Departure

“

UNSC Infinity embarks on a mission to the Forerunner world of Requiem.

”

Departure is the first episode of Spartan Ops. In the episode, the UNSC Infinity returns to Requiem.

Chapters

#	Name	Location	Description
1	Land Grab	Quarry	"UNSC joint operations begin in Requiem as Infinity mass deploys Spartan, Navy, Marine, Army and Air Force units."
2	Sniper Alley	Sniper Alley	"Covenant operations are reliant on several power stations around Requiem."
3	The Challenge	Fortress	"Spartan Fireteams are engaging enemy forces across Requiem. Enemy forces are surprisingly resilient."
4	Sacred	The Refuge	"Infinity Science requests a Spartan Fireteam scout a suspicious structure. Caution advised."
5	Core	The Cauldron	"Covenant archeological teams operating on Requiem are searching for something. Infinity Command wants to know what."

Opening cinematic

A D79-TC Pelican is shown flying above Earth.

EARTH, SOL SYSTEM
NEW PHOENIX INCIDENT + SIX MONTHS

• Hoya (voiceover): "Well, I'm not gonna complain."

Gabriel Thorne looks down at his data pad, displaying a news article on New Phoenix.

SUNSET ON NEW PHOENIX
City still under quarantine six months later.
"This was not a Covenant attack", says ONI Public Relations Officer John Sullivan.

• Thorne: "Uh huh."

Thorne sits down, with Hoya standing over him.

• Thorne: "So tell me more about Rio. What else did I miss?"

• Hoya: "Aw man, the place is a mess. I mean, too many Covenant asylum seekers all pinned up."

• Thorne: "Yeah, DeMarco said it was pretty crazy."

The camera turns over to DeMarco and Madsen chatting.

• Hoya: "Well, it could have been worse. I mean, look what happened to New Phoenix."

Thorne looks up at Hoya.

• Hoya: "We even caught this one Sangheili freak trying to detonate a HAVOK nuke-"

• DeMarco: "Hoya, give it a rest!"

Hoya and Thorne turn over to face DeMarco and Madsen.

• DeMarco: "We all know you were on the other side of town when they caught that hinge-head."

• Hoya: "Yeah? And where were you, DeMarco?"

• DeMarco: "Well, Madsen and me? We were just making sure the ladies of Rio de Janeiro felt...safe and secure."

• Madsen: "That's right. Just Fireteam Majestic, doing a little community outreach man!"

• DeMarco: "That's right!"

DeMarco and Madsen laugh and bump fists while Hoya just scoffs. Grant shakes her head in mocking annoyance, then looks at Thorne.

• Grant: "You had people in New Phoenix, didn't you?"

• Thorne: "I did."

• Grant: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

• Thorne: "It's alright."

Thorne looks down at his holoboard.

• Thorne: "I'll get over it."

• Hoya: "Hey, Thorne?"

Thorne looks up to Hoya, who gestures at him to come over.

• Hoya: "You should take a look at this."

Majestic's Pelican is joined by dozens more as they approach the Infinity.

• Hoya: "There she is, man... Infinity."

HALO: INFINITY

The Infinity holds position serenely above Earth as Majestic's Pelican lands at one of the hangar bay. The hatch opens and Majestic walks out, observing the deck. The shipboard AI, Roland, greets them shortly afterwards.

• Roland: "Ah, Fireteam Majestic."

• DeMarco: "Yeah, that's us."

• Roland: "Welcome aboard, Spartans. I'm Roland - ship's AI, at your service. On the line, Spartans; someone will be along to show you around shortly."

Roland salutes the Spartans and logs off.

• DeMarco: "Alright, Majestic; form up."

As the squad gets in line, the camera turns over to show the Infinity's crew in action.

• DeMarco: "Whoa, take a look."

Sarah Palmer walks up to the squad.

• Madsen: "Oh, my..."

Madsen moves, but is halted by DeMarco.

• DeMarco: "Uh-uh. I saw her first."

DeMarco approaches Palmer, clearing his throat.

• DeMarco: "Hi there."

• Palmer: "Well, hello. Spartan...?"

• DeMarco: "Paul DeMarco. I lead Fireteam Majestic."

• Palmer: "Wow. A whole fireteam, huh?"

• DeMarco: "I didn't... catch your name?"

• Palmer: "Sarah Palmer. Commander Sarah Palmer. I lead all the fireteams aboard Infinity."

DeMarco quickly stumbles back in line, embarrassment etched on his face.

• DeMarco: "Fireteam Majestic, Commander on deck!"

All of Fireteam Majestic stands at attention and salutes.

• Palmer: "At ease, Spartans. Follow me, S-Deck is this way."

Hoya chuckles as the squad is lead out of view.

• DeMarco: "Shut it..."

Thorne looks around the bay one last time then proceeds to follow.

• Roland: "Attention all hands, prep for slipspace jump."

Infinity transits into slipspace. On the Infinity's bridge, Captain Thomas Lasky is observing a holographic map of Requiem with Roland. A Covenant fleet is occupying the path to the primary entrance portal.

• Roland: "This is the latest SIGINT on Covenant fleet locations, Captain. Pretty standard positioning, really."

Palmer walks into the bridge.

• Lasky: "Commander Palmer."

He nods to Roland, who salutes and logs off.

• Lasky: “Things get boring in Spartan town?”

• Palmer: "Captain Lasky. You know I come up here for my peace and quiet."

Palmer leans on the holo-desk and crosses her arms as Lasky looks up at her.

• Palmer: "I'm not interrupting naptime, am I?"

Lasky looks back at the map wearily.

• Lasky: "On the contrary. Show starts at 0500."

• Palmer: "We've waited six months. We could spend another 48 hours running the teams through the War Games..."

• Lasky: "Navy disagrees with Spartans on this one. They want you ready. Now."

The Spartan garrison is a hive of activity. Palmer walks up to a balcony, now in full MJOLNIR GEN2 Scout armor.

• Palmer: "Ladies and...other Spartans, listen up! Your new workplace is a planet first discovered by humanity six months ago called Requiem. Some of the old hands here know what you're in for. The rest of you... You're due an education."

As Palmer gives her speech, Majestic Squad prepares to be outfitted with their MJOLNIR GEN2 armor. A series of assemblers hold the armor's disparate sections, the pieces locking into place around their inner skinsuits.

• Palmer: "The eggheads upstairs want to set up research bases. But before they can do that, we need to fend off some Covenant squatters. The Covies...they believe this is the home of one of their gods."

Dozens of Zanar-pattern light cruisers and an Maugen-pattern armored cruiser fly in formation above Requiem. An enormous slipspace rift suddenly opens in front of one.

• Palmer: "The way I see it? If those freaks want to meet god, it's our duty to help them along!"

The Infinity emerges from the rift and rams into the RCS cruiser, pulverizing the Covenant vessel. The bridge shakes violently as the impact registers.

• Roland: "Infinity clear of slipspace, Captain Lasky."

• Lasky: "Lieutenant Austen? The word is given."

A series of large hatches open beneath the Infinity.

• Austen: "Drop sub-vessels on my mark... Mark!"

As their magnetic clamps deactivate, multiple Strident-class heavy frigates emerge from the Infinity. They proceed to engage the Covenant fleet, all guns blazing.

• Austen: "Sub-vessel drop initiated. Transmitting targeting data to all leaders."

The remaining cruisers release hundreds of Type-31 Seraph fighters, intent on swarming the Infinity's defenses. The human fleet retaliates with withering anti-ship fire.

• Officer #1: "Covenant are deploying small attack crafts-"

• Weapons officer: "Pay attention to the fighters!"

• ATC officer: "All Spartan fireteams are prepped and ready for launch!"

• Officer #1: "Sub-vessels, assume protective positions for small craft support."

A swarm of Pelicans depart the Infinity for the shield world below, dodging fire from nearby Seraphs. A squadron of F-41 Broadswords relieve the Pelicans, destroying the pursuers.

• Officer #2: "Requiem corridor is clear! Repeat, Requiem corridor is clear!"

• Officer #1: "The light is green!"

Majestic's Pelican speeds downwards, explosions trailing behind them.

• Pelican pilot: "Majestic-One on approach. Hang on, we're going inside!"

• DeMarco: "Here we go, Majestic!"

The approach vector is littered with shipwrecks, forcing the Pelican into evasive maneuvers.

• Pelican pilot: "What the hell are we flying into-?"

• Officer #2: "Watch out for the debris!"

The Pelican successfully evade the wrecks, and proceeds into Requiem's main opening.

• Pelican pilot: "Lots of turbulence here!"

• Officer #2: "Good job, people! Almost there..."

Fade to white.

Gallery

• 

  Paul DeMarco introduces himself and Fireteam Majestic to Sarah Palmer.

• 

  Palmer meeting with Thomas Lasky at the bridge of the Infinity.

• 

  Majestic-1 on Requiem's approach.

• 

  Infinity strikes the first blow.