CEV:Heavy Burden
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| Heavy Burden | |
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Aboard Triumph of Tolerance |
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Halopedia doesn't currently have a walkthrough for this level; could you write one? |
| “ | Complete your mission and get back to the UNSC. | ” |
Heavy Burden is the third level in the Operation: METEORITE prequel campaign in Halo: Campaign Evolved, and the thirteenth mission overall.
Plot summary[edit]
This section is a stub. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.
Transcript[edit]
Best Served Cold[edit]
{Gameplay}
The mission opens in gameplay, with the player back inside the white-gold bulkheads of the Sacristan Order.
- Johnson: I don't know about you, Chief, but I'm just about done with this damned place. This starholo data better be worth it.
- John-117: We get to the bridge, then we get what we came for.
- Johnson: You forgot "and then we get the hell off this crazy boat."
The pair fight through Covenant soldiers.
- Johnson: Nice place. Pity I didn't bring my thermite charges.
- John-117: Record everything. Naval Intelligence will want to analyse this.
After fighting through several rooms.
- Johnson: Damn. Let's not do that again.
- Williams (on radio): Johnson, status.
- Johnson: We're close, LT.
- Williams (on radio): Copy. We've cleared a route to the hangar.
- John-117: Good luck, Lieutenant. See you at the rally point.
- Williams (on radio): Yeah... stay frosty, Spartan.
The pair continue to fight on, eventually going up a gravity lift and emerging back into more standard Covenant purple corridors.
- John-117: This should be the bridge.
- Johnson: Ready for our dramatic entrance?
- John-117: It's the only kind I know.
- Johnson: Well then, let's go get what we came for.
The Master Chief and Johnson enter Triumph of Tolerance's bridge.
- Johnson: Sneaky bastards are trying to lock down their battlenet! We need to stop them before they encrypt the nav data!
After dispatching the shipmaster and his guards.
- Johnson: That should be the last of 'em, Chief.
{Cutscene}
Johnson finishes off an enemy with his M99 Stanchion, Sophie. A screen activates behind them and the Minister of Harmony begins talking.
- Harmony: There is so much you do not understand about the Great Journey, humans. Why it cannot be stopped. Your kind is a mere footnote in the story of this galaxy. When I relay what I have learned to the hierarchs, there will be nothing that can stop us from—
Johnson shoots the screen, cutting off the Minister's broadcast.
- Johnson: Sorry, I was gettin' real tired of hearing him talk.
The Master Chief attaches a spoofer to the starholo.
- John-117: Sierra-117 to Lieutenant Williams, status report.
The sounds of heavy fighting can be heard on the radio.
- Williams (on radio): The Covenant aren't making it easy—
[Pause]
- Williams (on radio): –but what fun is easy?
- John-117: Copy. On our way.
The spoofer finishes downloading the nav data. John-117 retrieves it.
{Gameplay}
- John-117: We've got the data. Integrity looks good.
- John-117: Lieutenant Williams, we have secured the data and are en-route to your position.
- Johnson: Save some Covenant for us. I'd hate to do all this walking for nothing!
- Williams (on radio): Hah! No promises. Williams out.
The player enters into a gravity lift and descends back into the ship.
Two-Fisted Cyborg Justice[edit]
- Harmony (on intercom): All this for a simple map? You are truly blind to the miracles of my creation... and to the inevitability of your species' fate.
The Chief and Johnson fight through more Covenant troops into a series of chambers adorned with flora.
- John-117: Intel suggested this was a garden or recreation bay. Looks like a hydroponics facility.
- Johnson: Chief, when we get out of here, I'll personally pin a medal on your chest and treat you to a night on the town.
- John-117: Is that a threat, Sergeant Major?
- Johnson: Just going to hurt my feelings, huh? I see how it is.
The pair continue to fight through increasingly-stiff resistance.
- Williams (on radio): You boys better shake a leg, no leftovers for late arrivals.
- Johnson: I figured you'd have this whole mess sorted out by the time I got there.
- John-117: Let's not keep them waiting.
The player reaches a gravity lift.
- Johnson: After you. Bravery before beauty.
Tunnel Vision[edit]
The player descends back into the Covenant sections of the ship, finding an anti-gravity gondola.
- Johnson: Looks like we've found a ride.
- John-117: Let's get moving.
- Johnson: Think they'll give us that tour?
The player activates the gondola.
- Johnson: All aboard!
The gondola starts moving.
- Williams (on radio): Hangar's secure. No Covenant left breathing. We're holding position.
- John-117: Understood. We are moving to regroup.
The gondola traverses the length of the ship back towards the hangar.
- John-117: Target the Covenant on that bridge.
- Johnson: Nothing stops this train!
The gondola comes to a platform and then powers down, along with the lights.
- Johnson: Well, ain't this a fine mess. Power's out, Chief.
- John-117: There's a power relay above us.
The Chief activates a power relay.
- John-117: Power's been rerouted.
- Johnson: Systems look to be waking up...
- Johnson: A local alert got through.. we have more bad guys incoming!
A few waves of Covenant troops assault the player. After they are defeated, power is restored.
- Johnson: Ready to move out.
- John-117: Let's move.
The gondola sets off once again, with more enemies firing upon the player from platforms to port and starboard.
- Johnson: This is our stop.
The gondola comes to a halt.
- Johnson: Their security is terrible.
- John-117: We won't always be so lucky.
- Johnson: Ok, Mr. Sunshine.
- Williams (on radio): We've got a Covenant counterattack inbound! Falling back to defensive positions!
- Johnson: Copy that, LT! Dig in and make 'em pay for every inch!
- Johnson: Chief, I'm not sure those marines can hold out.
- John-117: They'll hold.
- Johnson: Marines, we're almost there. You copy?
The player emerges into a large hangar bay.
- Johnson: Williams, you read?
- John-117: I don't like it.
- Johnson: Me either, let's hustle.
The Chief and Johnson fight through more Covenant soldiers in the hangar, including a Wraith tank. Eventually they come to a doorway.
{Cutscene}
The Chief and Johnson run through a doorway to find Williams and her marines victorious atop a pile of dead Covenant.
- John-117: Nice work.
- Williams: Thanks. Spartans aren't the only badasses in the UNSC. So, did you take out the Prophet?
- John-117: Negative.
- Williams: Whatever the Covenant's working on here needs to be stopped before it can go any further.
Williams grabs one of the Brute berserker devices and holds it up.
- Williams: We need to destroy this ship.
- Johnson: Chief, the LT's right. We need to blow this entire ship to molecules. We can't let them finish cooking up what's in these labs.
Johnson activates his headset radio.
- Johnson: Libra Actual, this is Libra Two. I'm breaking radio silence to request immediate assistance. We are green for exfil. Requesting a fire mission against our current location.
- Comm Officer (on radio): Libra Two, this is Libra Actual, we are ready for rendezvous. Tactical indicates our ship doesn't have the firepower to penetrate the target's energy shields. If you can find a way to drop their shield strength, even for a few moments, we should be able to take the shot.
- Johnson: Copy that. Keep your weapons hot, we'll be in touch.
- John-117: So, take out the generators.
- Johnson: Great idea, but it will only drop the shields for a minute or two at the most.
- John-117: That's all the time they need to take the shot.
- Johnson: Yeah, but you can't be here when the fireworks start.
- Williams: And he doesn't need to. You guys get off this ship and get the nav data to the UNSC. We'll drop the shields.
- John-117: Negative, Lieutenant. That's a one-way trip.
- Williams: It's been a one-way trip from the beginning for us, Chief. At least now we get to go out on our own terms.
- John-117: That wasn't the mission.
- Johnson: Missions change, Chief. Always do. And now we're giving these Marines a chance to punch back.
Johnson fist-bumps Williams' shoulder pauldron.
- Williams: Damn right. Chief, I've gotta do this. It would haunt me every day to know we let this nightmare factory survive. And I'll be damned if I let a Spartan steal the glory on this one.
She throws the Brute berserker device to the Chief, who catches it.
- Johnson: That's our cue, Chief. Time to go.
Johnson salutes.
- Johnson: Pleasure serving with you, Lieutenant.
The Master Chief and Williams look at one another again. Williams nods to the Chief, before turning back to her marines.
- Williams: Let's move out, marines!
The Chief looks at the Brute device, before throwing it on the floor. He and Johnson board a pair of Seraph fighters and exit into space.
Sword and Sorrow[edit]
{Gameplay}
The player is now flying a Seraph. Johnson has his own Seraph.
- Johnson (on radio): You do know how to fly these things, right?
- John-117: I'm a quick learner.
The pair are engaged by a talon of Space Banshees, which are quickly destroyed.
- Williams (on radio): Heads up, Chief! We're seeing power surges—the Covenant are up to something.
- Johnson (on radio): Any guesses?
- Williams (on radio): Not sure. could be prepping an emergency slipspace jump, could be firing a wideband comms pulse to call for help reinforcements. Whatever it is, we need to stop it.
- Johnson (on radio): Let's target their external relay nodes. That should keep them stranded and distracted.
- Williams (on radio): Good luck.
The player destroys all four relay nodes.
- Williams (on radio): Whatever you did out there seems to be working!
- Johnson (on radio): That'll show these bastards what happens when you mess with humanity's finest!
- Williams (on radio): Williams to Sierra-117. First generator is down, but they aren't too happy about it. Hopefully more attention on us means less on you.
- John-117: Acknowledged. Redeploying to the debris field, we need the extra cover.
The gameplay then transitions to a new arena, now in the debris field far from Triumph of Tolerance.
- Johnson (on radio): Never gets easier, seeing this.
- John-117: It's a reminder of what's at stake.
- Johnson (on radio): Sure. I just wish we weren't sent in to sweep up the ashes after the whole damn house was burned down.
- Williams (on radio): Spartan, we're sending out dropships with our wounded. Keep 'em safe.
- John-117: Acknowledged, Lieutenant. Sending rendezvous coordinates.
A Spirit dropship deploys from Triumph of Tolerance, headed toward the player while under attack from Triumph's cannons and enemy fighters. The player fends of Banshees and Seraphs while the dropship reaches the rally point.
- Williams (on radio): Our marines are en-route to the rally point... Thanks.
- John-117: Copy. Good work, Lieutenant.
- Johnson (on radio): Burden should arrive shortly. Let's clear the way.
- Johnson (on radio): Slipspace rupture detected!
A Halberd-class light destroyer, UNSC Burden of Proof, exits slipspace near the debris field.
- Johnson (on radio): There's our ride home, Chief.
- Johnson (on radio): Okay Chief, let's give the Burden some cover and buy our new friends time to do their thing.
- Johnson (on radio): Libra Two to Libra Actual. Confirming our IFF in commandeered Covenant fighters. We're preparing for your fire mission. Sending target coordinates.
- Comm Officer (on radio): Coordinates confirmed.
A new enemy Seraph appears, attempting to kamikaze attack the Burden of Proof.
- John-117: New contacts.
- Johnson (on radio): What the?!
- Johnson (on radio): I see 'em... and they're not slowing down.
- John-117: They're going to hit the Burden, full burn.
- Johnson (on radio): Crazy bastards!
- John-117: Priority target those ships!
Ten Seraphs attempt to attack the Burden as it manoeuvres into position to have a clear shot on Triumph of Tolerance.
- Johnson (on radio): Williams, how are we looking on those power generators?
- Williams (on radio): Closing in on the last one. We lost Robins and Kimura... We'll make it happen.
- Johnson (on radio): Understood, Lieutenant. Do what you can.
- John-117: We have interceptors inbound.
- Johnson (on radio): Time to dance!
More fighters attack the Burden of Proof.
- Johnson (on radio): New target!
- John-117: That's a command shuttle.
- Harmony (on radio): Where I go, you cannot follow—your victory is but an illusion! I move not in fear, but in purpose!
- Johnson (on radio): I can't get a lock!
- Harmony (on radio): Farewell, Demon. May your despair echo in the void.
- John-117: Impulse drive signature.
- Johnson (on radio): Dammit! We lost him.
- John-117: For now. Stay on mission.
The player finishes destroying the kamikaze Seraphs as the Covenant ship opens fire on the Burden of Proof.
- John-117: Targets neutralised.
- Johnson (on radio): Tenacious bastards.
An explosion ripples from inside Triumph of Tolerance, disrupting the vessel's shielding and stopping the fire from its cannons.
- Williams (on radio): This is Williams. The last generator is down.
- Comm Officer (on radio): We're locked. Clear the target.
- Johnson (on radio): Just in time, LT. Big damn heroes, all of you.
- Williams (on radio): Appreciate it, Sergeant Major. Name a building after us or something, alright. I was thinking something like—
Williams is cut off
{Cutscene}
UNSC Burden of Proof fires its Magnetic Accelerator Cannon at Triumph of Tolerance, hitting it in the bow. The shot pierces into the habitat dome behind, and the ship explodes. Johnson and the Chief's Seraphs fly back to the destroyer.
- Johnson (on radio): This is Libra Two, we're ready for pickup. We've also got a staff manifest to submit for posthumous commendations.
- Comms Officer (on radio): Acknowledged. Welcome aboard.
The Triumph of Tolerance breaks apart as the camera pans up to look over the former-colony world Promise. The scene then cuts to the interior of Burden of Proof, with Sergeant Johnson entering a debriefing room. He is alone in the room, and sits at a computer.
- Johnson: Ma'am.
- Catherine Halsey: I am glad that you made it back in one piece. And John?
- Johnson: Oh, One-One-Seven? He's a good kid.
- Halsey: They are not children anymore, Sergeant Major.
- Johnson: Doc, when you're as old as I am, they're all still kids.
- Halsey: Do you think there might be other Covenant ships like this out there?
- Johnson: Hard to say. The Prophet seemed to be working alone.
- Halsey: Genius often is.
- Halsey: You should be pleased to know this little excursion was well worth the effort.
Johnson's smiling face turns into a frown as he looks at the computer monitor. The camera slowly pans around to reveal what he is looking at.
- Halsey: It looks like you just might have found the heart of the Covenant after all.
The camera shows the full computer screen, displaying a readout of High Charity.
Mission ends.
Achievements[edit]
The following achievements and trophies can be unlocked on Heavy Burden across all editions of Halo: Campaign Evolved.
| Xbox | Steam | Title | Unlock requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:CEV Achievement PersonalSpace.png | Personal Space | Complete Heavy Burden | |
| File:CEV Achievement BruteLoops.png | Brute Loops | Find all skulls and terminals in Heavy Burden. |
Production notes[edit]
Official documentation on the Halo support website lists this level as named "Bitter Harvest", presumably an earlier in-development name for the level.[1]
When the Minister of Harmony flees the battle close to the end of the level, level dialogue claims that he is fleeing in a command shuttle. However, using machinima mode to get closer actually reveals that his "command shuttle" is a reused Seraph model.
Gallery[edit]
Williams in the hangar speaking with John-117 and Avery Johnson.
The Triumph of Tolerance.
The Minister of Harmony's "command shuttle" (in actuality reusing the Seraph model) near Triumph of Tolerance.
The Minister of Harmony's "command shuttle".
Sources[edit]
- ^ Halo Support, Collectibles in Halo: Campaign Evolved (Retrieved on Aug 3, 2026) [archive]
| Preceded by The Most Dangerous Game |
Campaign Evolved Campaign Missions Heavy Burden |
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