Catherine/Spartan Mountain

Spartan Mountain is the third chapter of Spartan Ops ' third episode, Catherine.

Summary
Commander Sarah Palmer sends Fireteam Crimson on a rescue operation for Mountain Squad, a science attaché who were shot down by Covenant forces during their mission to locate a "mysterious" signal discovered by Galileo Base. Crimson is brought near the crash-site by Pelican transport and are told to "double-time" it towards Mountain's position. Shortly after landing, Crimson's communication with Palmer is jammed by Covenant jamming equipment. Crimson arrives to Mountain's crash-site and are met by a team of Spartan-IV survivors who are fending off a Covenant attack. After securing the immediate area, Spartan Fredric Zurenia of Mountain Squad points to a pair of Covenant jammers behind a large shield. As Mountain regroups to attack, Crimson disables the shield system protecting the jamming equipment. While attacking the equipment, Covenant reinforcements arrive via large Orbital drop pods. After destroying the communication jammers and clearing the area, Crimson is finally contacted by Commander Palmer.

They are told to assist the survivors of Mountain Squad in completing their mission. Palmer points them to a Forerunner tower on the other side of the canyon, where Infinity Science wants them to investigate it. While proceeding to the objective, several Phantom dropships arrive with more Covenant reinforcements. After disabling the tower's shields, multiple Kig-Yar Storm units emerge from within the tower, led by Sangheili Zealots and Warriors. They attack the Spartans, but are quickly eliminated. With the tower and its vicinity secured Dr. Halsey comes online. She marks a point of interest inside the tower and tells Crimson to go near it. Halsey theorizes that the tower's location could be the source of the signal Mountain was looking for or the signal's destination. She tells one of the Spartans to activate it in order to find out.

Immediately after activating the device, the tower emits a large energy beam into the sky, which Halsey assumes is navigation data for Requiem. Jared Miller then tells Palmer that a large Covenant force is inbound towards Crimson's position. During the attack, the rest of Mountain Squad are killed, leaving Crimson alone to finish their job. Commander Palmer orders Crimson to fall back to Mountain's crashed Pelican in order to stock up on whatever ammunition and supplies while Robert Dalton arranges an extraction.

Transcript
{Cutscene}

A Pelican flies toward the Two Giants and lands at the base of the seaside tower.


 * Palmer (COM): "Crimson, straight-up rescue op here. You're aiding Mountain Squad, a science attaché that got shot down following your mystery signal. As of last transmission, they're under heavy fire. We'll land you as close as we can, then double-time it to their position."

{Gameplay}

Crimson heads out and begins engaging the nearby Covenant.


 * Palmer (COM): "Miller, paint Mountain's last known for Crimson. And..." (static)


 * Palmer (COM): (distorted) "Crimson, do you read?"


 * Miller (COM): (static) "-our signal..."

Crimson fights through the heavy Covenant opposition.

As the player draws close to the downed Pelican.


 * Spartan Scott Macrae: "Look!"


 * Spartan Fredric Zurena: "Holy-! Man, are we glad to see you!"

''Crimson sees the Covenant attacking the Spartans from Fireteam Mountain. They move in to assist.''


 * Macrae: "I don't know what we'd have done if you didn't show up."


 * Zurena: "Covies have a signal jammer set up over there. We didn't know if Infinity heard any of our distress calls."


 * Macrae: "Hell, now that we've got back-up, I think we can take it."


 * Zurena: "Covenant jammers are behind those shields."

''A waypoint appears on a console near a large shield door. Crimson uses the console to deactivate the shields surrounding the jammers.''


 * Macrae: "Shield's down."


 * Zurena: "There're the jammers! Get 'em!"

A Covenant drop pods descend and deploys troops - including Hunters - to defend the jammers.

The player destroys the jammers.


 * Palmer (COM): "Crimson, there you are!"


 * Palmer (COM): "Good work pulling Mountain out of the fire."


 * Macrae: "Couldn't have done it on our own, Commander."


 * Palmer (COM): "Crimson, as long as you're there, you can help Mountain complete their mission."

or, if all of Mountain Squad has been killed:


 * Palmer (COM): "It's a shame Mountain didn't make it. At least you're still on your feet so you can finish their mission for them."


 * Palmer (COM): "Infinity Science wants a look inside one of those towers. Get those shields offline while I go round up our resident signal expert."

A Phantom arrives and drops reinforcements, including a Wraith.


 * Palmer (COM): "Wraith on the field. Watch out, Crimson."


 * Miller (COM): "Crimson, I'm painting waypoints for the shield generators."

Crimson deactivates the first console.


 * Miller (COM): "That's one."

''The player deactivates the other two consoles. The shield around the tower drops.''


 * Miller (COM): "Commander, Crimson has the shields down."

Covenant reinforcements arrive.

The player kills most of the Covenant.


 * Miller (COM): "Still some stragglers. Marking them for you."

or


 * Miller (COM): "Need to finish securing the area. I'll mark the last few hostiles."

or


 * Palmer (COM): "Almost there, Crimson. Marking the last bad guys for you now."

''Markers appear on the last few Covenant. Crimson kills them all.''


 * Palmer (COM): "Good work, Crimson. Bringing out expert online now. She likes to take charge, but my advice is you ignore her as I'm the one who signs your paychecks. Are you there, Doctor?"


 * Dr. Halsey (COM): "Yes. Have they reached the location of interest?"


 * Palmer (COM): "On their way now. Crimson, head for the waypoint."


 * Palmer (COM): "What should they be looking for, Doctor?"


 * Dr. Halsey (COM): "Their armor sees enough. I'm watching the environment scans."


 * Palmer (COM): "So what do you see?"


 * Dr. Halsey (COM): "There. That location. I need a closer look."


 * Palmer (COM): "Miller, light it up."

''A waypoint appears inside the tower base. The player draws close.''


 * Palmer (COM): "Crimson, get close. Don't touch anything."


 * Dr. Halsey (COM): "It's either the source of the signal we're tracking, or it's the destination. I suggest activating it and finding out."


 * Palmer (COM): (sighs) "Crimson. Do it."

The player activates the tower.


 * Miller (COM): "Commander, do you see this?"


 * Palmer (COM): "Crimson! Look out!"

''Waypoints appear at outside the tower. The player reaches the beacon and looks up in time to see the tower fire a flare into the air.''


 * Miller (COM): "Oh, wow!"


 * Palmer (COM): "Doctor Halsey, what the hell is that?"


 * Dr. Halsey (COM): "Oh my! I'll need some of Roland's cycles for translating, but it looks like navigation data. Communications protocols. This is going to take some time to sort through."


 * Miller (COM): "Commander! We don't have time."


 * Palmer (COM): "Explain."


 * Miller (COM): "Covenant forces approaching Crimson's position! Lots of them!"


 * Palmer (COM): "Get ready! Covenant drop pods inbound!"

or


 * Palmer (COM): "Looks like you've got drop pods headed your way."

or


 * Miller (COM): "Drop pods coming down near your position, Crimson!"

''A drop pod deposits Covenant reinforcements, including multiple Hunters. The player kills them all.''


 * Palmer (COM): "Crimson, fall back to Mountain's Pelican. There should be armaments there to help you. I'll get Dalton on the line, and we'll get back with you momentarily."

The player reaches the crashed Pelican.

CHAPTER COMPLETE

Level ends

Trivia
It is possible to keep Mountain Squad alive through the end of the level, however the script does not acknowledge this accomplishment, nor will it acknowledge their deaths if they survive past the destruction of the jammer.