New Alexandria

New Alexandria is the eighth level in the campaign of Halo: Reach. The level has an unique structure: the three main objectives may be assigned to the player in any order, and the minor objectives between these are randomly selected from a larger pool every time the mission is played. The mission requires the player to fly a Falcon, and the player is able to call in a new one should they lose theirs.

Setting
The level takes place on August 23, 2552, several hours after Exodus, in the airspace above the embattled city of New Alexandria.

Plot
Noble Six meets up with the rest of Noble Team and is informed that the Covenant are jamming all communications to Command. He mounts a Falcon and assists Kat in destroying the jammers.

NOTE: All encounters in this level are randomized. The three jammers are the only consistent parts, and the order in which they need to be destroyed may change between playthroughs.

One jammer is located at the New Alexandria Hospital. The troopers sent to destroy it are locked in a fight with the Brutes before Noble Six arrives and destroys the jammer.

Another jammer is located at Club Errera in the Vyrant Telecom Tower. Two pairs of Mgalekgolo stop the troopers, and Noble Six must deal with them before destroying the jammer.

A jammer is also located in a penthouse at the Sinoviet Center. Troopers assigned to destroy it were killed by Drones (save for a single survivor) and Noble Six must finish the job.

As Noble Six destroys the jammers, Covenant Battlecruisers arrive to the city and start glassing the areas further away.

Between destroying the generators, Noble Six must also complete secondary objectives which revolve around assisting the UNSC forces in the city. In single player and 2-player co-op there is one task between each jammer, while 3 and 4 player co-op have two objectives simultaneously assigned to the players. These objectives include
 * Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck requests assistance on a classified mission. Noble Six is instructed by Kat to escort Buck’s Falcon. Buck's exact task varies; he may be rescuing his men from various danger or just transitioning inside/out of the city.
 * A team of Troopers is under a Covenant attack and requests assistance. Kat instructs Noble Six to kill the Covenant in question. The targets may be Hunters, Jackal Snipers or Brutes.
 * Elites and Engineers are breaching into a building from the rooftop. Kat requests Noble Six to take them out before they succeed.
 * A Pelican evacuating civilians cannot take off due to Covenant Shade turrets on the nearby rooftops. Noble Six has to destroy the Shades.
 * Another team of 4 Troopers is under attack by Banshees. Noble Six is sent to take out the Banshees so a Pelican can pull out the Troopers.
 * An additional jammer is found in an exposed rooftop location. Noble Six must eliminate Covenant forces guarding it and take it out.

After the last jammer is destroyed, Kat receives orders from Colonel Urban Holland that all personnel are to be evacuated through the Office of Naval Intelligence Headquarters building. However, a group of Shade turrets stationed around the building are preventing any evacuation craft from escaping.

After Noble Six destroys all of the turrets, he meets up with the rest of Noble Team at the ONI HQ. However, they receive an urgent hail from Colonel Holland, informing them that they are being redeployed to Sword Base. Just then, the Covenant begin glassing the city, and the signal is cut off. As Noble Team flees to a radiation bunker, Kat is shot through the back of the head by a Needle Rifle round fired from a Phantom overhead. Her body is dragged into the bunker by Noble Six as the doors close.

Three days later on August 26, after the Covenant forces are gone, Noble Team walks outside to be picked up by a Pelican, with Kat’s dead body in Carter’s arms.

Transcript
{Cutscene}

Fades in to Noble Six, alone, sitting inside the troop bay of a Pelican.

New Alexandria, Eposz

August 23, 2552, 18:57 Hours

''View switches to the outside of the troop bay. Burning skyscrapers and building lights fill the night sky. After staring out for a long time, Six stands up and holsters a DMR. The Pelican slows down above a rooftop with two Falcons. Six steps out and meets Carter-A259 while the Pelican flies away.''


 * Commander Carter-A259: "Your report will have to wait, Lieutenant. The Covenant are jamming all comms to Command. Kat needs your help running a counter-op."

The two Spartans walk to the Falcons, with one already taking off.


 * Carter-A259: "It’s good to have you back."


 * Noble Six: "Sorry I came alone."


 * Carter-A259: "Make him proud."

Carter turns and slowly walks away as Six stops in front of the Falcon.

{Gameplay}

Fly By Night

 * Lieutenant Commander Catherine-B320 (COM): "Get your wings back on, Lieutenant. You’re flying this Falcon."

Six gets in the Falcon.


 * Kat-B320 (COM): "Covenant have deployed comm jammers at the high-rises across the city. When I find them, you hit them. Hard."


 * Kat-B320 (COM): "Stand by, Six... One of our Trooper squads went silent after the hospital got hit. I'll mark the location. Complete their mission, and take out that jammer."

''A burning skyscraper nearby collapses. Six flies to the hospital, landing at the entrance and enters. A small squad of Grunts and Brutes engages him, supported by a Engineer. After fighting through them, Six reaches the hospital's concourse.''


 * Trooper 1: "Contacts, two at ten o'clock! I'll hold them off until you get to the other side!"


 * Trooper 2: "Cover that doorway! Move, move, move!"

Six attacks the Brutes cornering the troopers.


 * Trooper 1: "More Brutes! Stay back, you stinking bastards!"

More and more Brutes fall to Noble Six's bullets.


 * Trooper 1: "I said back off, you nasty son of a bitch!"


 * Trooper 2: "Go ahead and try it!"

Six finally reaches the troopers, having defeated all of the Brutes.


 * Trooper 1: "Thanks for the assist, Spartan. Jammer's right over here."

Six overloads the jammer and heads back to the stairs.


 * Kat-B320 (COM): "Noble Two to Noble Six: I'm showing the hospital jammer offline - nice work. Soon as you can, I need you back in your Falcon."

Suddenly, a group of Sangheili Rangers fly in and engage Six and the Troopers.


 * Kat-B320 (COM): "Noble Two to Noble Six: you've got incoming tangos!"


 * Trooper 1: "We've got jumpers!"


 * Trooper 2: "Damn! Look how they move!"

''Six and Troopers defeat the Elites. They then moves back up to the stairs, engaging an Ultra Elite and some Skirmishers.''


 * Trooper 1: "We're good here, sir. You can head back to your bird."

''Six gets back upstairs and into his Falcon. As he takes off, another skyscraper collapses as a CCS-class Battlecruiser flies overhead. After stopping above the city's outskirts, the cruiser starts to glass the area.''

''Note: At this point, one of the many random side missions happen. Upon completion, one of the remaining two Trooper squads in charge of disabling the jammers will call.''


 * 4 Charlie 27 (COM): "4 Charlie 27 to Command, request immediate assistance!"


 * Kat-B320 (COM): "Go ahead, 27."


 * 4 Charlie 27 (COM): "We're at the Vyrant Telecom tower! Got Hunters between us and the jammer!"


 * Kat B-320 (COM): "Copy 27. Help is on the way. Noble Six, I'm sending coordinates for the Vyrant tower. Go get those Troopers unstuck."

ODST assistance
random encounter


 * Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck (COM): "Command. This Gunnery Sergeant Buck. 11th ODST, over."

or
 * Kat-B320 (COM): "Copy Gunnery Sergeant. Go ahead, over."
 * Kat-B320 (COM): "Copy Gunnery Sergeant. Go ahead."


 * GySgt. Buck (COM): "My guys got caught in a firefight in the Nobalos tower, roof collapsed. I gotta get over there and get them out.


 * Kat-B320 (COM): "Solid Copy. Noble Six will escort your falcon to the tower."

or


 * GySgt. Buck (COM): "Need escort on a classified op. Send someone who can fly a tight formation."

or


 * GySgt. Buck (COM): "Phantoms got one of my squads pinned. I need to take it out and evac my troopers."

{Gameplay}


 * GySgt. Buck (COM): "I owe you one Spartan. I'll see you in Hell."

{Cutscene}

''Inside the Olympic Tower, Noble Six joins up with the rest of Noble Team. The glass windows are shattered, and a crashed Banshee can be seen tangled up in some cables. Kat is fixing a comm unit, with her helmet on the floor. Jun looks out with a pair of binoculars. Emile sits at the side, sharpening his kukri, and Carter stands against the far wall.''


 * Warrant Officer Jun-A266: "Look at this place. Used to be the crown jewel... Not anymore. (turns and notices Six) Hey, you made it."


 * Warrant Officer Emile-A239: "It's a regular family reunion."

Six looks at him, and loosens his/her hand to show Jorge’s dog tags dangling from it.


 * Emile-A239: "Keep ‘em. He gave them to you. (points at himself with his kukri) I'll honor him my own way."


 * Jun-A266: "Jorge always said he would never leave Reach."


 * Emile-A239: "(laughs) The big man was sentimental..."


 * Carter-A259: "He gave his life thinking he just saved the planet. We should all be so lucky."

Carter walks toward the window, beside Jun.


 * Jun-A266: "Sir, that true about Gauntlet, Red and Echo Teams assigned to civilian evac ops?"

Carter turns to Kat, knowing she is responsible for the leak.


 * Cater-A259: “Those are senior-level communiques...”


 * Catherine-B320: “I hear what I hear. Point is, why put Spartans on defensive deployments?”


 * Cater-A259: "I need that link to SATCOM, Kat."


 * Catherine-B320: "Chasing it, but this console has more shrapnel than transceivers... You didn’t answer my question."


 * Carter-A259: "You want to know if we're losing?"


 * Catherine-B320: "I know we're losing. I want to know if we've lost."

Carter looks out to the city when beeping breaks the silence.


 * Catherine-B320: "Colonel Holland. Hailing us! What's he doing on an open channel?"


 * Carter-A259: "Let’s hear it."


 * Colonel Urban Holland (COM): "-near the southwest quadrant of the city, over? Sierra Two-Five-Nine, if you are receiving, I am authorizing override of radio security protocols to link with this channel."


 * Carter-A259: "How long for a secure link?"


 * Catherine-B320: "I can’t guarantee secure anymore."


 * Carter-A259: "Could the Covenant trace it to us?"


 * Catherine-B320: "I could."


 * Colonel Holland (COM): "Noble Leader, this is a Priority One hail. If you are receiving, acknowledge immediately."

Kat hands Carter the communicator.


 * Catherine-B320: "Keep it brief."


 * Carter-A259: "Carter here... Yes, sir."

Carter walks toward the window as Jun notices something through his binoculars, and leans forward.


 * Jun-A266: "We’ve got movement. Multiple Covenant vehicles vacating the area...and they’re in a hurry."


 * Emile-A239: "How often do you see Covenant retreat for no reason?"


 * Catherine-B320: "Radiation flare! Big! Forty million roentgens!"


 * Carter-A259: "Just lost Holland. What’s going on?"


 * Catherine-B320: "Atomic excitement scrambled the signal. Ninety million now!”


 * Carter-A259: "Source?"


 * Catherine-B320: "Airborne. Close!"


 * Carter-A259: "How close?"

''Covenant ships begins glassing the nearby area, creating a large shockwave. The Spartans fall to the ground to take cover as the explosion destroys the windows and pressure waves force air into the building. Switch to Kat's view.''


 * Catherine-B320: "That close!"

''The Spartans get on their feet, and Kat picks up her helmet. They run towards two elevators. Carter, Emile and Jun take one while Kat and Noble Six take the other one. Kat closes the elevator door and starts it, though she misses the button at first, having been partially blinded by the explosion. The elevators rush down the building as Kat puts on her helmet.''


 * Catherine-B320: "First glassing? Me too. Don’t worry, I’m on it. Our best option is a fallout bunker in Sublevel 2. Ninety-six metres northeast. We get orders from Holland, sir?"


 * Carter-A259: "We’re being redeployed to Sword Base."


 * Jun-A266: "Sword?! Covenant own it now!"


 * Carter-A259: “Which is why they want us for a torch and burn op. Keep Dr. Halsey’s excavation data from falling into enemy hands."

Carter’s elevator stops first and the three Spartans rush out.


 * Catherine-B320: "If it hasn’t already."

Six and Kat rush out from their elevator as the other three nearer the bunker’s entrance.


 * Carter-A259: "Maybe, but according to Holland, the Covenant are still hunting for something.”

Carter, Jun and Emile reach the bunker’s entrance and hurry Six and Kat.


 * Catherine-B320: "Where does he get off calling a demolition op Priority One-"

''Kat’s sentence is cut off as a Needle Rifle round pierces through her helmet, leaving a hole on it. Kat falls to the floor. Six holds her body, takes her holstered Pistol and begins to shoot at the Phantom above them. The others come to assist with Assault Rifles, but the Phantom flies away. Six throws away the emptied pistol and drags Kat’s body into the bunker.''


 * Carter-A259: "Come on! Come on! Get in!"


 * Jun-A266: "Let’s go, come on!"


 * Civilian: "Close the doors! Faster!"

''Six puts Kat’s body on the floor. The bunker’s door closes. Fade to black.''

Note: At this point, the game's subtitles show several lines of dialog being said by civilians in the darkness, but none of them are heard in-game.

August 26, 2552 03:00 Hours

''Fades in to Noble Team, led by Jun, walking out to the destroyed city. Kat's body is in Carter’s hands. Jun throws a signal flare to the ground, and waves as a Pelican slowly comes into view for extraction.''

Fade to black.

Level ends.

Mistakes

 * As 500 Röntgens of radiation over a period of five hours is fatal, receiving 90 million Röntgens of radiation, even for a short period, should certainly be fatal, especially for Kat, Jun and Carter who were not wearing helmets. However, the radiation in question was being emitted from a reasonable distance, so may not have been concentrated enough to be fatal; at least not for a Spartan. It is also possible to be a simple oversight.

Easter Eggs

 * The Crazy Army Trooper can be found on this level.
 * The soundtracks Never Surrender and Siege of Madrigal are included in the Club Errera easter egg in this level.
 * The Flyable Pelican and Phantom can be found in this level by activating a switch on one of the buildings near Club Errera. After this is done the player must fly either a Falcon or Banshee through a second building resembling the Shanghai World Financial Center to fly the Pelican or Phantom respectively.

Miscellaneous

 * The level appears to be a homage to Halo 3: ODST, with a similar score, mood, a brief cameo appearance by Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck, and Club Errera's layout, which is identical to ODST's Crater Firefight map. At the portion of the level involving Gunnery Sergent Buck, "The Menagerie" a song from the Halo 3: ODST Original Soundtrack plays.
 * When the player must destroy the Covenant Jammer in the Sinoviet Industries tower, the layout of the lobby is identical to that of the Halo 2 multiplayer level Ivory Tower, and to its Halo: Reach remake, Reflection.
 * A section of the final cutscene for this level is featured in the Halo: Reach "The Battle Begins" Campaign Trailer. It is however, altered such that Carter is not carrying Kat's body, but an assault rifle. This was most likely due to the trailer being released before the game, and the revelation of Kat's death had to be avoided.
 * This is the only level in the entire Halo series in which the player can pilot a Pelican or a Phantom without the use of modifications.
 * This is the first and only level (excluding the Falcon glitch on Winter Contingency) that Noble 6 gets the chance to fly a Falcon.
 * If this level is played on Co-op, the second player will be given a Falcon of their own. The Falcon given to the second player is armed with grenade launchers instead of machine guns.
 * There are several different random support objectives involving the use of the Falcon (i.e. assisting Buck, destroying a Covenant rooftop transmitter, or helping a group of Troopers kill a group of randomly generated Covenant teams on a rooftop or protect them from Banshees), but only two will be given per playthrough. The random nature of this mission is most likely why there are no Rally Points available, such that it can only be played from the beginning of the mission.
 * Oddly enough, when the Falcon is on the ground, it is possible to rotate the turret far enough to damage the Falcon itself.
 * At the beginning of the level, if the players turns the camera to the right when getting into a Falcon, he/she can see a building collapsing. The collapse will only be triggered if the player approaches the building.
 * Early on in the game's development, the level was supposed to be followed by a mission where the player would control a Scarab in the ruins of New Alexandria.
 * For unknown reasons, if you try to land the Falcon to the top of the collapsed building southwest of the Vyrant tower, you will be destroyed instantly.
 * If the player is stranded in an outdoors area, he/she has the option to call for a transport to pick him/her up to replace the lost or destroyed Falcon.