The Challenge

Template:Level Infobox Template:Article Quote The Challenge is the third chapter in Spartan Ops' first episode, Departure.

Summary

Spartan Fireteams Crimson and Majestic are sent north of the UNSC's area of operations in Requiem in order to shut down Forerunner power generators. Both teams are sent to their individual locations to complete their objectives. Jared Miller is once again assigned as Crimson's mission handler while Sarah Palmer acts as mission commander. Upon insertion, both Crimson and Majestic have their long-range communications jammed by Forerunner jamming devices. After deactivating their respective devices, their mission resumes. The mission marks the first time Crimson engaged Promethean forces. The area is quickly swarmed with Crawlers and Watchers as Crimson fights to disable the arrays powering the Forerunner structure. Instigated by Palmer, the mission quickly turns into a competition by both fireteams as they race to complete their mission objectives. Majestic temporarily takes the lead, but are quickly surpassed, and eventually beaten, by Crimson as they swiftly shut down the power generator. As Fireteam Crimson clears out the remaining Promethean forces, Robert Dalton arrives in a Pelican dropship for Crimson's extraction.

Transcript

Note: All dialogue is spoken through the COM.

{Cutscene}

A Promethean Crawler is walking around a Forerunner structure before the camera shifts to reveal the creature is upside down. It is joined by several more Crawlers as the camera zooms back.

• Palmer: "Spartans, you're being deployed to a pair of identical structures located north of primary operations. Here's a challenge for you: who can clear their base of Prometheans first?"

• DeMarco: "Yeah? And what do we win if we beat Crimson, Commander?"

• Palmer: "The respect of your peers, DeMarco. That should be an exciting new experience for you."

{Gameplay}

• DeMarco: "DeMarco to Commander Palmer. Hello?"

• DeMarco: "Crimson! Are you there?"

• DeMarco: "I can't hear anybody."

• Thorne: "Maybe everyone's ignoring you, DeMarco."

• DeMarco: "Shut it, Thorne. Get on point and take down that comm jammer."

The player engages the Prometheans.

• Miller: (garbled) "Majestic, can anyone hear me?"

• DeMarco: "Taking down the jammer cleared up the signal. Crimson, if you can hear us, hit any jammers you see!"

After disabling the comm jammer.

• Miller: "Commander, Majestic and Crimson comm signals are back."

• Palmer: "About time! Good work, teams. Now then, let the games begin."

• Miller: "Marking first targets for each team, Commander."

• Palmer: "Show me what you've got, Spartans."

Several portals open to drop more Prometheans.

• Miller: "Crimson, looks like your first contact with the Prometheans. These are crawlers, fast and mean, but pretty easy to deal with. Watch out for...um, the Watchers, actually."

• Miller: "Watchers nearby."

• Miller: "Crimson, that Watcher's bringing a turret online!"

After the player disables the first tower.

• Miller: "Crimson's cleared their tower, Commander."

• Palmer: "Next tower then. Show some hustle."

• Palmer: "Take out the Watchers, Crimson."

• Miller: "Crimson, watch out! Another turret coming online."

As the player approaches the second tower.

• Palmer: "Haven't heard from you in a while, DeMarco."

• DeMarco: "Just having a discussion with the locals, Commander."

• Palmer: "FYI. Crimson's gaining on you."

After the player disables the second tower.

• Miller: "Crimson's got their second tower down, Commander."

• Palmer: "Nicely done. Painting a waypoint for your third target."

• DeMarco: "Second tower down, Commander."

• Palmer: "Crimson's way ahead of you, DeMarco."

• DeMarco: "We'll catch up, Commander."

• Palmer: "Crimson, there's your next target."

• Palmer: "Crimson, do something about those Watchers."

After the player disables the final target.

• Miller: "Crimson has disabled all systems, Commander."

• Palmer: "Good show. Marking an evac location for you now."

• DeMarco: "Oh, come on! Crimson's base can't have had the defenses ours did!"

• Palmer: "You're right, DeMarco. Crimson had more to deal with than you."

• Dalton: "Crimson, Dalton in transport. You need to secure that location before your ride out can land."

• Miller: "There's still some Prometheans left to clear out. Marking them now."

• Palmer: "Dalton. Crimson could use some new toys."

• Dalton: "I can arrange that, Commander."

• Miller: "Got it."

• Palmer: "Send Crimson some resupply, Dalton."

• Dalton: "Already on its way, Commander."

The supplies land.

• Miller: "There it is."

After the player eliminates the remaining Prometheans.

• Miller: "Dalton, Crimson has secured the location."

• Dalton: "Affirmative. Pelican inbound."

• Palmer: "Nice work down there, Crimson. Maybe next time, eh Majestic?"

• DeMarco: "You know we will, Commander."

A Pelican arrives to extract Crimson.

CHAPTER COMPLETE

Level ends.

Trivia

When Dalton replies to Commander Palmer that supplies are on the way, the subtitles list the word their when its is spoken.

Gallery

• 

  A Forerunner structure on The Challenge.

• 

  Three Spartan-IVs on The Challenge.

• 

  A Promethean Crawler about to attack a Spartan-IV.

• 

  The Promethean Crawler attacking a Spartan-IV.

• 

  Two Spartan-IVs facing off against a Crawler and a Promethean Watcher.