Noble Actual

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Template:Level Infobox Template:Article Quote Noble Actual is the first level in the Halo: Reach campaign, consisting entirely of a cinematic cutscene involving SPARTAN-B312's introduction to Noble Team and the briefing for the game's first mission by Colonel Urban Holland.

Transcript

{Cutscene}

Several views of a glassed Reach are shown, first the entire planet, then closer shots from low orbit and finally, from near the ground, facing a towering mountain. Its tip has been divided in two by the glassing. A crashed UNSC Frigate can be seen on a hill to the right. The camera moves down to reveal a severely damaged MJOLNIR helmet lying on the smoking ground.

The screen fades to white.

R E A C H

Cuts to first-person view of SPARTAN-B312 staring into the visor of the same helmet, before putting it on.

Zooms out to the Warthog SPARTAN-B312 is riding in, on the surface of Reach, towards a UNSC outpost. Two UH-144 Falcons fly in above the Warthog. Text shown in lower right corner of the screen:

Planet Reach

July 24, 2552, 07:28 Hours

Both Falcons land in the camp, and the Warthog pulls to a stop. B312 gets out of the Warthog, and moves toward a building.

• Col. Urban Holland (COM): "Contact with Visegrad Relay was lost last night. All signals flatlined at twenty-six hundred hours."

Jun-A266, sitting outside a Falcon's passenger cabin, watches as B312 passes by, quietly placing rounds into a sniper rifle magazine.

• Urban Holland (COM): "I responded with trooper fire teams, which have since been declared MIA."

Carter-A259 is shown from behind, watching a holographic computer screen displaying Holland's portrait and other information.

• Carter-A259: "And now you're sending us."

• Holland (COM): "The Office of Naval Intelligence believes deployment of a Spartan team is a gross mis-allocation of valuable resources. I disagree."

B312 reaches the door, and glances at Emile-A239 sharpening his kukri blade against his shoulder pauldron, and attempts to enter, but is immediately stopped by Catherine-B320.

• Catherine-B320: "Commander."

Carter and Jorge-052 turn to look at SPARTAN-B312.

• Jorge-052: "So that's our new number six."

B312 steps forward.

• Emile-A239: "Kat, you read his/her file?"

• Catherine-B320: "Only the parts that weren't covered in black ink."

Carter turns back to the screen, ignoring the new arrival.

• Carter-A259: "Anyone claim responsibility, sir?"

• Urban Holland (COM): "ONI thinks it might be the local Insurrection. Five months ago, they pulled a similar job on Harmony. Hit a relay to take out our eyes and ears, then stole two freighters from dry-dock. That cannot happen here. Reach is too damn important. I want that relay back online, Noble One."

• Carter-A259: "Sir. Consider it done."

• Urban Holland (COM): "Then I'll see you on the other side. Holland out."

Jorge and Emile stand up. Carter grabs his helmet from the table and turns to face B312.

• Carter-A259: "Lieutenant."

• SPARTAN-B312: "Commander. Sir."

Jorge and Emile start moving out. Kat joins them by the door.

• Carter-A259: "I'm Carter, Noble Team's leader. That's Kat, Noble Two, Emile and Jorge, Four and Five. You're riding with me, Noble Six."

Cuts to the Spartans exiting the building, with the new Noble Six next to Carter, with Kat, Emile (who sheathes his knife), and Jorge walking side by side in front of them, towards the Falcon.

• Carter-A259: "I'm not gonna lie to you, Lieutenant. You're stepping into some shoes the rest of the squad would rather leave unfilled."

The Spartans reach the Falcon, with the other three moving to one off-screen, and Noble Six and Carter getting into the one where Jun is already waiting.

• Carter-A259: "Me, I'm just happy to have Noble back up to full strength. Just one thing - I've seen your file. Even the parts the ONI censors didn't want me to. I'm glad to have your skill set, but we're a team. That lone-wolf stuff stays behind. Clear?"

Carter signals for the other Falcon to get airborne.

• Noble Six: "Got it, sir."

• Jun-A266: "Welcome to Reach."

The Falcons take off and start moving toward a mountain range in the distance.

Fade to black.

Level ends.

Trivia

• The level description is a direct quote from Carter A-259 at the end of the cinematic.
• A noticeably different early script of the cinematic was used in the 2009 Video Games Awards trailer.
• "Noble Actual" is also the name of Bungie's Halo: Reach development blog and Colonel Urban Holland's call sign.
• During the part when Noble Six pulls on his/her helmet, the interior of the helmet is always the same, no matter what helmet the player equips, with the exception of the Haunted Helmet, which obstructs the inside with the base of a human skull.

Sources

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