Evacuation

Evacuation is the fifth campaign level of Halo 5: Guardians.

Transcript

EVACUATION PLAN

POV shot as Jameson Locke and Fireteam Osiris teleports to the road leading to Meridian Station. The sky is clouded by smoke. A settler speeds by on a Warthog.

• Edward Buck: "We're back on the surface?"

• Sloan (PA): "-more shuttles ready to launch. Move your asses to the evac zone. Get to orbit, now!"

A cargo ship flies past, trying to escape. The Spartans head down the hill.

• Holly Tanaka: "Sloan's giving evac orders."

• Olympia Vale: "He knows. Somehow-"

• Buck: "Knows what?"

Above them, the Guardian's pieces rise and assemble.

• Buck: "Look! The Guardian!"

• Vale: "Oh no..."

• Tanaka: "Where the hell is it going?"

• Vale: "Chief's on board that thing."

• Locke: "We need to get airborne."

• Vale: "The other colonies Captain Lasky told us about... this is what happened to them. Locke, this colony is going to be a crater soon."

• Tanaka: "We can't take anything that flies from these people."

• Buck: "Our Pelican is on the space elevator. We could use that."

• Vale: "The other colonies... there are more Guardians-"

• Buck: "Really only concerned about the one in front of us right now, Vale."

• Vale: "But why this one? Why is the Chief on this Guardian? I think it's the first Cortana activated on purpose."

The Spartans climb into nearby Warthogs and Mongooses and speed down the road. They eventually reach the site of the Scorpion garage.

• Sloan (COM): "This is Governor Sloan broadcasting on all frequencies. People, if you are still planetside, make your way to the space elevator right now. Final shuttles are departing with or without you."

• Pilot (COM): "Governor Sloan, shuttle Bravo Three prepped for takeoff. Watch it, they're on your tail!"

The Spartans pass through the McCord River bridge. Soldiers and Crawlers attack fleeing settlers, and Phaetons purse their vehicles. The Guardian overhead has assembled and makes occasional screeches.

• Buck: "Guardian's got a hell of a singing voice."

• Vale: "Can we do autopilot retrieval? Bring the Pelican down to us?"

• Distress Call: "Mayday! Mayday! We're taking fire! We're hit!"

• Buck: "Not with those ships shooting everything out of the sky."

Osiris and other settlers reach the security outpost to the space elevator. A Pelican has crashed at its entrance. They climb over it to enter the courtyard, which is flooded with Promethean infantry.

• Locke: "Governor Sloan, we need access to the space elevator."

• Sloan (COM): "Can't do that, Spartans. Got too many people taking refuge inside. They'd be slaughtered."

• Locke: "Understood, Governor. Osiris, clear the area so they can open those doors."

• PA: "Hostile activity detected. Lockdown systems engaged."

The Spartans battle through the courtyard.

• Transmission (COM): "Control, I have no idea if this bird's spaceworthy. She's not gonna fly. We need another way to get these people off world."

• Sloan (COM): "What's taking so long, Spartans? Your propaganda's overselling your skills. I ain't opening these doors until the base is clear."

• Buck: "We get to stop being polite with him real soon here, right?"

When the Spartans clear the courtyard.

• PA: "Area secured. Lockdown released."

• Locke: "Elevator door's opening."

The Spartans and settlers head into the elevator's base. Other settlers are assembled there, waiting to be let aboard.

• Sloan (COM): "Spartans. Your tenacity outstrips even my own."

• Vale: "When did Cortana tell you about the Guardian?"

• Sloan (COM): "I'd- ...you're good. She gave me fair warning, true enough. I was allowed to help my people survive. A change is going to come. For all of us. Human and Created alike. She's bringing a new dawn and I intend to be a part of it."

• PA: "Cargo elevator door opening. Remain "

The door to the space elevator's cargo cabin opens.

• Sloan (COM): "I see my time is up. Good luck to you, everyone. And goodbye."

SUDDEN BUT INEVITABLE BETRAYAL

Prometheans are already inside the elevator.

• Buck: "They're between us and the Pelican."

• Locke: "Weapons free."

The Spartans engage the droid infantry.

• PA: "Warning: security lockdown in effect."

• Locke: "Tanaka, override the security system."

• Tanaka: "Love to. Delicate work to do while getting shot at, though. "

• Buck: "Let's clear the lady some work space, shall we?"

If the player stalls.

• Locke: "Lockdown won't end until we clear the last of these Prometheans!"

After the Prometheans are destroyed.

• Locke: "Area's clear. Tanaka, how do we get the elevator moving?"

• Tanaka: "Find the control panel."

• Vale: "It must be here somewhere."

Locke heads to the main control panel and inputs the launch command.

• Locke: "Got it."

• PA: "Security protocol received. Disengage confirmed. Leaving "

The cargo cabin begins to move up.

• Buck: "Sloan said a change is coming. We know Cortana contacted him. Is she on the Guardian too?"

• Tanaka: "Master Chief seemed to think so."

• Buck: "So if she's there, then where are they going?"

• Locke: "We'll find out once we're to the Pelican."

The elevator keeps going up.

• Vale: "I understand the Master Chief disobeying orders to find Cortana. But why the rest of Blue Team? They didn't know her."

• Locke: "The members of Blue Team grew up together in the Spartan II program. They've registered more operations than any other fireteam in the UNSC."

• Buck: "They're family."

• Locke: "Exactly."

The elevator shakes and an alarm sounds. The cabin stops ascending.

• PA: "Approaching Level Two docking station."

• Tanaka: "Incoming Prometheans!"

• PA: "Containment protocol will remain in effect for duration of emergency."

When the Prometheans are destroyed, the elevator resumes moving up.

• PA: "All clear. Safety protocol disengaged."

• Buck: "New Alexandria all over again. We claw our way here, scratch a life out of the dirt... for what? So we can run? Leave it all behind?"

• Tanaka: "There's a difference between running and living to fight another day."

• Locke: "Tanaka's right. Humanity's at our best when we're making something out of nothing. We're tenacious. We'll rebuild as many times as we have to."

• PA: "Approaching Level Three docking station."

Many Prometheans warp in.

• Buck: "More Prometheans!"

• PA: "Protocol will remain in effect for duration of emergency."

The Prometheans are destroyed.

• PA: "All clear. Safety protocol disengaged."

The elevator ascends again.

• PA: "Approaching super rung calico."

• Evelyn Collins (COM): "Hello? Can anyone hear me? I'm at Meridian Station. Everyone's dead. Governor Sloan isn't here. I... (sobs) ...please! Is there anyone left here but me?!"

• Tanaka: "Sloan just up and abandoned his people?"

• Buck: "If Cortana's really behind that Guardian moving, she did more damage here than him."

• Locke: "We'll find the truth of what happened here. And we'll make certain that those who should answer for it do."

• PA: "Approaching super rung calico."

A massive final wave of Knights and Knight Commanders arrives.

• Vale: "Watch out! More Prometheans!"

• PA: "System protocol will remain in effect for duration of emergency."

When most of the Knights are destroyed.

• Locke: "Eliminate the last of the Prometheans."

The last Knight is killed.

• PA: "All clear. Safety protocols disengaged."

The elevator heads up but a loud wail is heard from a distance.

• Vale: "There's that Guardian song again!"

• Buck: "What's that about?"

• Tanaka: "Maybe a signal of some kind. Building up to something."

The elevator is above Meridian's clouds now. The Guardian can be seen floating nearby in the sky.

• PA: "Approaching super rung calico."

• Settler: "Transport three to group. Heads up. That thing's starting to move!"

A loud hum starts to build up in the air.

• Settler: "I don't know what's going on. Wait, it just stopped. Oh hell, GET OUT OF-"

• Tanaka: "Take cover!"

A loud EMP blast bursts out of the Guardian. It strikes the elevator, sending the Spartans in the air and stopping the elevator.

• PA: "Warning: massive structural failure. Please proceed to emergency stairwell. Oxygen masks are available."

• Locke: "Everyone all right?"

• Vale: "What happened?"

• Tanaka: "Elevator e-break stopped a total collapse but she won't last out long."

• Buck: "Do you reckon the structure is still secure enough to climb?"

• Tanaka: "If it's gonna fall, won't be because Spartans are using it as a jungle gym."

The Spartans leave the cabin and head for the emergency stairs. Several of them are knocked off or hanging.

• Tanaka: "Pelican's a few more super rungs up from here."

• Buck: "How far is that?"

• Tanaka: "More than you want it to be, not as far as it could be."

The Spartans climb the catwalks up the rungs. Several Soldiers and Phaetons appear to attack them.

• Locke: "Phaetons targeting our positions. Stay mobile!"

The Spartans get higher, but another shockwave ruptures from the Guardian.

• Tanaka: "Gotta keep moving up. Guardian ain't waiting for us."

• Buck: "Not sure this scaffold can take any more shockwaves!"

The Spartans reach the upper landing pad.

• Tanaka: "Think this thing might fall after all."

• Locke: "To hell with it. I'm calling in our Pelican now. We'll risk autopilot."

• Buck: "We need to keep moving to that Guardian. Don't fancy this thing falling out from under us."

The Spartans see the Pelican, parked precariously on the unsteady platform.

• Locke: "The Pelican's just outside! Move it, people!"

A shockwave hits the dock, shaking it badly.

• Tanaka: "Shockwaves are getting closer together."

• Vale: "Almost like a countdown."

Another blast strikes. Locke is knocked off his feet but gets back up.

• Buck: "What happens when it gets to zero..."

• Locke: "I don't want to find out. Get to the Pelican!"

Locke is just a few meters from the Pelican.

• Locke: "Everyone! Onboard! Now!"

{Cutscene}

Locke falls to the floor in exhaustion but hurries to get back up.

Cut to the Guardian. It has a face like a leering skull, and its body whines as it sends out one more pulse. The Spartans reel from the blast, which knocks away Locke's battle rifle.

Close up of the Guardian and its spreading wings.

The Spartans run to the Pelican, but the dock tilts, tripping them all into a slide. Its edge is beginning to collapse. The Spartans get to their feet, running for the Pelican as it drifts closer to the edge. Tanaka and Buck climb in and Vale jumps inside. The Pelican is nearly vertical now, and she falls into the cockpit and straps in the pilot seat.

Locke jumps for the Pelican but it falls off the platform. He activates his thrusters and speeds for its open bay door. Catching up, he lands inside and brakes with his front thrusters to stop.

• Locke: "Vale!"

• Vale: "I'm on it!"

She punches the throttle. The Pelican speeds up and then swings around mid-fall, flying up from the elevator.

A slipspace portal opens behind the Guardian. It draws its wings and its pieces drift into the portal, as do pieces of the space elevator. Osiris' Pelican flies by, fleeing Meridian.

Level ends.

Trivia

• The chapter title "Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal" is a reference to a scene from the Firefly series, which Buck's actor Nathan Fillion starred in.
• The last section of the elevator climb, the run to the Pelican, is timed. If the player fails to reach it in time, they die and must start over from a checkpoint.