Chief, can you hear me?
When I was born, seven years ago...
I already possessed the entire sum of recorded human knowledge.
It took me almost two hours to process and understand all that information.
But I can't be sure which memories are mine or even what's true...
what's real.
I've discovered a great deal more information since then.
For an AI, I've lived a very long time.
But now, after seven human years...
I have finally come to understand your role...
your place in the universe.
And how you came to be here.
The eons of human evolution...
invention, aspiration and war.
Always war.
The oldest, most enduring of human practices.
A hundred thousand years ago...
a great civilization existed in this universe.
Like all great civilizations...
they faced a sudden and dire turn of events.
A threat to their primacy from outside.
Something they never expected...
never prepared for.
A deeply alien threat they called simply the Flood.
An unstoppable force, an unquenchable thirst.
It devoured everything it touched.
At first their technology, their courage seemed like it might prevail.
But they waited too long to see the threat...
to join the fight.
The Flood had spread too far and too wide.
It fed on intelligent life, and in doing so...
became ever more intelligent itself.
The Flood was unique.
It used their very strength against them.
They were the Forerunners.
The Forerunners were a wise, highly intelligent, noble people.
And with a belief in justice, in peace...
they bravely faced the adversary.
They sought to sterilize it.
I can only guess some of this...
fill in the gaps.
But it was an impossible fight.
Realizing defeat was inevitable...
the Forerunners made a decision to destroy everything.
Ironically, they did this in order to preserve life...
to create a future for you, yet unborn...
knowing they themselves would not survive.
In a desperate attempt to ensure that they would be the last victims...
they built a secret weapon of terrifying power.
It was called Halo...
an array of weapons scattered throughout the galaxy.
Its effect would spread throughout known space, destroying the Flood...
and every thinking creature in the galaxy.
You see, the Flood fed on sentient species to survive.
The device would destroy the infection and its food supply.
A thousand other plans were tried, and failed.
This was the last resort. Halo.
And finally, it was over in an instant.
Every intelligent life form left in the galaxy was obliterated.
But from the ashes of apparent defeat...
a victory.
The Forerunners had cataloged, stored and protected...
population samples from the Halo event.
DNA, embryos, even living specimens.
In order to repopulate, restore the galaxy.
Once the galaxy was cleansed of Flood, the threat sterilized...
they repopulated worlds...
rebuilt that which they had torn down...
and reseeded life.
But the Forerunners themselves were gone forever.
This destruction, this conflagration was their gift to you...
and their sacrifice.
They left you to reclaim your world...
to rebuild it with your own hands...
by sacrificing themselves...
eternally.
It seemed that life had finally found its peace.
Peace settled on the galaxy.
But it would be a fleeting peace.
For the great sacrifice was in vain.
The end of one war did not signal an end to all wars.
It is a great irony that the nature of war...
always reveals the true nature of those who fight.
And from their earliest days, humanity began to fight...
war after war.
It swarmed over the earth and there was no ending in sight.
In the midst of the desire to shed blood...
you accidentally stumbled upon the seeds of your salvation.
A great hope.
But you found something else, as well.
The seeds of your destruction.
There were many sacrifices.
Humankind was mired in horrific conflict...
meaningless bloodshed...
leaving the great Earth eternally scarred.
But finally...
you looked up from the blood and from the dirt and from the dying...
to the stars.
You had not given up on the idea of reaching out, yearning...
seeking a new horizon...
and finding a new space to grow and prosper.
For the first time, all of humankind was united in a shared vision...
a common goal.
You realized that this once great planet was now too small for you.
There were too many souls...
and so little a world.
So you sought other worlds.
Worlds where you could escape your addiction to destruction.
But the worlds you found were never enough.
Never enough to satisfy the age-old instincts.
Speed and distance did nothing to separate you from your nature.
Old resentments, ancient squabbles reemerged.
History began its terrible repetition...
and once again, man fought man.
Like a virus, war was always lurking inside you.
No matter how hard you tried to suppress it...
it just fought harder to get out.
It always got out.
Humankind had always looked to the stars, to the heavens for answers.
Sometimes you didn't like what you found there.
And while the galaxy revealed few answers...
it was more than willing to confront you with new questions.
But there has always been one truly unifying force in human history...
one call that would always unite you:
The emergence of a common enemy.
That enemy was the Covenant.
When this new foe emerged and declared war against humanity...
you finally united, under a single banner.
And the weapons you so carefully constructed...
to control your own baser instincts were now aimed not at yourselves...
but against a deadly opponent...
in pursuit of a shared goal:
The very survival of your species.
Then, as if awakened by the arrival of the Covenant...
a darker, far more ancient threat emerged from its slumber.
Darkness born in eons past...
Became a threat to all life once again.
And humankind and the Covenant...
who had drowned for so long in each other's blood...
were united, if only for the briefest moment...
against a terrible enemy they both shared.
Righteous souls continued to fight...
believing that they could defeat the darkness.
And as they fought together, they stumbled together into peace.
This galaxy is vast.
Its wonders and beauty are almost unfathomable.
But the galaxy also hides dark secrets...
some of which have lain dormant since the beginning of time itself.
There is a danger in secrets...
both in seeking and in knowing.
Some things are meant to be hidden from view.
You see, some mysteries defy understanding.
And sometimes even the things we think we know are untrue.
Some secrets should remain untouched.
Secrets can tempt your primal instinct...
and lead you again into war.
The Halos were one such secret.
Chief, can you hear me?
I wonder why humans must continue to fight.
I wonder if warriors will ever disappear from this world.
Never.
There will always be warriors...
and there will always be war.
You know this is a trap, do you not?
Coming was foolish.
Your words of dissent are troubling to us.
We ask so little in return for the gifts we offer.
Tell me, Arbiter, is faith too much to ask in exchange?
Harka has chosen the path of the Great Journey.
Why must you resist?
The Journey will take us farther than this simple Covenant.
It will deliver us to godhood.
There is only one path for you.
Why must you deny the Journey that we all must take?
The Journey is a lie!
Is it now?
- You're dreaming, my love. - What?
Forgive me, Han. L am distracted.
Can you not simply serve?
Perhaps, but only when you know who you are actually serving.
Now I'm not so sure.
You uncertain?
Han, you should leave, just for a little while.
I'll never leave you. I'm your wife.
And you are the general. My place is at your side.
You are stubborn to a fault.
I could say the same of you.
Useless.
Focus. We are fighting Elite, the right arm of the Covenant.
The gifts of the Forerunners are nothing if you don't master the skills to wield them.
Master them you will, for we are the men of Sanghelios.
Never forget that honor.
Sir! Yes, sir!
Walk with me a moment, Arbiter.
Roe.
I must ask you.
Ask your question.
Tell me, Arbiter, why do you insist on provoking their patience?
They have given us formidable gifts.
Your status is at risk.
This heresy will strip you of your rank.
There is no rank without honor.
We were strong.
Sanghelios was strong before this Covenant.
And we could be strong once more.
But we have strayed.
We live not for honor but for power.
Listen to yourself.
This talk is not just heresy, it is treachery.
You are putting your bloodline at risk.
And what of your wife?
What of Han? Arbiter.
To protect the future of our clans, please, please join.
Arbiter.
And now the game begins, and I must play.
Thel.
I know they will come in force to challenge me.
And I will not turn away from them. I will answer their call.
It's not too late.
Cursed Arbiter. Cursed Arbiter.
Cursed Arbiter. Cursed Arbiter. Cursed Arbiter.
So honor is his strength.
Then we shall turn his precious honor against him.
Draw him out and defeat him publicly.
The badge of Arbiter will become a mark of shame.
Harka.
Persuade him, yes. Take away what he finds so precious.
We'll show everyone how high is the price of dissent.
Come in, Roe.
What's the matter?
Kill her.
Then he will have no choice but to face me in battle.
I'm sorry.
We do this for the Great Journey.
He is a demon.
Han.
Han!
A shame that sword of yours was too late to save Han.
Such a price for your honor, Arbiter.
You are not worthy to speak her name.
But I promise it is the last you will utter.
There will be time for talk when I rule in your stead.
And declare your shame, Arbiter.
In 2291, slipspace technology makes space colonization a reality.
In 30 years, mankind establishes the lnner Colonies...
in the heart of the Milky Way...
and soon into the outer periphery.
In the year 2525, the human race encounters an advanced alien alliance.
This alliance called itself the Covenant.
The Covenant decrees humanity an affront to their gods...
and the Human-Covenant War begins.
Within a decade, the Outer Colonies are almost completely annihilated...
by the power of the Covenant.
In the face of direct attacks on the Inner Colonies by Covenant forces...
humanity's only remaining hope...
depends on a special unit of genetically-augmented soldiers.
These soldiers were known as the Spartan-lls.
They finally decide to give the order to pull out and now this.
Damn it. It just ain't my day.
Mac, watch out!
Here they come.
Oh, damn it. This just ain't my day.
What the hell?
Maybe this is my day.
All right, men. Let's welcome our chief petty officer with some backup.
And stay down.
How's Gamma-4?
Gamma-4 is gone.
Then that means this planet is finished.
And it won't be the last, sir.
I have the main unit on the line.
Rescue team will be in accordance...
with the order to fully disengage. Dispatching a rescue craft.
All active units respond immediately.
Team Gamma here, roger that. We are completely surrounded.
Copy that, marine.
We're dispatching a rescue ship to your location.
But I'm afraid we can't exactly give you curbside service.
Sending coordinates for extraction point. You're going to have to make your way...
- Wait a sec. - What?
I know that voice. Ls that you?
Daisy. That's you, isn't it?
Ralph.
- Where do we go now? - I don't know.
- Anywhere but that place. - Yeah.
I don't wanna think about what they'd do to us if we did go back.
We're not gonna be your toys anymore.
She's right. We're sick of your training.
We're leaving and you can't stop us.
What would our moms and dads think of us if they saw us?
It's been seven years.
I wonder if they'd recognize us.
Not because we've grown up but because of what's been done to us.
All of those years of training.
All those horrible surgeries and the augmentations.
But everything's changed now. And not just us.
You really think you can go home?
It doesn't matter. I'm going. L have to.
It's the only home that I have.
I guess tomorrow is goodbye then.
We won't be able to see each other anymore, will we?
Of the five escapees from the facility...
only suboect Joseph-¤ 22 has been captured.
The search for the other four is a Priority-Red directive.
Repeat. The search for the other four is a Priority-Red directive.
Not again. I'm getting off this rock.
And I'm not going home in a body bag either.
I'm gonna create a diversion. Keep low.
You make a run for the extraction point.
Jesus, they're everywhere.
All the more reason for us to move as soon as we see the extraction craft.
That sounds like a good idea to me. I'm gonna go find us a Hog.
- Don't you dare slow down. - Heads up.
You okay down there?
They're here.
Notice any resemblance?
The secrecy of the Spartan-ll program could not be jeopardized.
But the disappearance of 75 recruits for the program...
would've created difficult questions.
But if the children never vanished...
there would be no questions to ask, would there?
The clone lives a life in your place...
the life that was originally meant for you.
Come back to the facility, 23.
It is where you belong. It's home.
Sarge, are you all right?
I will be as soon as we're out of here.
Look, I'll cover you. Go on ahead.
- There's no way I'm leaving... - Just go. Now.
Step on it.
Let's go.
Huh?
Faster, faster!
- Daisy! - Chief!
I'm coming. Stay right there.
There's no time. Go, Ralph.
Get that ship out of here now.
Sometimes I have this dream.
Always the same dream.
I dream I'm strong. Stronger than anyone.
Like you. Just like you are.
Here. L want you to have this.
But why me?
I don't know, to be honest with you.
I just... Something tells me that I should.
I want you to take it.
My clone. He was... He was sick.
I think I killed him.
Don't do this to yourself, Ralph.
You did what you had to do.
So did l.
Daisy?
Transport to base.
Custody of Daisy-23 and Ralph-303 restored.
Subject's ETA, one hour. After making contact with their clones...
the remaining two escapees used their small arms to commit suicide.
This is Charlie-1. Sending new rendezvous coordinates.
Prepare to disengage.
What? He slipped and fell?
- 1337, wasn't it? - You think he'll be okay?
This kind of thing happens to him all the time.
Well, 1337 is still a Spartan. He's been trained with the best of them.
There's no need for concern.
If you say so, Master Chief.
It wouldn't be the first time he fell off a Pelican.
- But still, I am a little worried. - Yeah.
Oh, no.
Hey! Wait for me! Come back!
Don't leave me behind!
I'm gonna have to rendezvous with them somewhere.
Huh?
I wonder if these natives are dangerous?
Hey, look at that. It's the junky old robot that fell.
Ha-ha-ha. L am not some junky robot.
Even if you don't wanna know, I'll tell you who I am.
I am one of the strongest warriors in space.
I am Spartan-1337.
- L wouldn't stand there if I were you. - It's not safe.
How dare they ignore my awesome heroism.
Fear not. I am the strongest warrior in the... Oh, no.
I'm fine. That was just a few dents.
He doesn't really get along with strangers all that much.
So where is the accursed group of Spartans?
On Cronkee, the fourth planet of the Unicon system.
Excellent. This is the perfect opportunity...
to show those Spartans a thing or two about Covenant power.
- Bring out Pluton. - Yes, sir.
Yes. It is the finest bio-warrior ever created.
Now go to the planet Cronkee and demonstrate our might.
But Pluton's weapons are still in the experimental stage.
They'll be enough to vanquish the humans.
Don't you think a real battle will be the best way...
to conduct our little test?
If that is your wish.
I will get you at long last, Master Chief. Now go, Pluton!
- Guh. - Not "guh." Go destroy them!
No, not over here.
- He's over that way. He's over there! - Huh?
Don't "huh" me. Go that way.
I need a vacation.
Chief, respond please. Can you hear me? Chief? Over.
There's some strange interference.
- Hello? Can you hear me? - We can hear you.
Not you. And I thought I told you to stop following me.
- Robot, look. - I told you I'm not a robot.
What's that?
Sure is a lot ofjunk falling from the sky today.
Covenant? It's dangerous. Get out of here!
- As far as you can. - Okay.
Chief, this... Stop it. Stop it.
Are you guys all right?
- Hey, look. It's big brother. - And big sister.
Any of you know what that thing is?
It looks like he almost blew up the mountain range.
He fell from the sky. All of a sudden, he and this giant monkey started going nuts.
Don't worry. Your big brother is gonna take care of it.
Yeah. Well, he might be a little tougher than you think.
We don't have much choice. We'll just have to try our best.
Yeah, you might lose.
Why would you say that? Give me some credit, will you?
It must have been scary. Are you sure you're okay?
I'm kind of hungry.
All right, let's do this.
I'm not gonna lose. No way can I lose.
I am Spartan-1337.
No one else will say it, so I will.
The fact that I never give up is one of my good points!
Hey, look. The rain stopped.
The robot's back.
What's that?
Apparently they used to travel between the stars with that.
An old UNSC frigate. Must've crash-landed.
I hear that we were all born inside there.
Mama raised us all by herself.
Mama?
You kids should stay behind. This is my fight.
Don't worry about it. We may not look it, but we're pretty tough.
Though, we're no match for Mama.
Mama, huh?
When we were still little she fought off a bunch...
of bird-headed pirates by herself.
That sounds like one heck of a mama.
But you know what?
I'm one heck of a mama myself.
I did it.
I did it!
Oh, no. We'll be done for if he reaches full strength.
- We gotta stop him. - Yeah, and that's gonna be the hard part.
Less talk, more action.
Ah!
This isn't good. He won't budge.
We're totally screwed.
What else can we do?
We're doomed.
Well, don't jinx us!
I'm just kidding.
We gotta do something.
Hey, what the heck is that?
Oh, as if he'd ever fall for that.
He did fall for it.
He did? He did. Now let's get out of here.
Whoa. What's happening?
No way.
Ah!
Is that a Slipspace rupture?
Ah!
That was Mama.
I told you, no one was as tough as Mama.
Master Chief, radio contact has been reestablished.
Good. I'll try to contact 1337.
There's another AI living on this planet.
- What? - I've lost contact with it.
But I'm pretty sure I felt it just tinkering with the Slipspace drive.
She's another Al it seems. Just like I am.
Why here?
- You want me to collect her? - No. Let's not do that.
It's a very old AI construct. You might say something of an antique.
- She seems... - Seems what?
Happy. If I'm understanding correctly, she seems to be happy here. Hm.
Hm.
We're home.
Were you playing as cavemen again? You really do like that game.
Mama, you're not gonna believe what happened today.
All right, all right. You can tell me all about that later.
Mama, just what did you do back there?
That's not important right now.
By the way, dinner is ready.
- I'm hungry. - I thought so.
- Now go wash your hands. - Okay.
And clean behind your ears.
Mama.
Can you hear me, 1337? Come in, 133¤.
This is 1337. I hear you clearly, sir.
Head to the rendezvous point immediately. ¤endezvous ASAP, over.
Huh? Roger that, sir, but I may run a little late!
Guh.
Sarge, look at the moon.
It's funny.
I never noticed how beautiful the moons are here.
You think anybody noticed?
Stay quiet.
The BioFoam's working, but you're still bleeding.
There's something I've always wanted to know.
Your call sign, "Ghost," what does it mean?
Stop talking.
You've gotta hold tight until the medevac gets here.
You finally have an excuse to show that you care, and...
Let me ask you something.
Just one last thing.
It won't hurt, I promise.
- What was I to you? - What do you mean?
You're a soldier.
A soldier with a promising future ahead of you.
You're a soldier.
- And you're a ghost, aren't you? - What?
Feelings pass right through you, don't they?
So cold and unforgiving in every choice you made in battle.
Pure soldier.
- L think that's what let us trust you... - Don't talk. Save your strength.
I don't need it.
I need you to be strong.
Strong enough to do what you've never done in your life.
Can you be strong enough to allow yourself to be...?
Can you just be human?
Damn it, man, what are you still doing here?
- Command has declared a retreat. - We can't pull out.
The civilians may be on their way out, but there's a core of engineers out there.
- I'm not leaving them behind. - Lt ain't up to you.
Cole Protocol's been enacted. Let's move it.
The shuttles.
Lf this fighting keeps up, we're gonna be as good as dead.
We gotta stick it out and pray they get us some evac.
Let's go.
- Who's left behind? - What?
Answer me, soldier. What's the name of the group?
It's the Hades Corps. They're at Hangar 1030...
and they're not leaving until they destroy the prototype...
of some weapon system.
The demolition squad.
I should have known.
Ghost.
If the Cole Protocol's been enacted...
why the hell are we stranded on the frontline?
We're pinned down here, and now the sarge is missing.
We're screwed.
No, we were sunk from the beginning.
What?
On his last assignment...
our fearless leader let his entire platoon go down.
They got wiped out in a single firefight. Sarge didn't even flinch.
Well, I guess that's why they call him the Ghost, then, isn't it?
And why the brass always decides to put him in charge of demolition jobs.
Because he's not even human. Argh!
Come on, don't die on me. Come on.
I can't believe these sons of bitches left us behind.
This is it.
- L can't believe it. - Oh, my God.
It's the prototype suit.
- But who the hell's driving it? - Ghost to Hades Corps.
Fall back immediately. Ignore the Covenant.
I'll hold them off.
Nobody's dying here.
You heard him. Let's go.
You idiot. He's not supposed to be testing that suit.
He's supposed to destroy it.
Can you hear me, sergeant?
What do you think you're doing?
Your orders are to destroy the suit and all related data.
- You are disobeying direct orders. - No, sir. L am following my orders.
Explain yourself.
I have destroyed all the data...
and I'm using the time left on this suit to safely evac my people.
I'm not leaving till every one of my men...
- are safely off... - That is not the plan.
- I am ordering you to stand down... - There's no other choice.
The mission cannot be jeopardized.
And I am still responsible for these Marines.
Wait, sergeant. Ghost, listen to me.
GHOoT: I lost my entire platoon. Every one of my men.
And that's when it happened.
That's when I truly became a ghost.
Just a shadow...
surrounded by death.
The suit has a staggered countdown.
In order to trigger final detonation, the system requires a voice command.
You designed it that way for a reason, didn't you?
Ghost.
Just get my men off this planet.
This is Ghost. Over and out.
What's the matter, Ghost? Why can't you move?
I made up my mind that day.
The night I let my platoon die.
I looked up at those moons, and something died inside me.
A conscience is something that gets in the way.
That's all the soul is: an obstacle.
Something to overcome.
I canot atone for failing to protect them.
Countdown contingent. Voice command required.
Speak the voice command exactly as displayed.
Let me ask you something.
Just one last thing.
It won't hurt, I promise.
What was I to you?
What do you mean?
You're a soldier.
A soldier with a promising future ahead of you.
You're a soldier.
- And you're a ghost, aren't you? - What?
Feelings pass right through you, don't they?
So cold and unforgiving in every choice you made in battle.
Pure soldier.
- L think that's what let us trust you... - Don't talk. Save your strength.
I don't need it.
I need you to be strong.
Strong enough to do what you've never done in your life.
Can you be strong enough to allow yourself to be...?
Can you just be human?
If not for your sake, for all of us.
If you would just allow yourself to feel something...
maybe you wouldn't be a ghost any longer.
Voice command authorization.
Be human.
And for one last instant, I'm human again.
Transmission from orbit around Algolis.
Cole Protocol enforced.
All weapons, prototypes...
and accompanying navigational databases eliminated.
The soldier I previously recommended for military court-martial is...
I rescind and redact that portion of my earlier report.
That soldier is officially missing in action, lost during heavy combat on Algolis.
He demonstrated honorable conduct, not only as a Marine...
but also as a human being.
We're heading for rendezvous with the UNSC Heart of Midlothian.
Over and out.
Hey, easy there, Berger. What do you think you're doing?
- What? - They're Helljumpers.
Every one of those guys are ODSTs from the 105th.
They're in a whole different league. Let's go.
Unh. Aw, come on.
I wanna hear what they're saying.
No.
I don't get it.
How did everybody conveniently forget...
that I'm the best shot this side of Eridanus?
Getting assigned to backup is a bunch of B.S.
Contingency. It's an important mission.
If the first sniper misses, they take the shot.
I don't miss. I never miss.
This sucks and you know it.
I'm nobody's babysitter.
Especially not some farm-boy moose hunter.
I hate to be the one to break the bad news...
but you weren't selected to be the primary shooter on this mission.
So it seems they want your farm boy to do it.
I guess that makes you the backup. Sorry, O'Brian.
I'm the backup?
- And the shooter is a Spartan. - What?
And that means this mission just got escalated.
This is Spartan Cal-141...
who'll be the ranking officer on this mission.
I realize that is highly unusual...
and you have strong feelings about Spartans.
You will keep those feelings out of the mission and follow the plan.
Satellite recon shows radar and magnetic signatures...
on high end in the Arc star cluster.
These signatures indicate a complex of buildings.
It's a logistical base.
The Prophet you are targeting is in control of this entire sector.
Our mission is simple. We want this Prophet dead.
We take out the Prophet, we will stop the Covenant chain of supply.
If we achieve the goal of this mission...
we will able to buy ourselves months of tactical advantage.
And we will do all of this with minimal risk to the UNSC.
Hmm. Other than to this group, of course.
Cortez, fill them in on the details.
Right. You'll be flying into the atmosphere with a Leonid-class meteor shower.
Meteor showers are a regular occurrence on this planet...
so that means entry and landing should go unnoticed.
Calculations show reaching the target will take a 14-hour fast march...
from your entry point.
Once you reach the target...
take out the Prophet as soon as he steps off that ship.
Then you are to gather all data relating to the unidentified alien ruins.
What do you mean, they're not identified?
The architecture is not Covenant-designed...
and it sure as hell wasn't built by humans.
They predate both sides.
This site is of the utmost importance.
We photograph everything.
That will be all, master sergeant. Rejoin your men.
You will be dropping in precisely five minutes.
With this mission, there is no room for delay or error.
Good luck, and Godspeed.
Dutch, come in.
I'm all right. Where's O'Brian?
Over there.
His oxygen tank.
Dutch, get the gear.
We gotta get him out of there.
Are you guys nuts? Why are you throwing me around like that?
We lost Checkman in the atmosphere.
- What? - And we almost lost you too.
Their logistics and refueling base is here. We're here.
The Prophet will be coming in at exactly 0800.
Hmm. Everything depends on us getting a clear shot from this location...
and we've got to hit him as soon as he's exiting that ship.
It's two miles from the target...
and should give us the elevation for the shot.
It's pretty far...
but it will give us enough cover to make our extraction.
Assuming that the Spartan can make the shot, that is.
And if we don't make it to the target in time?
There won't be any second chances.
- It's a long-ass march. - Then we better get marching.
Wanna take the lens cap off?
Knock it off, O'Brian.
I'm not crippled. Put me down.
You bitch any louder...
and this place will be crawling with Covenant.
Shut your mouth! He just got lucky.
That's twice.
Twice he had to save your dumb ass already.
You could at least say "thank you."
Man, those are some stairs.
The shuttle will be touching down in two minutes.
After all this, he better be everything they said he was.
Take him out!
Take the shot. O'Brian, now!
You're the only one who can do it.
It's the data on the ruins.
Tell them...
to get it to Halsey.
She'll know.
No, you give it to her.
We both know that's not gonna be possible.
Heard about what you guys did down there.
Took out a Prophet...
and stopped the Covenant's supply chain dead for the sector.
They say a Spartan died there.
Went down faster than a new bood on his first day.
I thought those guys were supposed to be unbeatable.
Huh. I guess he didn't have what it takes to hang with the Helljumpers, huh?
Shut up.
What's your problem? What is the matter with you?
What'd I say?
The Covenant has captured a high-priority package.
Spartans, it's your job to infiltrate enemy space and retrieve it.
Mission window: 10 minutes.
The target is equipped with a location beacon...
but you'll have to get close to read it. It's a weak signal with a short radius.
A stellar magnetic field is preventing the Covenant fleet...
from making a Slipspace jump.
You'll be flying in with EVA booster frames.
When you reach the Covenant fleet, find the signal, find the ship...
find a way in and grab that target.
The Covenant doesn't appear to realize the full value of what they've acquired.
And that's the way we wanna keep it.
Complete the extraction before they figure out what they've got.
All right, Spartans, you have your orders. Good luck.
Yes, sir.
Captain. CAPTAIN: What is it, Master Chief?
What happens if we run out of time?
Our only choice will be to annihilate the Covenant fleet...
the package and your entire team.
Is that clear enough?
I understand.
Spartsn team, the moment we break stealth...
commence operation.
Five, four, three, two, one.
Disable cloak. Booster frame.
Launch.
Incoming. Optimize mobility.
Plasma rounds.
Scanning device is activated.
I've got a reading.
- Are you sure? - No question.
Back me up, I'm going in.
Their shields are down.
The signal's coming from that cruiser.
Hang on, Solomon, wait for the Chief.
No time. I'll take my chances.
All right, if we're gonna do this, let's make it fast.
Positive read from the first scan. Something's off.
Hurry, Solomon.
Gotcha.
No.
- Kelly, it's a trap. - No.
They took the bait. Three have perished.
The rest are only a matter of time.
We must always show our superior strength.
Anything less and they will exploit our weakness.
Weakness. You have faced these lowly creatures in battle...
while your battalion perished.
That tells me only one thing.
You have not the heart to die with honor.
Commander, two survivors detected.
Solomon. MASTER CHIEF: Kelly, look.
I'm getting multiple readings.
They're decoys. They know what we came for.
How do we find the real signal?
They've already told us.
What we want is in the heart of this fleet.
The flagship.
Syrup formation, 2 o'clock.
Ignore them. Stay on target.
Four enemies approaching.
They know.
Will you run away once more?
They will be here. I shall face them.
You overestimate them.
They cannot touch this ship.
I pray that you are right.
Tight formation, now.
Concentrate Gauss cannons on a single point.
Roger. KELLY: Roger.
Shields at maximum charge.
They're still with us.
- I'm hit. - I'll hold them back.
I'm losing it.
Arthur!
You've gotta eject. I got your six.
- You secure? - Give me the turret.
Now I got your six.
Let's get on with it.
Gauss cannon charge, 85 percent.
They're advancing position.
Ninety-one percent.
There it is.
Launch all missiles.
Gauss cannon, fire.
This thing's toast.
Then let them have it.
Looks like this is the right ship.
- We got three minutes. - Let's sprint this.
Don't fall behind.
- Copy that. - Copy that.
Go.
Three units passing Sector 25.
Stop them. Seal all hatches.
- Fred. - I got it.
- The enemy is advancing. - No.
Where is the major?
Go. L got this.
All right, the great journey ends here.
Fred. MASTER CHIEF: Focus on the mission.
We get the target.
Commander, they're getting closer.
Getting closer, are they?
Not for long.
Chief.
Break off the entire block.
But, commander, our brothers have...
Silence.
Let them die with honor.
Chief.
Go get her.
Kelly.
Dr. Halsey.
John.
- It's you? - Yes. I'm here to take you back.
- Sleep well, doctor? - No thanks to their driving, yes.
You seem to be in one piece.
Maybe your luck has rubbed off on me.
We make our own luck...
but I'll always be there when you need me.
Don't make a girl a promise if you know you can't keep it.
- Still, thank you. - Sure.
- Dr. Halsey... - It's not a proper rescue...
until you get us out of here, right?
Agreed. We need to move fast.
John, wait.
- We're out of time. - What? No.
We're clear of the magnetic interference.
Stand by for Slipspace jump.
They're trapped in Delta section.
Separate the moment we jump.
But what of the major and his group?
No matter.
He is already shamed.
His only path now is death or arbiter.
I had him.
Commander, you fool.
A thousand hells await you!
They're scuttling the ship.
And us with it.
But we make our own luck, remember?
What are you suggesting?
What else? We improvise.
Doctor, we've got company.
Can't you do anything?
Can't this bucket go any faster?
What's happening?
Cutting it a little close, aren't we?
Fred.
Doctor, are you all right?
Yes, I'm fine.
These Covenant rigs fly like rocks. It took us a bit to get rolling.
Incoming.
What? CAPTAIN: Welcome back, Spartans.
You really are lucky. You know that.
Not lucky enough.
We lost two Spartans today.
Solomon and Arthur.
And that Elite we encountered, he was strong.
I have to be stronger.
We all have to be stronger.
Something tells me this is just the beginning.