H3:Cortana

This article is about the Halo 3 campaign level. For the human AI, see Cortana.

Prev:	The Covenant
Next:	Halo
Cortana
Game:	Halo 3
File name (?):	110_hc
Player:	Master Chief (player 1) Arbiter (player 2) N'tho 'Sraom (player 3) Usze 'Taham (player 4)
Date:	December 11, 2552
Location:	Installation 00, inside the crash site of High Charity
Objective(s):	Rescue Cortana and destroy High Charity.
Par Time:	00:15:00 (Master Chief Collection)
Par Score:	17,000 (Master Chief Collection) 15,000 (Halo 3)
	Halopedia has a walkthrough guide for this level; see H3:Cortana/Walkthrough.

“

Cleanse High Charity. Save Cortana.

”

Cortana is the ninth campaign level of Halo 3. It takes place in the Flood infested High Charity. The player's mission is to find Cortana in order to activate Installation 08.

Upon completing it on the Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulties, the player will earn "The Key" achievement and 40 Gamerscore. Earning over 15,000 points in the campaign meta-game on this level will give the player the Orpheus achievement, and 10 Gamerscore.

Summary

With the Prophet of Truth dead and the Covenant defeated at last, the Master Chief must now infiltrate the Flood-infested High Charity and rescue Cortana, who possesses the Activation Index needed to activate the new Halo. The Chief flies into High Charity in a Banshee and journeys into the depths of the city, searching for his lost AI companion. During this mission, not only does the Chief encounter stiff resistance from the Flood, he is constantly plagued by disturbing visions of Cortana being tortured, as well as taunts and threats from the Gravemind. Despite this, he finally locates and retrieves Cortana, finally fulfilling the promise he made to her before departing for Earth. The Chief then overloads High Charity's backup reactor to destroy the city. The Arbiter unexpectedly shows up and aids the Chief in his escape. The pair find a crashed Pelican and use it to escape from High Charity just before the city is destroyed.

Transcript

{Cutscene}

The Master Chief flies a Banshee to High Charity. He finds an opening into the hive. (In co-op, Thel 'Vadam will follow the Chief and land his Banshee next to the Spartan's Banshee)

• Sergeant Major Avery Junior Johnson (COM): "Chief, I'll round up our survivors, fall back to the Dawn."

The Chief drops down onto a wide platform from a hole above ('Vadam follows him in co-op)

• Johnson (COM): "Arbiter will do the same with the Elites."

(Co-op Change) Johnson (COM): "The Shipmaster will do the same with the Elites."

Flood organic materials stuck on the Chief's boot.

The Chief shakes off some organic material sticking to his boot.

• Johnson (COM): "Cortana's in there somewhere..."

{Gameplay}

Rampant

Graverobber.

The Chief begins his journey through the hive, killing any Flood in his path.

• Gravemind (Gravemind Moment): "Child of my enemy, why have you come? I offer no forgiveness: a father's sins pass to his son."

The Chief drops down a porta.

• Cortana (Cortana Moment): (A strange mix of cries of agony and psychotic laughter)

The Chief passes through the area where the High Council Chamber once was. Exploring further, the Chief goes to an outside area where he finds a crashed, but intact Pelican, possibly from the UNSC In Amber Clad.

• Cortana (coming from a speaker within the crashed Pelican): "I ran, tried to stay hidden, but there was no escape! He cornered me, wrapped me tight... and brought me close."

As the Chief goes deeper into the hive.

• Gravemind (Gravemind Moment): "Of course, you came for her... We exist together now. Two corpses, in one grave..."

• Cortana: (distant) "A collection of lies; that's all I am! Stolen thoughts and memories!"

• Gravemind (Gravemind Moment): (intrigued) "And yet, perhaps a part of her...remains?" (maniacal laughter, fades into Cortana's voice)

• Cortana: (deranged laughter)

In the large room where the Tilt skull is located, a Terminal can be activated, but does not count towards the Marathon Man achievement. If activated, it displays another Cortana Moment.

• Cortana (Terminal): "It was the coin's fault! I wanted to make you strong, keep you safe...(drop in tone) I'm sorry, I can't..."

Cortana begins to show signs of rampancy.

• Cortana: (casually and kindly, as though nothing is wrong and mimicking Dr. Catherine Halsey) "May I speak with you, please?... What's your name? It's very nice to meet you!... You like games? So do I."

The Chief fights through more narrow, Flood-contaminated tunnels.

• Cortana: (upset and frightened) "I'm just my mother's shadow... don't look at me, don't listen! I'm not who I used to be..."

As the Chief nears a large room (with the route to the reactor room at the top):

• Gravemind (Gravemind Moment): (angrily) "Time has taught me patience! But basking in new freedom, I will know all that I possess!"

The Chief continues to the reactor room.

• Cortana (Cortana Moment): (panicking, her voice slightly distorted) "I have walked the edge of the abyss. I have seen your future, and I have learned!"

The image of Cortana suddenly turns a tinge of green. She clutches her head and writhes in pain.

• Gravemind (Gravemind Moment): (angrily) "Submit! End her torment and my own!"

The Chief heads through a tunnel littered with bones and skulls, and enters the reactor room. He sees one of the four reactor pylons malfunction and overload. The Chief fights his way through the reactor room, and exits through a door on the other side. He enters yet another hallway.

• Cortana (Cortana Moment): (panicking, voice slightly distorted) "There will be no more sadness, no more anger, no more envy!"

• Gravemind (Gravemind Moment): (enraged) "You will show me what she hides...or I shall feast upon your bones!"

Cortana turns green.

The Chief begins to reach the end of the hallway.

• Cortana (Cortana Moment): (speaking in a calm, distorted, monotone voice as though brainwashed. Her image is green.) "This is UNSC AI Serial Number CTN 0452-9. I am a monument to all your sins."

The Chief rushes to the end of the hallway and enters the former Sanctum of the Hierarchs. There he finds Cortana lying prone in a stasis field in a center podium. He bashes the shield until it finally fails. Cut to black.

{Cutscene}

• Cortana: (weakly) "You found me."

The Master Chief leans closer towards the panel Cortana's on. The AI lies pitifully on the podium, pain and shame on her face. The animated code that usually flows across her skin is absent.

• Cortana: (weakly) "But so much of me is wrong… out of place. You might be too late…"

The Chief kneels right next to Cortana.

• Master Chief Petty Officer John-117: "You know me. When I make a promise…"

Cortana looks up at the Chief. She starts to glow.

• Cortana: "You… keep it. (she raises her head, and sounds amused) I