Exodus (Spartan Ops)/Seize the Power

Seize the Power is the third chapter of Spartan Ops ' tenth episode, Exodus.

Summary
In "Apex," Crimson continues their search for a replacement power source for the Harvester. They team up with Fireteam Forest who was shot down over "Apex," and head up the mountain, where, according to Roland, they can find a suitable power source. The Spartans battle their way up the mountain and eventually arrive at a shielded Forerunner structure. After destroying three shield generators powering the shield, Crimson enters the structure and defeat the Prometheans inside. Instead of a power source, they find a Covenant comm terminal which Roland instructs them to activate. They do so and trigger an alarm which summons a Covenant Lich to their position.

Roland then explains his real plan (much to Miller's unhappiness): Crimson must board the Lich and steal its engine core, which they can use to power the Harvester. Before they can board the ship, however, Crimson has to defeat the numerous enemy troops deployed by the Lich. When the Lich starts to fall back, Crimson boards the ship and fights their way to the engine core. They steal the core and escape the Lich, which explodes moments later. The power core in their possession, Crimson races back to the "Warrens" as Requiem continues to fall apart around them.

Transcript
{Gameplay}

Crimson is in the middle of a Forerunner structure on "Apex" having just come through the passage from the "Warrens."


 * Dalton (COM): “Miller, Crimson’s heading into an area where we’ve lost a few Pelicans. Have them on the lookout for any survivors.”


 * Miller (COM): “You got it, Dalton. Crimson, you heard that? Eyes open.”

''Crimson deactivates the shield walls and heads outside the structure. They detect friendly contacts.''


 * Commander Sarah Palmer (COM): “Setting a waypoint.”

Crimson soon meets up with a stranded group of Spartan IVs.


 * Spartan Gustavo Esposito: “Spartans, good to see you. Spartan Esposito, Fireteam Forest.  We got shot down trying to secure the hill.”


 * Miller (COM): “Glad to see you’re still in one piece, Esposito. Forest are joining with Crimson for the duration.”


 * Esposito: “Understood, Spartan Miller.”


 * Miller (COM): “Roland, explain your plan.”


 * Roland (COM): “Crimson needs a power supply for the Harvester, and there’s a suitable supply at the top of this mountain.”


 * Miller (COM): “Alright, Crimson. Onward and upward!”

With Fireteam Forest in support, Crimson gets onboard some surviving Warthogs and move up the hill.

The planet shakes violently.


 * Roland (COM): “Requiem’s still moving towards the sun but we’re okay for now...”

The Spartans cut through the first line of Covenant defense and reach a heavy gate.


 * Miller (COM): “Secure the gates, Spartans!”


 * Dalton (COM): “Phantom inbound on Crimson’s position.”

''Enemy Phantom deploys a wave of enemy troops. Crimson eliminates them.''


 * Dalton (COM): “Dalton to Crimson: Phantom coming your way.”

''A second Phantom appears and deploys more Covenant troops. Crimson dispatches them as well.''


 * Miller (COM): “Roland, have we got a way through here?”


 * Roland (COM): “Marking it for you now.”

''Door controls are marked. Crimson activates them and opens the gate. They move on through.''

''Crimson and Forest move into a basin, which is filled with Covenant troops protecting three shielded generators. A downed Pelican can also be found here.''


 * Roland (COM): “The target is in the building behind that shield.”


 * Miller (COM): “And that shield is being generated from... these locations. Spartans, there’s your targets. Take down those generators.”

First generator is destroyed:


 * Esposito: “One generator down, Miller.”


 * Miller (COM): “Acknowledged, Esposito.”

Second generator is destroyed:


 * Esposito: “That’s two.”


 * Miller (COM): “One generator to go, Spartans.”

Once the third generator is destroyed and all Covenant troops are neutralized:


 * Miller (COM): “That’s everything. Shields down!”

Multiple Phantoms arrive and begin bombarding the Spartans’ position.


 * Miller (COM): “Okay, into the structure! Target's on your HUD.”

''The Spartans dodge the attacking Phantoms and head inside the structure. The interior is packed with Prometheans.''

After an intense battle, Crimson and Forest secure the chamber.


 * Miller (COM): “Roland, what are we looking for?”


 * Roland (COM): “That right there.”

Computer terminal is marked.


 * Miller (COM): “That’s a Covenant comm panel.”


 * Roland (COM): “Indeed it is. Press the button right in the middle and watch the fun.”

Crimson activates the comm panel.


 * Dalton (COM): “Miller, you might want to give Crimson a heads up. Lich inbound.”


 * Roland (COM): (patronizing) “Of course there’s a Lich inbound. Why else would I have had Crimson trigger the alarm?”


 * Miller (COM): (angry) “Roland! You can’t just-”


 * Roland (COM): “They’re going to steal the Lich’s engine core and use it to power the Harvester.”


 * Miller (COM): “You could have warned us what your plan was!”

Crimson and Forest exit the structure in time to see a Covenant Lich arrive.


 * Roland (COM): “Fine. The Lich will deploy its troops, then fall back and pepper the area with turret fire. That’s when they’re most vulnerable to a boarding action by Crimson. Trust me. I thought of everything.”

''The Lich unleashes multiple waves of Covenant, including Hunters. Swarms of Ghosts also attack.''

Once most of the Covenant are down:


 * Miller (COM): “You’ve still got some stragglers out there.”

''Crimson finishes off the last Covenant troops. The Lich falls back to a short distance away from a cliff edge. The ship is now in a position where it can be boarded.''


 * Roland (COM): (smugly) “Hey! Look at that. The Lich is right where Roland said it would be. Miller, you should really apologize to the super-genius AI.”


 * Miller (COM): (ignoring him) “Crimson, I can’t say I think it’s sane, but it’s the only move we’ve got. Get onboard the Lich by any means necessary.”


 * Esposito: “Infinity, I’ve located some jet packs. Could get Crimson onboard.”


 * Miller (COM): “Thanks, Esposito.”

If player has the RvB Easter egg activated:


 * Miller (COM): “Crimson, I can’t say I think it’s sane, but it’s the only move we’ve got. Get onboard the Lich by any means necessary.”


 * Agent Georgia: "Cool, jetpacks. That will help us get on that ship or my name isn't Agent Georgia."

Using jetpacks or a Mongoose or Warthog, Crimson makes the jump and boards the Lich.


 * Roland (COM): “Okay, here comes the hard part.”


 * Miller (COM): “Now’s the hard part??”


 * Roland (COM): “I just tried to override the Lich’s security locks, but nothing doing. Crimson needs to get to the engine core rather than the cockpit. I’ll mark it for you.”

Waypoint appears.


 * Roland (COM): “There you go, Crimson. Grab that core.”

''Crimson fights their way to the waypoint where they find the engine core. They pull the core from its cradle. The Lich begins to shake violently.''


 * Miller (COM): “Roland, now that they’ve separated the core from the Lich...”


 * Roland (COM): “The Lich is wildly unstable, yeah. I suggest getting off of there. Pronto.”

''Crimson escapes to safety as the Lich drifts off, energy surges running across its hull. A few seconds later, the ship explodes.''


 * Roland (COM): “You have to admit that was pretty awesome.”


 * Miller (COM): “Awesome isn’t one of our criteria in planning Ops, Roland.”


 * Roland (COM): “Maybe it ought to be. Crimson handled it nicely.”


 * Miller (COM): (annoyed) “Just be quiet for a minute, okay? Let me think... Dalton, can we get anybody there to pull Crimson out?”


 * Dalton (COM): “Still way too hot. Can’t get a Pelican anywhere near there.”


 * Miller (COM): “Okay, Crimson, back down the hill. We’ll get you out through the caves.”

''Crimson grabs whatever vehicles are available and make their way back toward the level's starting point. Phantoms and Forerunner beam turrets fire at them as they race down the hill. Another quake hits.''


 * Miller (COM): “Those quakes are just going to get worse the closer to the sun we get. Move quick, Spartans.  Return to the caves. We’ll get you out on the other side. Same way you came in.”

''Crimson reaches the Forerunner structure and enters it. They activate the door control.''

Fade to black.

CHAPTER COMPLETE

Level ends.

Trivia

 * The tenth and final Red vs. Blue Easter Egg of Season 1 can be found on this level. Atop the large plateau where you have to clear out the Covenant and fight the Lich, there is a downed pelican resting near a large, rocky elevation. If you check behind the pelican's troop bay, you'll find the radio waiting for activation. Later, when Fireteam Crimson must aboard the Lich using some jetpacks, Freelancer Agent Georgia will say "Cool, jetpacks! That will help us get on that ship or my name isn't Agent Georgia". This references to a running gag found in Red vs. Blue Season 10, in which Agent Georgia was involved in a terrible incident, apparently due to not following "course correction" while using a jetpack, to which his body was never found. In addition, this Easter Egg is highly reminiscent of James-005's fate.
 * When the player first approaches Fireteam Forest, there is a dead Unggoy near the Pelican crash site. Unlike other corpses found in the game, the reticule turns green when the player looks at it, and the player can step on it.
 * The Lich's core can be seen attached on the player's back after taking it from the Lich. This is similar to how Cortana's data storage unit could be seen on SPARTAN-B312's back on the Halo: Reach level The Pillar of Autumn.