Artifact (Spartan Ops)/Gagarin

Gagarin is the fifth chapter of Spartan Ops ' second episode, Artifact.

Summary
Fireteam Crimson arrive to a research station within a large Forerunner structure where Science Team Gagarin was last located. Gagarin, who have since gone missing, is no where to be found. The place is seemingly abandoned when no one is detected, leaving Commander Palmer skeptical of the situation. Spartan Jared Miller points to the back end of the station where Gagarin was last known to be. Crimson investigates and are told by Palmer to access an audio log from a nearby computer. Upon accessing the log, they hear the scientists activating an unknown object without caution. Miller is then told by Infinity Science to investigate two nearby consoles Gagarin had activated. Palmer, realizing the danger of the situation, orders Crimson to shut it down. Upon deactivating the first console, Promethean Crawlers and Knights translocate near them. After eliminating the first few Prometheans and deactivating the second console, Miller detects more activity within the structure. More Prometheans show up and engages Crimson.

As Crimson fights to clear the area of hostiles, Miller points to several computer consoles that gradually reveal Gagarin team's fate as well as more Forerunner devices that had been activated. This eventually leads to four power sources of a large Forerunner artifact that had been activated by Gagarin team. Palmer orders Crimson to shut it all down. After doing so, Crimson clears out the remaining Prometheans before being extracted. As UNSC Marines are sent in to hold the structure, Miller hypothesizes that whatever happened to Dr. Glassman could have happened to Gagarin team.

Transcript
{Cutscene}

Camera pans through the refuge.


 * Miller: "Awfully quiet down there. No sign of Gagarin or any hostile forces."

{Gameplay}


 * Palmer: "Yeah, but we know how that always goes. Stay sharp, Crimson."


 * Miller: "Here's a waypoint to Gagarin Team's last known location."

''A waypoint appears on the player's HUD at the back back of the facility. The player moves through the facility and draws close to the objective.''


 * Palmer: "Crimson. Get a look at that computer."

The player activates the console.


 * Palmer: "Let's see what it recorded from the experiments here."


 * Scientist (recording): "Are you sure about this? We haven't run enough tests." (numerous screams and an ominous roaring noise)

- or, if the player has activated the RvB egg:


 * Caboose: "What does this button do?"


 * Church: "Caboose, don't touch anything."

-
 * Caboose: "But I'm great at buttons. Hey look at that explosion!"
 * Palmer: "Well that's no good."


 * Miller: "Commander, Crimson's near something that wasn't active before."


 * Palmer: "Yes, and?"


 * Miller: "Science believes Gagarin team activated it."


 * Palmer: "Then Crimson's gonna turn it off. Get to it."


 * Two waypoints appear on the lower level. The player activates the first switch. Several Prometheans translocate in.


 * Palmer: "See, I told you there'd be things to shoot. Happy birthday, Crimson."

The player activates the second switch.


 * Palmer: "Well?"


 * Miller: "Everything seems okay."


 * Palmer: "What's science say?"


 * Miller: "All clear for them."

More Prometheans appear.


 * Miller: "Lots of activity nearby. Be ready for anything, Crimson."

The player kills most of the Prometheans.


 * Miller: "Commander - there's another one of Gagarin's computers."


 * Palmer: "Have a look, Crimson."

''Another waypoint appears. The player activates the second computer.''


 * Scientist (recording): "Turn it off! Turn it off! It's too late!" (More screams and ominous noises)

- or, if the player has activated the RvB Easter egg:
 * Church: "Oh great! You broke it!"

-
 * Caboose: "Yeah, no, the fire broke it. Oh, see. Great, now I'm on fire, too now. Awesome."


 * Palmer: "What the hell happened down there?"

More Prometheans appear.


 * Palmer: "Miller, is there anything else Gagarin team turned on?"


 * Miller: "There's a power reading that wasn't there last time Crimson was in house. Painting a waypoint on it now."

A waypoint appears at the back of the facility.

The player activates the switch.


 * Palmer: "Nice work, Crimson."

More Crawlers appear.


 * Miller: "Watch out for the Crawlers. They're everywhere."


 * Palmer: "Where's the cannon fodder, Miller?"

Markers appear over the remaining Prometheans.


 * Palmer: "Show them where to go, Miller."

A waypoint appears on the last computer.


 * Palmer: "Let's see what it's got."


 * Scientist 1 (recording): "I don't know what all the fuss is about."


 * Scientist 2 (recording): "We're turning on dormant technology we don't know the first thing about. We're like monkeys hammering on a nuclear bomb because we like the sound it makes. What was that?" (The ominous noise again)


 * Scientist 1 (recording): "I don't know-"

- or, if the player has activated the RvB Easter egg:


 * Grif: "Hey Simmons, what do you think this machine does?"


 * Simmons: "How would I know. It's a forty-foot seamless monolith with one massive holographic button. It could be anything from a giant microwave button to a weapon with enough power to-"


 * Caboose: (in the distance) "I'm on fire!"


 * Simmons: "Hey. Is that Caboose?"

(Caboose yelling indistinctly)


 * Grif: "Probably. He's on fire."

-
 * Caboose: (in the distance) "Oh god! It's like the armor, it does nothing! Ahh!"


 * Palmer: "Crimson, shut it all down. I'll get a team of professionals to go in and figure out what Gagarin turned on."


 * Miller: "Looks like there are four sources of power for this piece. Marking them for you now, Crimson."

''Four beacons appear on the upper level at the center of the complex. Numerous Prometheans appear in the vicinity.''

After the player activates two of the switches.


 * Miller: "Almost there..."

The player activates the last switch.


 * Miller: "That did it!"

Many more Prometheans appear.


 * Palmer: "Crimson, finish clearing the area, and we'll get you a ride out."

The player kills all of the Prometheans in the main area.


 * Miller: "There's still some Prometheans left to clear out. Marking them now."

Markers appear at the jungle off to the side of the complex.

The player clears the area.


 * Miller: "It's all clear down there, Commander."


 * Palmer: "Good work, Crimson. Fall back to the LZ. Marines are headed your way to hold down the fort until another science team can be brought in."

The player reaches the LZ.

{Cutscence}

A squad of marines arrive and lock down the complex.


 * Miller: "Commander, I've been thinking."


 * Palmer: "Oh, do tell."


 * Miller: "Maybe the same thing that happened to doctor Glassman happened to Gagarin team?"


 * Palmer: "That's above your pay grade, Miller."

Level ends.

Trivia

 * The second Red vs. Blue Easter egg can be found here.
 * The trigger box is situated low enough that it can actually be hit by Prometheans who are shooting at the player. If this happens, the egg will be activated.
 * The name Gagarin is a reference to the first human being in space, Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.