Pillar of Autumn (Level)

Looking for Pillar of Autumn, the ship?

The Pillar of Autumn is the first level in the campaign mode of Halo: Combat Evolved and in the Halo Trilogy. The Master Chief is revived from his cryo-sleep and makes his way to the bridge of the titular ship to be debriefed by Captain Jacob Keyes about their current situation. After the brief meeting, the Master Chief makes his way off the ship via a Bumblebee escape pod.

This level is modified depending on the difficulty chosen. Sgt. Johnson makes different speeches at the beginning of the level, one for each difficulty. In Easy and Normal, the player goes through a testing diagnostic showing the bare basics of controls. In Heroic and Legendary difficulty, it is automatically skipped and the player immediately heads out to find Captain Keyes. In Easy and Normal difficulty, the motion sensor and grenades are disabled until certain moments in the level. On Heroic and Legendary, they can be used right from the start.

Part 01: The Pillar of Autumn
{Cutscene}

{Fades into space; Halo is visible above Threshold}

{Slowly turns and zooms in onto the Pillar of Autumn Longswords soar along side}

Captain Keyes: "Cortana, all I need to know is did we lose them?"

Cortana: "I think we both know the answer to that."

{Inside ship, where the view focuses on the Captain}

Captain Keyes: {sighs} "We made a blind jump. How did they--"

Cortana: &lt;interrupting&gt; "Get here first? The Covenant ships have always been faster. As for tracking us all the way from Reach, at light speed, my maneuvering options were limited."

The Captain begins pacing around, looking at screens

Captain Keyes: "We were running dark, yes?"

Cortana: "Until we decelerated. No one could have missed the hole we tore in subspace."

A pause occurs, as the captain looks at a crewman's screen.

Cortana: "They were waiting for us on the far side of the planet."

''Crewman presses some buttons, making beeping sounds. The screen shows a diagram of Threshold with Installation 04 in orbit.''

Captain Keyes: "So, where do we stand?"

Cortana: "Our fighters are mopping up the last of their recon picket now sir, nothing serious. But, I've isolated approach signatures from multiple CCS-class battle groups, make it three capital ships per group. And in about 90 seconds they'll be all over us."

Captain Keyes: "Well that's it then. Bring the ship back up to Combat Alert Alpha. I want everyone at their stations."

Cortana: "Everyone, sir?"

Captain Keyes: "Everyone."

{Everyone on board run towards their stations}

Captain Keyes: "And Cortana?"

{Cortana's avatar appears}

Cortana: "Hmm?"

Captain Keyes: "Let's give our old friend a warm welcome."

Cortana: "I've already begun."

{Brothers In Arms by Martin O'Donnell from the Halo: CE original soundtrack begins playing.}

{Cuts to the main hold of the Pillar of Autumn'', A Marine waves light Batons to guide a Pelican into a correct position. The view moves towards the lower deck.}''

Cortana: (O.S.) "Attention: All combat personnel, please report to your action stations."

Cortana: (O.S.) "5th platoon, secure airlocks on Deck 11. 14th platoon, rendezvous with 22nd tactical at bulkhead Charlie 14."

(Marines start talking, readying their weapons, preparing Tanks and Warthogs, or just loitering, until the view shows a Staff Sergeant, known as Avery Johnson walking through a line of Marines.)

Sergeant Johnson: "You heard the lady! Move like you've got a purpose!"

Cortana: (O.S.) "This is not a drill. I repeat. This is not a drill."

{Following dialogue varies depending on game difficulty.} {Cutscene w/ All Difficulties}

(Marines get on line, facing each other. Johnson walks down the column between the formation)

Sergeant Johnson (Easy): "Men... keep your eyes downrange, fingers on your triggers, and we all go home in one piece." {Turns around} "Am I right, Marines?!"

Sergeant Johnson (Normal): "Once again, it is our job to finish what the flyboys started. We are leaving this ship, platoon, and engaging the Covenant on solid ground. When we meet the enemy, we will rip their skulls from their spines, and toss 'em away, laughin'!" {Turns around} "Am I right, Marines?!"

Sergeant Johnson (Heroic): "Men, here is where we show those split-chin squid-head sons-of-bitches that they could not have picked a worse enemy than the human race! We are going to blow the hell out of those dumb bugs until we don't have anything left to shoot 'em with! And then we are going to strangle them with their own living guts!" {Turns around} "Am I right, Marines?!"

Sergeant Johnson (Legendary): "Men, we led those dumb bugs out to the middle of nowhere to keep 'em from gettin' their filthy claws on Earth. But, we stumbled onto somethin' they're so hot for, that they're scramblin' over each other to get it. Well, I don't care if it's God's own anti-son-of-a-bitch machine, or a giant hula hoop, we're not gonna let 'em have it! What we will let 'em have is a belly full of lead, and a pool of their own blood to drown in!" {Turns around} "Am I right, Marines?!"

Marines: "Sir, yes sir!"

Sergeant Johnson: "Mmm-hmm. Damn right, I am! Now move it out! Double time!"

''The view angle changes to outside of where they were. Marines running, the Sergeant meanwhile walks slowly.''

Cortana: (O.S.) "Attention all personnel: We are reengaging the enemy. Internal and external contact imminent."

Sergeant Johnson: "All you greenhorns who wanted to see Covenant up close... this is gonna be your lucky day."

{Cut to a computer screen.}

&gt;(PRIORITY ALPHA)
 * &gt;X - CORTANA 1 0 CRYOSTOR. 23.4.7

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: "Whoa! Sir?"

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Right. Let's thaw him out."

The Crewmen begins pressing buttons

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: "Okay. Bringing low-level systems online. Cracking the case in thirty seconds." {Pause, as they show Master Chief's cryo tube} "He's hot! Blowing the pins in five."

Part 02: Reveille
Testing only happens in Easy &amp; Normal difficulties

{Gameplay}

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: "His suit shows green. Cycle complete."

{Tube cover lifts itself}

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: (salutes) "Sorry for the quick thaw, Master Chief. Things are a little hectic right now. The disorientation should pass quickly."

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: (O.S.) "Welcome back, sir! We'll have you battle ready stat."

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Chief, please look around the room. I need to get a calibration reading for your battle suit's diagnostics."

The Chief begins looking around.

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Good. Thank you sir."

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: (O.S.) "I'm bringing your health monitors online, sir."

{The Chief's health bars appears}

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: (examines panel) "Vital signs look normal. No freezer burn. Okay sir, go ahead and climb out of the cryo tube."

{Cutscene}

{Master Chief gets out of the cryotube}

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "I gave you a double dose of the wake-up stim. Take a quick walk around the cryo bay and join me at the optical diagnostics station when you're ready."

{Thom walks over, soon Master Chief follows him and stands on red square}

{If the Chief does not face Thom or begins to wander}

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: " Sir, I need you to look at me so we can begin."

{When the Chief faces Thom and stands on the square)

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "I know the ordnance techs usually take care of your targeting sensors, but we're short of time, Chief. Just look at each of the flashing panels to target them. When you lock on, it'll change color."

{Chief looks at the flashing lights}

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Okay, that looks good..."

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: "Sir, I'm getting some calibration errors. I'm going to invert your looking pitch, so you can see if you like it better that way." {pitch is inverted} "Try targeting the flashing lights again. Is that better or should I switch it back?"

{The Chief decides the way he wants}

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: (O.S.) "OK, I'll leave the pitch normal/inverted. But if you want, you can change it yourself later. (pause) I'm ready for the energy shield test now."

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Please follow me to the energy shield test station."

Cortana (COM): (O.S.) "Fire teams, report to defensive positions Alpha through Sierra: Sensors show inbound Covenant boarding craft. Stand by to repel boarders."

{The Chief steps into the square}

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Okay, bring his energy shields online please."

{The Chief's shield meter appears}

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: (O.S.) "Alright. Shields read as fully charged."

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Okay Sir. Bring them down to test the automatic recharge."

{Chief's shields get zapped away, and soon starts to recharge}

Tech Officer Sam Marcus: (O.S.) "Recharging normal. Showing green across the board."

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "Bridge to Cryo 2, this is Captain Keyes. Send the Master Chief to the bridge immediately."

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Captain, we'll have to skip the weapons diagnostics and I-"

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "On the double, crewman."

Tech Chief Thom: "Aye aye sir. {Pause} The skipper seems jumpy, we'd better get moving. We'll find your weapons later."

Tech Officer Sam Marcus (O.S.): "Okay. I'll leave the self-diagnostics running, at least."

Tech Chief Thom Shephard: "Good idea. You'd better get to your evac group, Sam!"

Tech Officer Sam (O.S.): "Affirmative. Just have to reset the computer and I'm outta here!" {loud explosion on the door} "Oh, God! They're trying to get through the door! {door breaks open, an Elite Major fires on Sam} Security! Intruders in Cryo 2! No, please don't- {An energy bolt hits Sam, he falls} Ahhh!"

Tech Chief Thom: "Sam! Sam! C'mon, we've got to get the hell out of here. This way!"

''{Thom leads Master Chief out and down a corridor, and a door explodes, killing the crewman. The Master Chief finds crewman battling the Covenant while another crewman is killed by an explosion.}''

Crewman 2: Secure those blast doors! Move! MOVE!

A few crewmen run into the room while the doors are closing

Crewman 1: They're right behind us!

''{He is hit by a plasma bolt while his comrades continue through. One makes it through quickly, the other is slower.}''

Crewman 3: Wait for me!

{The crewman which was slower is soon killed by an explosion, and the doors shut.}

Crewman: {If you stay in the room} Master Chief, the situation's secure here. You're probably needed somewhere else!

Random Crewman: Help me, help you!

''Chief finds his way to another room with an Elite. It growls but then Marines fire at it, and the Elite flees. (This only happens at Easy and Normal)''

Marine 1: "Chief, Cortana says, get to the bridge, double quick!"

{The Chief makes his way to a room where a Marine is helping some crewmen battle the Covenant boarders.}

Crewman 1 No way! A Mark V! (sometimes he'll say that)

PFC Chips Dubbo: "Sir! The Captain needs you on the bridge, ASAP! You better follow me." {As they come upon more Covenant} "Get clear, Chief!" {As they get to the bridge} "Captain Keyes is waiting for you, Sir!" {Cutscene}

Master Chief approaches The Captain.

Master Chief: "Captain Keyes."

Captain Keyes: "Good to see you, Master Chief. Things aren't going well. Cortana did her best, but we never really had a chance."

Cortana: "A dozen Covenant superior battleships against a single . Given those odds I'm content with three {Pause}... make that four kills." {To Master Chief} "Sleep well?"

Master Chief: "No thanks to your driving, yes."

Cortana: "So, you did miss me."

{A loud explosion occurs}

Captain Keyes: "Report!"

Cortana: "It must have been one of their boarding parties! I'd guess an Anti-Matter Charge!"

Fire Control Officer: "Ma'am! Fire control to the main cannon is offline!"

Cortana: "Captain, the cannon was my last offensive option!"

Captain Keyes: "Alright then. I'm initiating Cole Protocol Article 2. We're abandoning the Autumn. That means you too, Cortana."

Cortana: "While you do what, go down with the ship?"

Captain Keyes: "In a manner of speaking. The object we found, I'm going to try and land the Autumn on it."

Cortana: "With all due respect, sir, this war has enough dead heroes."

Captain Keyes: "I appreciate your concern, Cortana, but it's not up to me. Protocol is clear. Destruction or capture of a shipboard AI is absolutely unacceptable, that means you're leaving the ship. Lock in a selection of emergency landing zones, upload them to my neural lace, and then sort yourself for a hard transfer."

Cortana: "Aye aye, Sir."

{Cortana's avatar disappears.}

Captain Keyes: "Which is where you come in, Chief. Get Cortana off this ship. Keep her safe from the enemy. If they capture her, they'll learn everything. Force deployment, weapons research... Earth."

Master Chief: "I understand."

{Cortana's avatar reappears}.

Cortana: "The Autumn will continue evasive maneuvers until you initiate a landing sequence. Not that you'll listen, but I'd suggest letting my subroutines handle the final approach."

Captain Keyes: "Excellent work, Cortana. Thank you. Are you ready?"

{Cortana looks about the bridge for a moment.}

Cortana: "{Sigh}...Yank me."

{Captain Keyes pulls a data chip out of the holotank and gives to the Master Chief}.

Captain Keyes: "Good luck, Master Chief."

{The Chief slides the chip in his helmet.}

Cortana: "Hmm... Your architecture isn't much different from the Autumn's..."

Master Chief: "Don't get any funny ideas."

Part 03: AI Constructs and Cyborgs First!
{Gameplay}

Captain Keyes: Handing the Chief his pistol. "I don't keep it loaded, so you'll have to find ammo as you go."

If you linger next to Captain Keyes...

Captain Keyes: "Get moving, Master Chief. There's nothing you can do here."

If you stand idle for even longer...

Captain Keyes: (Infuriated) "I gave you an order, soldier. Get off this ship!"

If you kill Captain Keyes or any crewmen...

Cortana: (shocked and infuriated) What the hell are you doing?

Cortana radios in Marines to kill the rampant Chief.

Cortana: Security to the bridge, the Master chief has gone rampant! Take 'em down boys...

Marines come in and quickly kill Master Chief, taunting him afterward.

Continuing, without killing anyone in the bridge, Cortana and Master Chief see groups of Marines engaging the Covenant in the mess hall.

Cortana: "Those Marines could use some help, Chief! Do what you do best!"

The Chief steps over a body of a dead Marine and picks up his assault rifle.

If you lose a health bar.

Cortana: "Keep your head down, there's two of us in here now, remember?!"

Upon coming across a group of three marines, and hearing a large explosion

Marine 4: "What the hell? Did something just hit us?"

Marine 5: "Move in! Back to the airlock!"

{Explosion comes from the airlock, caused by a covenant-boarding vessel crashing into the Pillar of Autumn, both marines are killed.}

Upon seeing a Covenant boarding vessel

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "Combat teams on decks five through nine, fall back to secondary defensive positions."

Cortana: "They're using our lifeboat airlocks to attach their boarding craft...we go out and they come in. Clever bastards..."

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "Ops personnel on decks nine through twelve, report to evac stations now."

As the Chief comes into a room where the Covenant are on a ledge above him.

Cortana: "Covenant! On the landing above us!"

After the battle on the ledges

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "All hands. This is the Captain. Prepare to abandon ship. Combat teams; repel boarders until Ops personnel are away. Good luck. Keyes out."

As the Chief see a lifepod launching with lasers bursting all around it

Cortana: "The lifepods are launching. We should hurry."

''Pause, while lots of explosions occur. You look through a window and see three lifepods launching. One of them is hit by enemy fire and explodes.''

Cortana: "The Covenant are destroying the lifepods... they really don't want us on that ring. (Pause) Warning... blast doors closing! We have to use the ship's maintenance access ways. Follow the NAV point, it will lead you to an opening."

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "Combat teams Alpha through November, pull out to nearest evac station."

As the Chief move around in the tunnels...

Cortana: "I'm detecting Covenant movement outside the access ways. Activating motion tracker. Let's find a safe exit."

Cortana: "We're too close. We need to find another route. Motion tracker shows all clear."

The Chief encounters a broken door, Easy and Normal difficulties only.

Cortana: "Wait... we need to get through that door, but it's been damaged by an explosion. Analyzing... The door's control mechanism is offline, but it's taken a lot of damage. You should be able to bash it open with the butt of your weapon."

A while later, during another fight.

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "Combat teams Sierra through Victor, prepare for evac."

As the Chief crosses through the control room for his cryotube bay and see Elites looking around in the bay..

Cortana: "It looks like the Covenant wanted to catch you napping."

The Elite intruders spot Master Chief and open fire on him with no effect due to the glass protection, and soon leave the cryotube.

A while later, during another fight.

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "All combat personnel, fall back to tertiary defensive positions."

Later, while the Chief passes through a damaged part of the ship

Cortana: "The damage to the superstructure is extensive...I don't know how much more abuse the Autumn can take!"

Captain Keyes (O.S.): "Combat teams, fall back to secondary defensive positions."

As the Chief encounters a squad of Covenant near a lifeboat...

Cortana: "There's one last lifeboat! Quickly, get aboard before it launches!"

Part 04: Escape
{Cutscene}

Frightened Marine: {trips and falls} "Oh no...oh no!" (Picked up by the Chief and thrown into lifepod) "Ahhh!"

Cortana: "Now would be a very good time to leave!"

Master Chief: {Stepping into the lifepod} "Punch it."

Pilot: "Aye aye, Sir."

{Lifepod launches}

Pilot: "We're disengaged. Goin' for minimum safe distance."

Panicking Marine: "We're gonna make it, aren't we, Sir? I don't wanna die out here!"

{The Chief pats him on the shoulder}

Cortana: "Look!"

{As Halo swings into view and the Bumblebee drops towards it}

Strapped-in Marine: "What is that thing, Lieutenant?"

Pilot: "Hell if I know. But we're landin' on it."

Panicking Marine: "The Autumn! She's been hit!"

Cortana: "I knew it! The Autumn 's accelerating, Keyes is going in manually!"

Pilot: "Heads-up everyone, this is it. We're entering the ring's atmosphere in five..."

Cortana: "Sure you wouldn't rather take a seat?"

Master Chief: "We'll be fine."

Cortana: "If I still had fingers, they'd be crossed."

{The Bumblebee heads into Halo's atmosphere}

Glitches

 * There is a glitch which allows the player to get back into the cryotube. The player must jump inside the tube and crouch before the cover closes. Once inside, the player will be able to see an apparently decapitated copy of the Master Chief.
 * It's possible to stand outside of the energy shield test station while the test is running. Just move carefully into the square and when it starts, the machine will push you out, freezing you in place until the process is done.
 * There is a glitch in the level that allows you to carry three weapons instead of only two.
 * There is a driverless Warthog at the beginning of the first cutscene.

Mistakes

 * Sam and Thom are wearing orange fatigues in the beginning cut scene, but during the diagnostic, they are wearing yellow fatigues.
 * The officer that shouts to Cortana "Ma'am! Control for the main cannon is offline!" wears blue in the cut scene, however, when you walk up to him, he wears yellow.
 * The pilot in the escape pod also calls the Master Chief "Sir", although she is a lieutenant. Technically, this makes her Master Chief's superior officer, however many other higher ranked Marines also do the same as, more than likely, the current situation where the Master Chief's involvement required him to be in command, meaning he was temporarily in command of them until told otherwise.
 * If a player kills an ally from outside the bridge, they will be teleported to the bridge. This is a programmatic measure to prevent the player from escaping the horde of security Marines that try to kill them; it stops the player from rushing out of the bridge after killing an ally.
 * If you look closely, you can see that when the Master Chief's escape pod launches, it still has its rear hatch open.
 * Captain Keyes tells the combat forces to pull back to their tertiary (3rd) positions before he tells them to pull back to their secondary (2nd) positions.
 * If you examine the burning debris in the beginning of the level that killed the crew member, it can be noted that they are actually textured using Forerunner markings.

Easter Eggs

 * If you look at the main view screen in the bridge, you can see an image of Halo on the screen and next to it is the word "Halo". This is odd because until the level Truth and Reconciliation, they don't know what it's called, though the computer may be stating what the construct's shape is.
 * The bulletin board located near the entrance to the bridge has many fliers that can be read, including the flyer for the missing cat, Jonesy.
 * In the Mess Hall, there are two vending machines, FOOD and DRINKS. The FOOD includes Turkey Dinner, Hamburger Dinner, Cheeseburger Dinner, Hotdog Dinner, Meatloaf Dinner, and Chef's Special. The DRINKS include Cola, Lemon/Lime, Root Beer, Orange, Water, Lemonade, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Hot Tea, Chef's Surprise and 3-4 others that are unreadable.
 * There is also "The Megg" which looks like an M made from blood and bullets.
 * "Keyes" on Captain Keyes' uniform says "Hello my name" above it. The "is" is missing. This is probably due to the fact that it wouldn't fit.

Miscellaneous

 * If you play the level on Easy or Normal, you have the option to look around from inside the Cryo-tube before stepping out and can even see your characters' lower body, in some ways making it the first time that the player could see their feet in 1st person other than in the future Halo games. This is also the only time you can see your body when you look down in Halo: CE.
 * Sergeant Johnson appears a few times in this level. Firstly, when he is giving his speech to the line of Marines and also appears as the driver of the Warthog in the background at times. He is in the mess hall fighting Covenant. He then sometimes appears guarding a lifeboat airlock, and then is killed in an explosion, and finally appears in the battle with the Covenant on the landing.
 * During the energy shield test, the sound of the machine activating is the same sound as a plasma pistol firing a charged shot.
 * On this level there are no weapons in the armory but on the The Maw, the armory is packed with guns, although this is likely a different armory to the one located in that mission, as it is nowhere near engineering, where The Maw's armory is located.
 * If you kill Captain Keyes in the control bridge, Cortana will say that Master Chief has gone "Rampant", and invincible Marines will storm into the room and try to take you down. Alternatively, if you kill the crewmen next to him, but not Captain Keyes, Cortana will still sound the alarm of your rampancy. The bridge's exit doors will be locked down preventing you from escaping. You can also kill a crewman, then shoot at a man in a chair. If you shoot them in the head, they will not die, but the reticule will change from blue to red when you target them. Also, if any Covenant are placed on the bridge through a glitch or hack, and they kill any crew member or injure Captain Keyes, Cortana will blame you and call security; however, they will target the actual enemy.
 * Plasma grenades do not appear on Easy and Normal difficulties. However scripted plasma grenade explosions are still seen.