again, Recon? You're breaking up.
ONI Recon 111 (COM): There's something in the crater, Ma'am. Something beneath the storm."
The Warthogs reach a gap in the bridge and cannot continue. The Master Chief clambers across broken beams and bars and continues on foot. The Marines follow. A massive Forerunner artifact lies under the middle of the crater, and the Forerunner Dreadnought sits in the middle of it. Covenant ships are circling the crater. Banshees fly past the highway, but pay no attention to the UNSC forces.
Wraiths and Choppers.
Commander Keyes (COM): Master Chief? Finally, a good connection. Truth has excavated a Forerunner artifact; we have to assume it's The Ark.
Sergeant Johnson (COM): Keep pushing to the town of Voi, Chief. Resupply birds will meet you in the next valley.
Master Chief/Aiden-117 engaging a Brute pack on foot.
A pair of Marines are under attack by a Jiralhanae and his Unggoy subordinates near a pile of crates. The Master Chief/Aiden-117 rescues them and they join him to assault a large group of Covenant that are attacking an outpost at the top of a rise. The Chief and the Marines eventually clear the sector.
Marine #5: We've got reinforcements, Marines!
Marine #6: Woohoo! Yeah!
Marine #7: Booyeah!
Marine #8: Ohhhh-yee-HAH!!
A Phantom approaches with reinforcements.
Marine #5: Sir, Recon spotted Covenant armor ahead. Pelicans are inbound with heavy weapons; we need to hold out until they arrive.
The Phantom disgorges a large pack of Jiralhanae. The pack is soon wiped out by the Master Chief and his allies. A second Phantom swoops in and deploys additional enemy troops, including a Jiralhanae War Chieftain wielding a fuel rod gun.
After the enemy infantry are defeated, a Wraith appears.
Marine #1: Wraith! Get to cover!
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 neutralizes the Wraith.
Johnson (COM): Watch it now, Pelicans coming in!
Pelicans arrive and drops off Warthogs, along with some additional Marines. The Master Chief/Aiden-117 has a choice of taking one of the Warthogs the Pelicans drop off, or the Wraith that previously attacked if not destroyed. The tunnel onward on the Tsavo Highway is closed off, so the Chief goes up the trail where the Wraith came from, and finds a short tunnel leading back to Tsavo Highway. The entrance is guarded by several Jiralhanae Choppers, Covenant watchtowers, and a pair of Shade turrets (on higher difficulties). The Chief and the Marines clear out the blockade and head through the tunnel.
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 exits the tunnel and comes across a pair of parked Choppers. He eliminates the dismounted drivers before they can get to their vehicles. Two Marines emerge from hiding and greet the Chief.
Marine #2: Wraith, Master Chief, circling that hill! Brute Choppers too, so stay sharp!
Nearly a dozen more Choppers, a few Wraiths and Shade Turrets defend the route back onto the highway. The Chief pushes on, supported by a steady supply of Warthogs. Despite being greatly outnumbered and outgunned, the Chief and the Marines eventually clear the zone.
Master Chief/Aiden-117 approaches the cliffside overlooking the massive storm over the vast crater beyond the cliff and there are Marines accompanying the Chief:
Chips Dubbo (COM): Look at the size of that thing! Wonder how old it is?
Marine #8 (COM): Don't know. But I do know that ain't a normal storm.
ONI Recon 111 (COM): Commander, I can see most of it now. Readings are all over the EM spectrum.
Commander Keyes (COM): Roger that, Recon. Shut off your gear, fall back. I'll monitor from Kilo 23.
The Chief continues along the Highway. A large pack of Brutes bar his way.
Johnson (COM): Chief, the gate to Voi is dead ahead. Smash the Brute blockade, open her up!
A large number of Jiralhanae wait behind Covenant roadblocks in anticipation of the approaching UNSC force.
Jiralhanae: The Demon must not pass!
Prophet of Truth (Hologram): My Dreadnought, the vessel that has so long been the focus of our worship, now rests on its true pedestal. Even now, its engines spark greater ones below, relics long without power, yet ready to fulfill their divine purpose. Stand fast! Keep our enemies at bay! Soon, my brothers, we will all have our reward!
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 and any remaining Marines are forced to abandon their vehicles. They press forward, encountering heavy resistance from the Jiralhanae. Upon entering the next section the team comes under attack from a Shade turret as well as several Jiralhanae Jumpers. Wiping this force of Covenant out, the Chief attacks the last group of Jiralhanae led by a War Chieftain. He eventually clears the area. The only thing left standing between the UNSC and Voi is another Anti-Vehicle Barrier in the tunnel.
The Chief destroys the power source with ease.
Master Chief/Aiden-117 observes an assault carrier near the Portal.
The Master Chief/Aiden-117 leave the tunnel entrance. Two Pelicans, one of which is Kilo 23, arrives to drop off an M12 Warthog LRV and Marines. Commander Keyes, piloting Kilo 023, has Lord Hood on one of the video screens inside the cockpit. The Chief heads towards the cliffside.
Commander Keyes: Lord Hood? We made it.
Lord Hood (Video COM): Music to my ears, Commander. What about the Ark?
Commander Keyes: Fully uncovered, sir.
Lord Hood (Video COM): Then we don't have much time.
Master Chief/Aiden-117 observes a CAS-class assault carrier from the cliff.
Lord Hood (Video COM): Marines? The Prophet of Truth doesn't know it yet, but he's about to get kicked right off his throne. We will take our city back. And drive our enemy into the grave they've been so happily digging. One final effort is all that remains.
The Pelicans fly off. The Master Chief/Aiden-117 draws his MA5C and walks to one of the Warthogs to retake Voi from the Covenant.