The Arbiter

Summary

A Halo 2 campaign level in which, as the Elite Arbiter, you must assassinate the Heretic Leader on a Forerunner Gas Mine in Threshold's atmosphere.

The mission involves neutralising Heretic forces. Along the way, the player will have to open a hangar door for reinforcements, fight, for the first time in Halo 2, Sentinels, and fly a Banshee to escort a friendly Phantom that is looking for where the Heretic Leader escaped to.

This is the first mission in which an Energy Sword will definitely be able to be used. Also encountered for the first time will be the Carbine, Sentinel Beam, and Fuel Rod Cannon.

Transcript

Cinematic

{The Elite Commander is being dragged by two Brutes, led by Tartarus, through a prison}

Brute 1: "How much further must we heft this baggage? Any cell will do."

Brute 2: "Why not toss him in with this lot?" {indicates cell with vicious Jackals} "They could use the meat."

Brute 1: "Them? What about us? My belly aches, and his flesh is seared just the way I like it."

Tartarus: "Quiet. You two wimper like Grunts fresh off the teat. He's not meant for the jails. The Hierarchs have something special in mind."

{They walk through a door, an Elite song is heard, they pass Elite Honor Guards on their way to an important looking building, they go in to where two Prophets are waiting}

Tartarus: "Noble Prophets of Truth and Mercy, I have brought the incompetent."

Prophet of Truth: "You may leave, Tartarus."

Tartarus: "But, I thought..."

Prophet of Truth: "And take your Brutes with you."

Tartarus: {bows his head} "Release the prisoner."

{the two Brutes drop the Elite, all Brutes leave the room}

Prophet of Truth: "The Council decided to have you hung by your entrails, and your corpse paraded through the city. But, ultimately the terms of your execution are up to me."

Elite: "I am already dead."

Prophet of Truth: "Indeed. Do you know where we are?"

Elite: "The Mausoleum... of the Arbiter."

Prophet of Truth: "Quite so. Here rests the vanguard of the Great Journey. Every Arbiter from first to last."

{camera pans over dozens of coffins}

Prophet of Truth: "Each one created and consumed in times of extraordinary crisis."

Prophet of Mercy: "The Taming of the Hunters, the Grunt Rebellion. Were it not for the Arbiters, the Covenant would have broken long ago!"

Elite: "Even on my knees, I do not belong in their presence."

Prophet of Truth: "Halo's destruction was your error, and you rightly wear the blame. The Council was... overzealous. We know you are no heretic. This is the true face of heresy. One who would subvert our faith and incite rebellion against the High Council."

{Truth triggers a hologram of an Elite}

Hologram: "Our Prophets are false! Open your eyes, my brothers. They would use the faith of our Forerunners to bring ruin to us all. The Great Journey is a-"

{Truth turns off the hologram}

Prophet of Truth: "This heretic and those who follow him, must be silenced."

Prophet of Mercy: "Their slander offends all who walk the Path."

Elite: "What use am I? I can no longer command ships, lead troops into battle..."

Prophet of Truth: "Not as you are. But, become the Arbiter, and you shall be set loose against this heresy with our blessing."

{part of the Mausolem ceiling lowers and opens to display Arbiter armor}

Elite: "What of the Council?"

Prophet of Mercy: "The tasks that you must undertake as the Arbiter are perilous, suicidal. You will die, as each Arbiter has before you. The Council will have their corpse."

{after a moment's thought, the Elite puts on the Arbiter helmet}

Elite: "What would you have your Arbiter do?"

{fade to black, fade in on High Charity, three Phantoms fly from it towards Threshold, next to a piece of Alpha Halo}

SpecOps Commander: "When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath."

SpecOps Elites: "According to our station! All without exception!"

{interior of a Phantom, the Commander speaks to his troops}

SpecOps Commander: "On the blood of our fathers, on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant."

SpecOps Elites: "Even to our dying breath!"

SpecOps Commander: "Those who would break such an oath are heretics, worthy of neither pity, nor mercy! Even now, they use our Lords' creations to broadcast their lies."

{a Grunt fumbles with the methane tank of another Grunt, some air is released, the Grunt mutters angrily}

SpecOps Elites: "We shall grind them into dust! Wipe them as excrement from our boots!" {Note: Last line only in subtitles}

SpecOps Commander: "And continue our march to glorious salvation!"

{the Phantoms approach a large Forerunner structure in Threshold's atmosphere, fade in to the interior of a Phantom}

SpecOps Commander: "This armor suits you. But it cannot hide that mark.

Arbiter: "Nothing ever will."

SpecOps Commander: "You are the Arbiter, the Will of the Prophets, but these are my Elites. Their lives matter to me, yours does not."

Arbiter: "That makes two of us."

SpecOps Commander: "...Mmm..." {Note: In the subtitles, it is denoted as (respectful huff).}

{the Phantoms pass under the Forerunner structure, below them is a large storm, they head towards a Forerunner facility hanging by cords from the larger structure}

Tartartus (radio): "Arbiter, there is no doubt. The storm will strike the facility."

SpecOps Commander: "We'll be long gone before it arives."

{the Phantoms land on the structure, the troops get out, the Phantoms take off}

SpecOps Commander: "Warriors, prepare for combat."

{the Arbiter draws his Energy Sword}

Gameplay

SpecOps Commander: "We are the arm of the Prophets, Arbiter, and you are the blade. Be silent and swift, and we shall quell this heresy without incident."

{as the Arbiter approaches the airlock}

SpecOps Commander: "The storm has masked our approach, and has their local battlenet in disarray. We have the element of surprise. For now."

{the Arbiter enters the airlock with the SpecOps team, it drops down a level}

SpecOps Elite: "Engage active camouflage! Reveal yourselves only after the Arbiter has joined battle with the enemy!"

{the troops engage active camo}

SpecOps Commander: "You may wish to do the same, Arbiter, but take heed: your armor's system is not as... 'new' as ours. Your camouflage will not last forever."

{the airlock's doors open, the camouflaged SpecOps troops begin to walk among the heretics}

Heretic Elite 1: "Any word on our missing brothers?"

Heretic Elite 2: "Still nothing. Given what we have learned, I fear they are lost."

Heretic Elite 1: "Maybe the Oracle will protect us..."

Heretic Elite 2: "Perhaps. But his Sentinels are too few. Better we protect ourselves!"

{later, the SpecOps team descends down an elevator into a hanger, Sentinels float around}

SpecOps Elite: "Sentinels, the holy warriors of the Sacred Rings. Why have they sided with these heretics?"

Tartarus (radio): "Arbiter, clear the hangar and open this door, so I may drop the second batch!"

{Arbiter opens the hanger doors}

Tartarus (radio): "Hold position, I am making my approach."

{the Phantom enters and deposits the next SpecOps team}

{the Arbiter travels through the mine, reaching a room with a large window looking out onto a landing pad with three Banshees, the Heretic Leader watches through the window}

Heretic Leader: "Deal with him, my brothers. I will defend the Oracle."

{he boards a Banshee and leaves, heretics engage the Arbiter}

Heretic Elite: "This truth must not be silenced!"

{Arbiter kills the heretics and boards a banshee}

Walkthrough

(needs to be written)