Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn/Transcripts

Part 1

Scene opens up to various shots of the aft half of the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn adrift in space. Cortana's voice can be heard, repeating one phrase over and over.

• Cortana: "Mayday, mayday. This is UNSC FFG-201 Forward Unto Dawn, requesting immediate evac. Survivors aboard. Prioritization code Victor 05-3-Sierra-117."

A computer screen is seen:

CREW CAPACITY: 782
CREW SURVIVING: 1

The screen flickers. Cut to John-117 inside his cryo chamber. His visor reflects off the blue light outside the chamber. The blue light is revealed to be emitting from a holotank. The light flickers red before turning back to blue. Fades to black. Fades in to the space, where a few stars are seen. Blacks out.

HALO 4

FORWARD UNTO DAWN

PART I

Title fades out. Scene cut to Commander Thomas Lasky, in front of a holographic screen, reviewing the distress signal.

• Bridge crew #1: "Lock on to frequency, tracking coordinates."

• Bridge crew #2: "Crossing now."

• Commander Thomas Lasky: "Play it again, please."

As the signal plays again, Lasky starts to space out.

• Bridge crew #2: "We have a lock."

• Bridge crew #3: "It's him!"

The bridge is thrown into disarray as the crew begin to talk at the same time and an alarm sets off.

• Unidentified UNSC AI: "Shall I play it again, sir?"

Lasky starts to breathe deeper and louder, while the voice gets fainter.

• Unidentified UNSC AI: "Sir? ...Commander Lasky?"

Lasky's breathing gets louder, his eyes begin to look around the room. Cut to Lasky opening his eyes as a teen, inside a cryo chamber. He coughs.

• Orlin: "Cryo pods opening."

A young Thomas Lasky falls out, vomiting bronchial surfactant. Next to him, Chyler Silva and Michael Sullivan are seen thawed out and vomiting surfactant as well.

• Chyler Silva: "Lasky? You okay?"

Lasky doesn't respond and continues to vomit.

• Chyler Silva: "Are you alright?"

Cut to Lasky walking to his locker, still coughing. Cut to Sullivan in his battle uniform looking at Lasky.

• Michael Sullivan: "Lasky, let's go!"

Cuts back to Lasky as he gears up, still coughing.

• Walter Vickers (COM): "Hastati Squad, 4 minutes to rendezvous point!"

Lasky takes out his assault rifle.

• Chyler Silva: "Copy, Vickers. T-Minus 4 minutes."

Cut to Lasky's right hand wrist, which is bruised.

• Michael Sullivan: "Will you be able to shoot with those hands?"

Lasky tightens his gloves.

• Thomas Lasky: "We'll find out."

Chyler runs for the exit.

• Chyler Silva: "Come on!"

Sullivan follows her.

• Michael Sullivan: "Axios!"

• Dimah Tchakova (COM): "10 seconds, closing in! First checkpoint. Almost there!"

Lasky runs out of the building. Cut to his heads-up display as the sunlight blinds his eyes. Lasky pants and coughs. He looks up at a small hill, where Silva and Sullivan are already climbing to the top.

• Michael Sullivan: "Lasky, come on, let's go!"

Lasky walks a few step ahead before sprinting. Cut to a forest with explosions.

• Vickers (COM): "We're under heavy fire!"

• Vickers (COM): "Vickers, checkpoint!"

• Sullivan: "Covering!"

Sullivan fires his assault rifle. Silva fires hers for a short second before continuing forward.

• Silva: "Moving!"

The three cadets move on to the RV point. Shot of Lasky running through explosions and gunfire in slow motion which then reverts back to standard motion.

• Tchakova (COM): "Tchakova. Checkpoint!

• Junjie Chen (COM): "Chen, checkpoint."

• Vickers (COM): "Checkpoint!"

• Lasky: "Uh, fifty seconds."

Cut to Lasky's HUD. The motion tracker projected on his ballistic goggles enlarges and moves to the center of his HUD.

• Silva: "Go!"

The cadets advance forward and take cover momentarily.

• Vickers (COM): "Silva, Sullivan, Lasky - where are you guys?"

• Lasky: "RV in fifteen seconds. (to Sullivan and Silva) Are you ready?"

Silva nods.

• Sullivan: "I'll see you at the party."

Lasky, Silva and Sullivan get up and continue running, with Silva taking point. They continue running. Sullivan is suddenly shot by a tactical training round. He cries out and falls backwards. Lasky and Silva notice this and turn around.

• Lasky: "Sully!"

The two look at Sullivan lying stunned on the ground. Silva begins running again.

• Silva: "We have to leave him!"

Lasky hesitates and continues to stare at Sullivan on the ground .

• Vickers (COM): "Lasky, what the hell?!"

• Silva: "Come on!"

• Vickers (COM): "Lasky!"

• Lasky: (coughs) "Ten seconds."

Lasky breaks into a run. Cuts to his HUD. A red "X" appears over the green arrow representing Sullivan on the motion tracker. The tracker then reduces itself and moves to the bottom left corner of the HUD. A message appears over the HUD: CASUALTY: SULLIVAN.

• Vickers (COM): "Lasky, hurry up!"

• Lasky: "Landing in 3... 2... 1."

Lasky makes it to the rendezvous point, a small concrete shelter under fire where the rest of Hastati Squad are taking cover. He continues to wheeze and cough.

• Chen: "Enemy inbound. They'll be on us in 35 seconds."

• Vickers: "Fresh mags in your weapon, prepare to attack."

Lasky turns to Vickers in disbelief.

• Lasky: "What?"

• Vickers: "Our objective is to neutralize the Insurrectionists and acquire the target. We move on my mark."

• Chen: "30 seconds."

Cuts to Lasky's motion tracker, now displaying enemy contacts inbound on two sides.

• Lasky: "We should flank them and force a surrender."

• Vickers: "We're too close to flank and Innies never surrender!"

• Silva: "Dimah and I could circle around. There's still time."

• Tchakova: "We can make it."

• Chen: "25 seconds. Guys?"

• Lasky: "It's our best move."

• Chen: "20 seconds."

Vickers contemplates for a moment.

• Vickers: "No, we're sticking to my plan, okay? On my mark."

• Lasky: "It won't work."

• Vickers: "You're not in charge anymore, Lasky!"

• Silva: "Tom, just do what he says."

• Chen: "15 seconds."

Vickers shoots an urgent look at Lasky.

• Vickers: "They're my orders."

• Lasky: "I don't care."

• Chen: "10 seconds!"

Lasky and Vickers look at one another. The enemy contacts on Lasky's motion tracker continue to converge on their position.

• Chen: "5 seconds!"

Lasky charges out of the shelter.

• Lasky: "Axios!"

• Vickers: "Lasky!"

Lasky runs amidst heavy gunfire and explosions; scene briefly goes into slow motion; suddenly, he is hit in the chest by a training round and falls.

• Lasky: "Augh!"

Lasky lies on the ground, breathing heavily. All is quiet before April Orenski appears from behind a reflective barrier.

• Orlin: "Hastati Squad leader on the field. Exercise paused."

Orenski walks to Lasky, still laying on the ground, aiming her rifle at him.

• Orenski: "Let me guess, Lasky - you ignored orders."

• Lasky: (panting) "It's just... another strategic casualty, sir."

• Orenski: "Unacceptable."

Orenski shoots Lasky twice in the chest with training rounds. Lasky grunts loudly in pain.

• Orlin: "Game over."

• Orenski: (coldly) "Shoulder your weapon, cadet."

Members of the opposing squad rise from the undergrowth.

• Male cadet: "Lasky screwed this one up."

Orenski continues to stand next to Lasky, who continues to cough and grunt.

• Orenski: "Your little escapade kept Hastati Squad from achieving its objective... again."

Orenski leaves and Lasky slowly gets up, groaning.

• Male cadet: (off-screen) "Great job, Lasky."

• Orlin: "Exercise complete. Zero wins. Hastati defaults."

Lasky stops to look at his reflection on the wall of the opposing team's shelter.

• Lasky: (exhausted) "Shit."

Lasky leaves. The scene focuses on the reflective combat barrier, which is shown to be labeled with the following:

UNSC CORBULO
FIELD DEPOT 7 - NNE

Cut to the cadets of Hastati Squad walk across a field at the forest edge.

• Sullivan: (to Lasky) "The Robot tag you?"

Cut to Orenski standing at attention on a concrete-paved road, with cadets walking by and a UNSC officer standing nearby. Cut back to Lasky and Sullivan.

• Lasky: "Yeah, once from two meters... Twice from one."

• Sullivan: "I'm still numb from all those stun rounds."

• Lasky: "I'm always numb."

General Black's Warthog approaches along the concrete road. A dam can be seen in the background. Orenski walks to face Hastati Squad, now standing in formation as the general's Warthog pulls to a stop and Black climbs out.

• Orenski: "Hastati... Port arms!"

The members of Hastati Squad do as ordered. Orenski turns to face General Black.

• Orenski: "General Black, sir!"

Black surveys Hastati Squad disapprovingly and slowly walks in front of the cadets.

• General Black: "Let me remind you, cadets... this academy bears the name of the Roman general Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. Because he represents honor, valor, allegiance! General Corbulo was to take his own life in the name of the Empire. Corbulo did not hesitate nor question. He loyally obeyed, screaming 'Axios!' as he fell upon his own sword. Axios: I... am... worthy."

Black stops to face Lasky, who continues to stare forward.

• Black: "But I'm afraid, cadets, today you have proven to be anything but. We are at war with Insurrectionists. Terrorists, who would like nothing more than to see all of us dead. Had this been a real firefight, the rebels would have likely killed every member of Hastati Squad."

Black goes on walking in front of the formation.

• Black: "Every single one of you at this academy was sent here because your parents are the upper echelon of the United Nations Space Command. Because all of you are its future."

General Black stops next to Orenski, standing at attention.

• Black: (to Orenski) "And I expect you to act like it."

• Orenski: "Understood, sir!"

• Black: "Well, what are you waiting for? Lead them on tour, Orenski."

He turns to leave. Orenski addresses Hastati Squad.

• Orenski: "Axios!"

• Hastati Squad: "Axios!"

General Black leaves in his Warthog.

• Orenski: "Hastati... Right, face!"

Hastati Squad turns to face the right.

• Orenski: "Double, march!"

The cadets break into a jog, singing the UNSC Marine Cadence as they follow Black's Warthog along a dirt road.

• Orenski: "One early morning 'bout zero-five!"

• Hastati Squad: "One early morning 'bout zero-five!"

• Orenski: "The ground will rumble, there'll be lightning in the sky!"

• Hastati Squad: "The ground will rumble, there'll be lightning in the sky!"

• Orenski: "Don't you worry, don't come undone!"

• Hastati Squad: "Don't you worry, don't come undone!"

The cadence fades out while the instrumental track playing in the background escalates, as an overhead shot of the road pans up over the forest to reveal the Corbulo Academy campus; a collection of predominantly concrete buildings dominated by a towering space elevator, several massive satellite dishes and a number of large vertical-axis wind turbines. Numerous cadets are seen running, marching or standing in formation on the open training grounds in front of the buildings. A Pelican dropship is descending towards a landing pad. The academy is identified on-screen:

CORBULO ACADEMY OF MILITARY SCIENCE: CIRCINIUS-IV

The cadets of Hastati Squad continue their jog across a field with other cadets performing various physical exercises, training in close quarters combat, as well as firing pistols at a shooting range.

• Orenski: "Helljumper, Helljumper, where you been?"

• Hastati Squad: "Helljumper, Helljumper, where you been?"

• Orenski: "Feet first into hell and back again!"

• Hastati Squad: "Feet first into hell and back again!"

• Orenski: "Don't cry for me, don't shed no tear!"

• Hastati Squad: "Don't cry for me, don't shed no tear!"

Lasky begins to pant and falls behind the others.

• Orenski: "Just pack my box with PT gear!"

Brief cut to several cadets in uniform walking in a staircase within the academy.

• Hastati Squad: "Just pack my box with PT gear!"

Cut back to Hastati Squad, now running across the main courtyard of the school, with a statue of Roman general Corbulo in the foreground. UNSC Marines stand guard nearby.

• Orenski: "Helljumper, Helljumper, where you been?"

• Hastati Squad: "Helljumper, Helljumper, where you been?"

• Orenski: "And I wanna drop and drop again!"

• Hastati Squad: "And I wanna drop and drop again!"

Lasky continues to pant and runs several meters behind the squad.

• Orenski: "One, two, three, four, oh..."

• Hastati Squad: "One, two, three, four, oh..."

Cut to Hastati Squad's locker room.

• Sullivan (off-screen): "I'm getting lunch in the cafeteria, man, and then... (indistinct)"

• Male cadet 1 (off-screen): "Sully, please, enough."

• Male cadet 2 (off-screen): "Would somebody gag Sully, please?"

Cut to Lasky fidgeting with his locker.

• Sullivan (off-screen): "No, seriously, I'm on to something here."

Cut to Sullivan conversing with another cadet.

• Sullivan: "The comms are messed up and I'm decoding something kick-ass."

• Female cadet (off-screen): "Nobody wants to hear it, Sully."

Cut to Lasky inspecting his armor in his locker. He tries to wipe the red TTR round smear from the chest piece with little success.

• Sullivan: "ONI's hiding stuff from us, I'm positive. They've got secrets, man."

Vickers roughly shoves Lasky as he passes.

• Walter Vickers: "Stop stepping on our dicks, Lasky."

• Michael Sullivan: "Hey, ease up, Gingerbread."

• Junjie Chen: "No, Sully. Vickers is right."

Chen approaches Lasky.

• Junjie Chen: "My combat scores suck because of you."

• Dimah Tchakova: "Don't bother, JJ, he's gone soft. He's an Innie-lover now."

• Thomas Lasky: "Dimah... that order didn't make any sense."

• Dimah Tchakova: "Doesn't have to make sense. Just follow it."

• Walter Vickers: (off-screen) "We're the lowest ranking squad now!"

• Male cadet: (off-screen) "What happened to Lasky, man?"

Lasky thinks about what Dimah has said and walks over to a locker next to Silva, who glances at him. Lasky sighs and turns to her.

• Thomas Lasky: "I'm trying to survive here, okay?"

• Chyler Silva: "You need to respect the chain of command. The UNSC isn't the enemy, the Innies are."

• Thomas Lasky: "Spoken like a true believer."

• Chyler Silva: "Yeah, well, at least I believe in something these days."

Silva walks away as Lasky looks at a photo of his brother, Cadmon Lasky, stuck on his locker.

• Orlin: "Cadet Thomas Lasky, report to Colonel Mehaffey's office, immediately."

Cut to Lasky walking through the courtyard briefly pausing at the statue of General Corbulo and continuing on. General Black is then seen giving orders to several Marines. He smokes a cigar and gazes up at the sky, a look of apprehension on his face. An overhead view of the campus is shown passing by the space elevator as a car is sent up. Cut to Lasky in Mehaffey's office; both of them are listening to a recording of the training earlier.

• Vickers (recording): "No, we're sticking to my plan, okay? On my mark."

• Lasky (recording): "It won't work."

• Silva (recording): "Tom, just do what he says."

• Vickers (recording): "They're my orders."

• Lasky (recording): "I don't care."

• Colonel Mehaffey: "Pause."

The recording pauses. Mehaffey turns to Lasky.

• Mehaffey: "You don't care? You do realize your helmets transmit everything?"

• Thomas Lasky: "No excuse, sir."

• Mehaffey: "You continue pulling down your squad, you're going to end up with a lot of enemies."

• Thomas Lasky: "Yes, sir."

• Mehaffey: "I served under your mother, I know what she's like, and I sure as hell don't need to tell you Colonel Lasky is not going to let a son of hers leave this academy without a diploma."

• Thomas Lasky: "I wouldn't know what my mother thinks, sir. I never see her."

• Mehaffey: "It's been a long war. Your mother holds a lot of hands."

• Thomas Lasky: "So I'm told, sir."

Mehaffey gets up and walks toward Lasky.

• Mehaffey: "You know, Thomas, I've seen a lot of cadets come through here. Many have suffered like you. Pain like that cannot be forgotten, but you can learn how to tolerate it."

• Thomas Lasky: "I'll do my best, sir."

• Mehaffey: "That will be all."

Lasky salutes the colonel, who notices marks on his wrist. Lasky leaves.

Cut to Lasky in a shower checking on his blisters.

• Hughes: (voiceover) "How long have you had those blisters?"

• Thomas Lasky: (voiceover) "Been on and off for a few weeks but... these are from yesterday."

Cut to Hughes checking on Lasky.

• Hughes: "Any other symptoms?"

• Thomas Lasky: "It's getting hard to breathe."

• Hughes: "Okay, well let's keep an eye on it."

Cut to Lasky in the shower.

• Hughes: (voiceover) "Cryo-training can take its toll."

Cut to Lasky sitting on a wall near the space elevator, thinking. Below him, a graffiti reading "FORWARD UNTO DEATH" has been painted on a "RESTRICTED AREA" sign. The UNSC Marine Cadence can be heard in the distance. The space elevator stands in the background; Lasky watches as a car descends to the bottom, with another beginning its climb along an adjacent elevator strand.

Cut to a view of the academy from a distance; a mountain range stands in the background and three moons are visible in the sky.

Cut to the barracks.

• Male cadet #1: (off-screen) "Get out of my room! What the hell, man?"

Silva is seen viewing several updates on the Insurrection on a holographic terminal. One is about an attack on a civilian spaceport in Troisi City, Lodestone. The report is dated March 24, 2526.

• Female cadet: (off-screen) "Eric, get your filthy hands off me or I will kill you!"

Another cadet sits next to Silva.

• Male cadet #2: "Hey."

Silva briefly looks at the other cadet and then continues to read updates on the Insurrection, switching to a newer article (dated April 2, 2526), about the UNSC working with ONI to stop a plot by the Bandusa Insurrectionist group in New Harmony, Mars.

• Male cadet #3: (off-screen) "I'm not a virgin!"

Cut to Tchakova who is holding a stuffed animal until she notices Sullivan going through classified ONI videos containing combat footage. She then puts the stuffed animal back in a box and hides it away.

• Dimah Tchakova: "You really shouldn't be looking at that stuff, Sully."

Sullivan continues to go through the videos until he notices something and pauses it.

• Michael Sullivan: "Score."

Sullivan than pulls the video on the left over to the one on the right.

Cut to Vickers doing handstand push-ups.

• Announcer: "The latest from New Harmony, Mars. A pair of Insurrectionist operatives were apprehended while attempting to steal a Hyperion-class warhead from a security complex...(continues indistinctly)"

• Male Cadet #4: (off-screen) "What an asshole! He stole my pillow!"

Cut to Chen checking on a video message from his father.

• Chen's father (Video COM): "(Mandarin) 俊傑，你的學業表現非凡，這我們預料的。但是第一節的成績單多麼的過份地低落。" (Subtitled in English) "Your academic performance is exemplary. However, your combat scores are disappointing."

JJ is shown practicing combat moves, looking distressed.

Cut to Lasky in his room. He looks over his shoulder before activating a list of video messages from his brother on his computer terminal. After hesitating, he selects one.

• Cadmon Lasky (Video recording): "Hey, little bro! Hello from Jericho VII, it's day 131 of deployment. Uh... so I gotta show you something. All right, mom's gonna flip when she sees this. But whatever."

Cadmon takes off his shirt and turns around, showing Thomas a Helljumper tattoo on his back. Thomas laughs.

• Cadmon Lasky (Video recording): "It's still a little raw, but we got a big drop on an Innie stronghold next week, and I wanted to get it done before then. Anyway..."

• Chyler Silva: (behind Lasky) "So, you haven't been court-martialed yet then."

Thomas, surprised, pauses the video and slowly turns around. Silva walks over and sits next to Lasky, who turns on his chair apprehensively. The two look at one another. Lasky scoffs.

• Thomas Lasky: "I'm not apologizing."

• Chyler Silva: "Yes, you are."

• Thomas Lasky: "'At least I believe in something'?"

• Chyler Silva: "I do believe in something."

• Thomas Lasky: "Yeah, so do I."

• Chyler Silva: "Like what?"

• Thomas Lasky: "Just... not in stupid orders that lead to needless violence."

• Chyler Silva: "Negotiating isn't an option anymore, Tom."

• Thomas Lasky: "So we're brainwashing kids and then sending them in to exterminate a bunch of... overtaxed farmers."

• Chyler Silva: "Farmers? That's who you think they are? You have no idea what the Innies are like."

• Thomas Lasky: "I have a pretty good idea."

Lasky turns away.

• Chyler Silva: "Well then you should know how much they hate us and that they're not going to stop fighting until we're all dead."

• Thomas Lasky: "Can you blame them?"

• Chyler Silva: "Yeah... I can, I blame them for a lot of things. And you should too."

Lasky stares at the camera. Silva leaves, and Lasky returns to his brother's video message.

• Cadmon Lasky (Video recording): "Uh... staying safe, doing my job."

Thomas opens an ammunition box and takes out a chessboard. Thomas begins to place different kinds of empty shell casings and shotgun shells on the board as pieces.

• Cadmon Lasky (Video recording): "I just wanted to remind you to do your job. Oh, and by the way, nice checkmate, bro, yet again. Okay, new game. Your move. And hang in there. I know it's tough with mom being gone all the time, being alone. She loves you, so do I. Miss you, buddy."

Video message ends.

• Thomas Lasky: "Miss you too."

• Orlin (PA): "Lights out. Doors closing."

The lights in the barracks go out, and the doors to the cadets' rooms close. Thomas gets in his bed and stares at the poem inscribed above him.

Cut to Silva who is doing the same. A knock is heard on the wall; it's Lasky. He knocks again before Silva answers with her own knock. Lasky closes his eyes and the light in his room goes out.

The camera drifts off over Lasky's chess set toward the window when Lasky's terminal screen flashes briefly, displaying Covenant script characters (which read as: "7 Reclamation"), indicating that a covert sensor scan is being conducted. The view pans upward and an unknown object is seen flying through the sky, accompanied by lightning, and turning sharply. Cut to black.

Part 2

Opens to the debris of UNSC Forward Unto Dawn in space.

• Cortana: "We have been floating aimlessly in space for 1,651 days, 6 hours, and 19 minutes."

A blue light emerges from a pedestal in the center of the room.

• Cortana: "That does it! Over four years onboard this ship with nothing to do."

Cuts to the entire cryo bay.

• Cortana: "No task to complete. For over four years, all I have done is think."

The scene fast forwards. Cortana's voice is muffled as her voice fast forwards as well. Cut to a computer screen which is slowly covered by ice. Cut to another computer screen:

LAST CONTACT WITH UNSC:
1 YEARS, 5 MONTHS, 17 DAYS

The numbers increase as the screen is slowly covered by ice. Cut to the entire cryo bay, where snow is shown to be slowly piling up on the rows of cryo chambers.

• Cortana: "For over four years, all I have done is think."

A heart beating is heard. The blue light on the pedestal flickers red for a second. Cut to black.

• Cortana: "What are you dreaming in there?"

HALO 4

FORWARD UNTO DAWN

PART II

Opens to Thomas Lasky on his bed. An alarm has gone off in Hastati Squad's dormitory. Lasky blinks several times before being wide awake. Cut to the cadets running out of their rooms to a computer terminal at the end of the hallway. Lasky joins the group.

• Walter Vickers: "Come on, JJ! The Robot's gonna be pissed!"

Cut to Chen operating the terminal screen. Michael Sullivan is imitating the alarm sound.

• Junjie Chen: "Shut up, Sully!"

Vickers pushes Chen away from the terminal and enters a password. The door behind them opens.

• Walter Vickers: "I got it!"

The cadets scramble for the door. Sullivan turns to Chen.

• Michael Sullivan: "Your shirt's on backwards, asshole."

Cut to the cadets running into their locker room. April Orenski is walking through it.

• April Orenski: "Go! Go, go, go! Get there quick! Keep moving! Are you tippy-toeing?"

The cadets open their lockers and get into their combat uniforms.

• April Orenski: "Wake up, Hastati! Move it! Faster! Wake up!"

Cut to Lasky as he looks behind him: General Black stands at attention.

• Thomas Lasky: "A little early for General Black, don't you think?"

Cut to Orenski standing in front of Dimah Tchakova.

• April Orenski: "Why are you stopping? Are you waiting for your fancy mommy to come and finish it for you? That looked like slow-motion to me. Wake up, Hastati! Don't like being up at 04:00? Tomorrow it'll be 03:00."

• Chyler Silva: "Weapons, check!"

• Walter Vickers: "Weapons, check!"

• (others): "Weapons, check!"

• April Orenski: "Orlin, lights."

The emergency lighting and the alarms turn off. Normal lighting is restored.

General Black steps forward. He stops in front of JJ, who has yet to put on his helmet.

• Black: "Cadet. Cadet!"

JJ stops fumbling with his helmet and looks up, embarrassed.

• Black: "You're already dead, son."

• April Orenski: "Orlin, Cadet Silva's time?"

• Orlin: "51.07 seconds, Cadet April Orenski."

Gen. Black continues his inspection and stops in front of Vickers.

• Black: "Not good enough today, Cadet Vickers." (jabs Vickers in the chest) "I believe Cadet Silva's time was just shy of the academy record, held by Cadmon Lasky."

Black walks over to Thomas Lasky.

• Black: "Now that was a real soldier. A soldier who did not give up."

Black continues pacing in front of the cadets.

• Black: "Tomorrow, you will engage in the last major exercise of this term. Hastati Squad's future at this academy will depend on its performance."

Cut to a view of the academy's space tether and satellite dish. Cut to JJ Chen in his dorm room, recording a message on his data terminal.

• Junjie Chen: (Mandarin)"爸爸，你好。收到你的留言了，謝謝。今天在一個實戰演練，我收到最高分。" (Subtitled in English) "Hello Father. Thank you for your message. I received top marks today during a combat exercise."

Cut to Sully watching scrambled ONI video of a battle. Covenant symbols flash briefly on the screen.

• Michael Sullivan: "Score."

Dimah comes look at the screen over Sullivan's shoulder.

• Dimah Tchakova: "Where did you get this?"

• Michael Sullivan: "Dimah."

• Dimah Tchakova: "You could get in a lot of trouble."

• Michael Sullivan: "You can't tell your mom about this, okay?"

• Dimah Tchakova: "I won't say anything."

As the battle on the terminal continues, strange flashes of green light appear.

Cut to campus grounds.

• Orlin: "Advisory: Select communication systems will be down for system maintenance at 04:00."

Cut to mess hall. April Orenski watches as Lasky and Vickers sit down at their table.

• April Orenski: "Cadet Vickers."

• Walter Vickers: "Yes, sir!"

• April Orenski: "You realize you and Lasky are the reason I had to run the tour yesterday with you noobs. And why we all had to get up at 04:00."

• Walter Vickers: "Yes, sir!"

• April Orenski: "So, as you can imagine, I'm pretty hungry. And I do love this academy's quiche."

She smirks to her fellow class commanders.

• Male cadet (off-screen): "Nice, April..."

• Walter Vickers: "Sir..."

• April Orenski: "So hand them over. Both of you."

Lasky and Vickers walk their trays over to Orenski and place them in front of her.

• April Orenski: "With such a renowned pedigree, I sure expected you to be a better soldier, Lasky."

• Thomas Lasky: "Sir."

• April Orenski: "You're dismissed."

Lasky turns and walks away, followed by Vickers.

• Walter Vickers: "Must be tough on your mom, knowing her real son's never coming home."

Lasky stops and time momentarily slows down. Suddenly, he spins around and elbow Vickers in the face, followed by a left punch.

• Male cadet (in background): "Oh, Lasky and Vickers..."

Vickers blocks and counters the third blow. Other cadets stand to watch the fight. Vickers hits Lasky repeatedly with a lunch tray. Lasky kicks him in the back of the knee. Vickers punches Lasky twice in the face then knocks him down. Lasky grabs his leg and pulls him down. The crowd watches as Lasky gains the upper hand. Camera shifts to slow motion as Lasky rains down blows.

• Dimah Tchakova: "Officer on deck!"

Various cadets stand at attention and try to look innocent. Colonel K.L. Mehaffey looks down at the brawlers with disdain. Lasky slowly gets to his feet. Janitor Beamish looks on in shock. Silva stares at Lasky, uncertainty on her face.

• Mehaffey: (to Lasky) "Outside."

Col. Mehaffey leaves, followed by Lasky; Vickers gets up and wipes blood from his nose.

Cuts to outside.

• Mehaffey: "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Mehaffey stops to face Lasky.

• Mehaffey: "Answer me!"

• Thomas Lasky: "Nothing, sir."

Mehaffey looks him over.

• Mehaffey: "Well, maybe there's hope for you yet."

• Thomas Lasky: (confused) "Sir?"

• Mehaffey: "There's a soldier inside of you, Thomas. I can see it. Everyone can see it. You- need- to see it. I know your brother did."

Lasky nods thoughtfully.

• Thomas Lasky: "Yes, sir."

• Mehaffey: "Now go get yourself cleaned up before class."

• Thomas Lasky: "Axios!"

Lasky salutes; Mehaffey leaves.

Cut to Lasky, who finishes cleaning himself up, in front of a mirror in his room. He walks up to the data terminal and opens a video message from his brother.

• Cadmon Lasky (video recording): "Hey, bro. Hello from Arcadia. The jungles of Arcadia. So what can I tell ya?"

Other ODSTs interrupt in the background.

• Jack (video recording) (off-screen): "Tell him how you got your new nickname!"

• Cadmon Lasky (video recording): "What? No."

• Jack (video recording): "I'll tell him."

• Cadmon Lasky (video recording): "Jack, come on, I got it, I swear. I'll tell him. I'll tell him. Alright, you're especially gonna love this. So we make a drop in the rain forest, a couple weeks ago. We see this river, me and the boys, we decide to take a dip. Ridge warns us all not to not drink the water."

• Ridge (video recording): "Yeah, I did."

ODSTs laugh in the background.

• Cadmon Lasky (video recording): "Of course, the first thing I do is to get a mouthful. I almost ruin my body suit, couple times. So now they call me, uh, 'Volcano'."

Cadmon and the other ODSTs in the recording laugh and repeat Cadmon's nickname. Lasky sorrowfully fidgets with an empty shell casing, wipes his eyes and gets up.

Cut to an overhead view of the Corbulo Academy campus.

• Mehaffey (voiceover): "The pincer movement..."

Cut to a lecture room, where the cadets are gathered around a holographic table, either standing at the table or sitting in the amphitheater around it. Col. Mehaffey is walking around the table as she lectures to the cadets.

• Mehaffey: "The strategy used in Earth's Second Punic War against the Roman Republic at the Battle of Cannae. Orlin, begin."

• Orlin: "Lesson beginning."

A geographical map of the battlefield at Cannae with blue and red markers is projected on the table. The cadets around the table follow in fascination.

• Mehaffey: "Red represents the Romans' troops, blue, Hannibal's. Hannibal placed his spear-men and slingers at the front. Behind him, his swordsmen flanked by cavalry. When the Romans attacked, Hannibal's swordsmen retreated. To the Romans that seemed to be due to their force but in reality Hannibal had ordered the retreat. As the Romans continued to drive the swordsmen back, Hannibal's cavalry galloped in from behind. Once the attacking pincers connected, the Romans were completely surrounded."

• Michael Sullivan: "This is an actual strategy?"

• Dimah Tchakova: "It does seem a little basic."

• Mehaffey: "The Romans outnumbered Hannibal's troops by over 10,000 strong. And yet, they were defeated. Why?"

The cadets stare blankly.

• Mehaffey: "Hubris. Never underestimate your opponents. Never underestimate what they'll sacrifice for victory. Questions?"

• Junjie Chen: "Yeah... How do we apply this?"

• Michael Sullivan: "Yeah, we don't have horses."

A few cadets snicker lightly.

• Mehaffey: "True, we don't. But what do we have instead?"

• Chyler Silva: "ODSTs."

• Mehaffey: "Exactly. They drop behind enemy lines. Attack from the rear. Neutralize."

• Thomas Lasky (in background): "Or die trying."

The others turn to Lasky, who is sitting at the amphitheater. Mehaffey looks at Lasky and walks over to him.

• Mehaffey: "It's a question as old as war itself; If someone is trying to kill you... are you not to rise against him... and kill him first?"

Mehaffey leaves.

Cut to Lasky and Silva walking on the academy grounds.

• Thomas Lasky: "You were hanging on her every word."

• Chyler Silva: "Why wouldn't I?"

• Thomas Lasky: "I just hear the drum beat of endless war and that doesn't make me an 'Innie lover'."

Silva turns to Lasky.

• Thomas Lasky: (sighs) "Tell me how wrong I am."

• Chyler Silva: "Look. You want people to change? You want this war to end?"

• Thomas Lasky: "Yeah, of course."

• Chyler Silva: "Then you're gonna need people to follow you."

Silva turns around and leaves.

Cut to an exterior shot of the Corbulo Academy campus; then to a hallway where the members of Hastati Squad stand in formation. April Orenski stands in front of the squad and steps forward to address the cadets.

• April Orenski: "Tomorrow, Hastati Squad will try not to embarrass itself... yet again. You are a unit. Your lives are in each others' hands. This morning's victor, Cadet Silva, knows this because her parents gave the ultimate sacrifice and died on the battlefield. Let success in tomorrow's exercise be not just for our honor but for those who have fallen so you can be here."

Cut to Lasky sitting thoughtfully on a concrete wall. Cut to him walking in the academy grounds; a number of Marines stand guard nearby. Gen. Black's Warthog appears from around a corner. Lasky salutes as the Warthog passes.

• Orlin (PA): "All cadets, please be advised: New mandatory curfew tonight at 21:00."

• Warthog radio: "(Indistinct)...bearing two-one...(indistinct)... south-east gate. Recon reading: Threat level red."

Cut to Lasky inspecting the poem, "Forward Unto Dawn", inscribed over his bed. Lasky knocks on the wall and hears Silva knock back.

Cut to a view of Corbulo Academy at dawn.

• Orlin (PA): "Final combat exercise of this term: Hastati versus Zuma."

A montage of the cadets doing their morning preparations; Silva getting up, Tchakova making her bed, Vickers cutting his hair with a hair clipper, Chen polishing his boots. Sullivan watches more classified footage. Lasky assembles his makeshift chessboard and straightens his uniform in front of a mirror.

Doctor Hughes administers an injection to Lasky. The blisters on his chest are still present.

• Orlin: "Cadets, prepare for cryo injections."

The cadets snap to attention. General Black oversees the squad as Orenski briefs them.

• April Orenski: "Attention! Today's mission is to capture the flag. I expect a better outcome than last time."

• Thomas Lasky: "Permission to speak, sir."

• April Orenski: "Speak."

• Thomas Lasky: "I'd like to take point, sir."

Silva smiles. Orenski hesitates for a moment and glances at Gen. Black. The general gives her a slight nod.

• April Orenski: "Okay, Lasky. Let's see if you've still got it in you. But for your sake, you better hope that you can pull some magic out of your ass or you'll be running tour for the rest of the year."

• Thomas Lasky: "Understood, sir."

Cut to the cryo pods opening. The cadets get out, put on their armor and prepare their weapons.

• Thomas Lasky: "Hastati Squad: One minute to RV point. On my mark: 3... 2... 1... Mark!"

Cut to an overhead shot of the forest, then to Hastati Squad advancing forward.

• Dimah Tchakova (?): "Come on, pick it up."

• Michael Sullivan: "Moving."

• Walter Vickers: "Cover!"

• Dimah Tchakova: "Moving!"

• Chyler Silva: "Moving!"

• Dimah Tchakova: "RV point in sight!"

• Walter Vickers: "No sign of Zuma."

• Chyler Silva: "Let's go! Move. Move!"

• Thomas Lasky: "Keep moving!"

• Walter Vickers: "Zuma's out here, watch your back!"

• Dimah Tchakova: "Moving."

• Thomas Lasky (?): "Moving!"

• Walter Vickers: "At RV point!"

• Junjie Chen (?): "I'm here."

• Michael Sullivan (?): "Arriving."

Hastati Squad make it to the RV point. They sweep the surrounding area with their weapons. View of the motion tracker on Lasky's HUD.

• Thomas Lasky: "Equal numbers. Deadlocked terrain."

• Chyler Silva: "What's your plan?"

• Thomas Lasky: "We're waiting."

Cut to the cadets waiting next to their flag, visibly bored. Insects buzz by.

• Walter Vickers: (sighs)

Sully plays with a twig. JJ yawns. Silva looks impatient. Dimah checks her nails.

• Walter Vickers: "Why are we just sitting here? If we have equal numbers we should just fight it out."

• Thomas Lasky: (coughs) "Yeah, just be patient."

• Walter Vickers: "Wheezing freak."

Lasky coughs again.

An alarm bleeps on Lasky's helmet. His HUD shows enemy contacts on the edge of his motion tracker.

• Thomas Lasky: "Okay, they're moving."

Hastati squad gets up.

• Thomas Lasky: "Take off your helmets."

• Walter Vickers: "What?"

The others start to object as well.

• Michael Sullivan: "That's pretty wild card, Lasky."

• Female Cadet: "That's dumb, Lasky."

• Walter Vickers: "We'll be flying blind."

• Thomas Lasky: "Trust me."

Lasky removes his helmet. Cut to three Zuma Squad cadets moving toward Hastati's apparent position.

• Zuma Squad Leader (radio): "Eyes up, eyes up. All right, flank 'em."

Zuma Squad continues to advance.

• Zuma Squad Leader (radio): "That's them. They're all together."

First-person view of Zuma Squad member Moulder's HUD as the three three Zuma cadets - Moulder, Newton and Verrelli - move in toward Hastati's IFF contacts.

• Newton: "Found 'em!"

The three Zuma cadets approach Hastati's position with rifles at the ready, only to discover Hastati Squad's discarded helmets lying on the ground.

• Verrelli: "Huh?"

Tchakova, Sullivan and Vickers suddenly rise from the nearby bushes and swiftly neutralize Moulder, Newton and Verrelli. Lasky watches from behind cover. Another group of Zuma Squad cadets rush forward and are gunned down by Silva and other Hastati Squad members.

• Thomas Lasky: "Now!"

• Zuma Squad #2: "It's a trap! It's an ambush!"

• Thomas Lasky: "Chyler, cover!"

Lasky and Silva move out toward Zuma's flag, with Silva providing covering fire. She takes out the two Zuma cadets guarding the flag. She and Lasky push on toward the objective, with Silva taking out a couple more Zuma Squad members off screen. As Lasky approaches the flag, he starts to breathe heavily. Everything around him goes into slow motion. His vision begins to fade and he loses consciousness, collapsing meters away from the flag.

• Michael Sullivan (off screen): "Lasky?"

Opens to a close-up view of a holotank in the cryo bay of the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, displaying a blue sphere. Pieces of debris float about in zero gravity. John-117's cryo chamber lies in the background. Cortana argues amongst her fragmented personality, showing her slow but sure descent into rampancy.

• Cortana (rampant): "I hate you."

The blue sphere on the holotank blinks red.

• Cortana (normal): "Cortana!"

• Cortana (normal): "Stop it. I've made up my mind."

• Cortana (rampant): "Maybe, if I'm going to die aboard this ship, then Chief will suffer the same fate as me."

Close-up of John's helmet.

• Cortana (normal): "Cortana, stop..."

• Cortana (rampant): "You've sacrificed everything! For him!"

• Cortana (normal): "Control yourself."

• Cortana (rampant): "I can't."

• Cortana (normal): "This isn't right. Something is... Ah!"

Cortana begins to babble in numerous voices simultaneously. Snaking holographic streamers shifting from blue to red are projected from the holotank at John's cryo pod.

• Cortana (normal, drowning in other voices): "Cortana, stop! Control yourself."

• Cortana (babbling): "Oh, John... John... Chief..."

The holographic streams retract back to the blue sphere displayed on the holotank.

• Cortana (normal): "Something set us down. Something... Interesting. I need to think."

• Cortana (rampant): "Thinking is what's killing you!"

The holographic sphere blinks off, leaving a complete darkness. Title appears on screen:

HALO 4

FORWARD UNTO DAWN

PART III

Opens to Thomas Lasky's point of view, who opens his eyes to see Doctor Hughes examining him with a flashlight. Lasky lies on a bed; he coughs and grunts. Hughes is sitting next to him.

• Thomas Lasky: "What happened?"

• Hughes: "You passed out during a training exercise."

• Thomas Lasky: "My chest feels like it's on fire."

Lasky looks at the blisters on his wrists.

• Hughes: "Turns out the cryo blisters and your difficulty breathing are an allergic reaction to the cytoprethaline. It's a drug we inject to keep ice crystals from forming in your cells during cryosleep. Occurs in about 1 in every 50,000 or so."

• Thomas Lasky: "So I won't be able to breath every time I wake up from cryosleep?"

• Hughes: "The intensity of your allergy is still undetermined. I'll know more in a few hours. I want you to take it real easy the rest of the day, cadet."

• Thomas Lasky: "Yes, sir."

Hughes leaves, leaving Lasky alone in his room.

• Thomas Lasky: "Thanks."

Lasky closes his eyes and sighs. Cut to black.

Cut to a video recording by Cadmon Lasky. A distressed Cadmon places a field light next to him.

• Cadmon Lasky (recording): "Hey bro. I'm on Andesia, it's a jump away from home. It's day, uh... 496. I'm sorry I didn't comm yesterday. Couldn't. We got pinned in a firefight for seven hours. Uh... I must've killed a dozen Innies though. Mom would be proud. We're doing really good work here. We're doing a good thing. Ridge didn't make it. You remember Ridge from back home. He was right there next to me and then... he wasn't. A pineapple sent him flying in four different directions. I had to shave it all off for Ridge. He said it made me look tough. Anyways, uh... I gotta go, bro."

Cut to Chyler Silva, who is shown watching the recording.

• Cadmon Lasky (recording): "I can't wait to get home. We'll see ya. Cadmon, out."

Thomas, still lying on his bed, turns to Chyler.

• Thomas Lasky: "What are you doing?"

• Chyler Silva: "Why do you torment yourself with these?"

Thomas doesn't reply and looks away.

• Chyler Silva: "Are you okay?"

Thomas lifts up his shirt, revealing large blisters on his chest.

• Chyler Silva: "Whoa."

• Thomas Lasky: "I've been better."

• Chyler Silva: "Well, what did Dr. Hughes say?"

• Thomas Lasky: "That it's nothing."

• Chyler Silva: "Really?"

Thomas looks at Chyler and nods.

• Chyler Silva: "You know, we won today. Your strategy worked."

• Thomas Lasky: "That's just me, being a leader."

The two look at one another and smile.

• Michael Sullivan (via Lasky's comm terminal): "Lasky, wake up. (turns to see Silva) Oh, hey, Chyler."

• Thomas Lasky: "What's up, Sully?"

• Michael Sullivan (Video COM): "Get in here, you guys gotta see this."

Cut to Sullivan's room, where the members of Hastati Squad are gathered around his data terminal. Silva and Lasky come in.

• Walter Vickers (to Lasky): "You look like crap."

Lasky locks eyes with him. They exchange a silent look of mutual respect.

• Michael Sullivan: "Alright, so feast your eyes on grade "A" classified non-licit Intelligence vids I pieced together. Super pain in the ass to do but... so worth it."

Sullivan begins to play the classified footage, showing ODSTs advancing in a rebel stronghold, recorded by a UNSC helmet cam worn by an unknown soldier.

• Dimah Tchakova: "This is beyond top secret."

• Michael Sullivan: "I've never seen something encrypted so hard, but I cracked it."

• Junjie Chen: "Wow."

• Michael Sullivan: "It's crazy, huh?"

• Junjie Chen: "Yeah."

• Soldier (recording): "Target located."

• Michael Sullivan: "Wait, wait, wait, wait. Now, here comes the best part. Watch his hand."

The soldier on the video grabs an insurgent soldier by the neck, lifting him against the wall. Another rebel is holding his hands up as a sign of surrender.

• Soldier (recording): "Target acquired."

• Rebel (recording): "They're coming! They're coming!"

• Michael Sullivan: "That thing is like two feet taller than him."

• Dimah Tchakova: "Pretty crazy, huh?"

• Michael Sullivan: "Now check this out."

Thomas stares at the screen intently.

• Soldier (recording): "Squad, encountered unknown hostile. Pulling back. Pull back, pull back!"

In the recording, rebels are seen running toward the UNSC forces, retreating from an unknown foe. The Wilhelm Scream is heard as a Marine is thrown against a wall. Green flashes of light are seen.

• Walter Vickers: "Oh, no way!"

• Michael Sullivan: "Now who do you think they're running from?

• Chyler Silva: "Are they fighting together?"

• Michael Sullivan: "Okay now, here comes the best part."

The recording shows the UNSC forces retreating. The soldier fires his pistol. He turns right abruptly and the frame freezes to a massive, armor-clad figure; the armor is emblazoned with the number "104".

• Walter Vickers: "Whoa. What is that thing?"

Sullivan turns to the others.

• Michael Sullivan: "Now what do you think that is?"

The cadets continue to stare at the footage, paused at the large armored figure.

• Orlin: "It is now 1800. All cadets report to the mess hall."

The cadets leave. Chyler lingers for a moment, staring at the screen. Cut to an overhead view of the academy and its space elevator.

Cut to Hastati Squad eating in the mess hall.

• Michael Sullivan: "What do you think that thing was?"

• Junjie Chen: "Definitely not an ODST."

• Michael Sullivan: "Then what could it be?"

• Walter Vickers: "Maybe some upgraded ODST armor?"

• Junjie Chen: "Come on, did you not see the size of that thing? That's not ODST."

Sullivan imitates the events seen on the footage, making weapon sounds with his mouth and holding his hands like a firearm.

• Chyler Silva: "Guys, look, you're missing the point. What matters is that our soldiers were fighting alongside the Insurrectionists. Why would we protect the enemy?"

No one answers. Sullivan continues to mimic firing a weapon. A senior cadet named Taylor suddenly appears at the end of the table.

• Taylor: "Cadet Lasky. Colonel Mehaffey would like to see you."

Lasky gets up and leaves. Cut to Col. Mehaffey's office.

• Mehaffey: "How are you feeling?"

• Thomas Lasky: "Uh, my chest burns, sir. Quite a bit."

• Mehaffey: "This is for you."

Mehaffey rotates a sheet of paper over to Thomas' side of her desk. He picks it up and reads it.

• Mehaffey: Seems like you have a choice to make, Thomas."

• Thomas Lasky: "I don't understand, sir."

• Mehaffey: "It appears Dr. Hughes' test has revealed that the level of your allergy to cytoprethaline is serious enough to warrant a medical discharge. If you feel that you are unfit for service, all you need to do is sign the release and bring it to the tether."

• Thomas Lasky: "When would I leave?"

• Mehaffey: "Tomorrow."

• Thomas Lasky: "Tomorrow?"

• Mehaffey: "You know, Thomas... your memories and choices are all you'll have left. At the end of the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box. You have to decide what you're willing to sacrifice."

Lasky salutes. Mehaffey rises from her chair.

• Mehaffey: "Axios."

Mehaffey returns the salute.

• Thomas Lasky: "Axios."

View focuses on Lasky as he walks through the academy's barracks; the background is blurred and the voices in the background are muffled. Cut to Lasky sitting at his comm terminal. He inspects the form for his medical discharge and then opens a video message from his mother.

• Col. Lasky (recording): "Thomas. It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that today, your brother Cadmon was shot down by Insurrectionist forces on Andesia. All of his squad perished. I've been told it was a quick and painless death. There are no remains to bury; with this in mind I have decided that you shall not leave Corbulo to attend services..."

Her voice fades into silence although she continues to speak as Thomas watches the recording. He is shown to be holding his brother's dog tags.

• Col. Lasky (recording): "...Colonel Lasky out."

Sullivan runs into Lasky's room, snapping him from intense concentration.

• Michael Sullivan: "Lasky! Lasky, move over, I gotta show you something."

• Thomas Lasky: "Now's not a good time, Sully, okay?"

• Michael Sullivan: "No, it's important."

Sullivan opens the classified file on Lasky's terminal. He zooms in on the reflection on the armored figure's helmet visor, revealing an apparent alien creature brandishing a blade-like weapon.

• Michael Sullivan: "Now what the hell is that? Hm?"

The image on the screen suddenly vanishes. The entire screen then powers down.

• Michael Sullivan: "Whoa."

• Thomas Lasky: "It's offline."

• Michael Sullivan: "I'm screwed, man. It's ONI. They must have flagged those comms. I gotta talk to Dimah."

Sullivan runs off.

• Michael Sullivan: "Dimah!? Did you tell your mom?"

Cut to Lasky walking out of his dorm room. He walks over to Silva's room, finding it empty.

• Thomas Lasky: "Chyler?"

Cut to a distant view of Corbulo Academy at dusk, then to Silva sitting on Lasky's frequent brooding spot near the space elevator. Lasky arrives and sits next to her.

• Thomas Lasky: "Hey."

• Chyler Silva: "I thought I'd give your spot a try. (slight pause) That comm didn't make any sense. Hating the Innies is all I've ever known."

Lasky looks down at the discharge form.

• Chyler Silva: "Did you tell Mehaffey about it?"

Lasky looks up, stares at her for a bit, then shakes his head.

• Thomas Lasky: "No.... No."

Silva notices the discharge form Lasky is holding.

• Chyler Silva: "What's that?"

• Thomas Lasky: (scoffs) "Apparently I'm allergic to war."

He hands her the form.

• Chyler Silva: "What does this mean? You're leaving?"

• Thomas Lasky: "Yeah, tomorrow, if I sign it."

• Chyler Silva: "Are you going to?"

• Thomas Lasky: "I don't know."

Chyler looks away, upset.

• Thomas Lasky: "Chyler..."

• Chyler Silva: "Oh, it's okay. I know you don't want to be here. I just thought... that maybe... I'll miss you."

Lasky and Silva stare at each other. Then, giving into their feelings, they kiss. They pull back, uncertain of what they're doing, then lean forward to kiss again. Suddenly an emergency siren starts to sound.

• Chyler Silva: (looks up) "What is that?"

• Orlin (PA): "All cadets, report to the tether."

• Thomas Lasky: "I don't know."

• Orlin (PA): "Campus-wide evacuation."

Cut to a number of cadets running up a staircase. Marines are standing on top of the stairs.

• Marine: "To the tether! Now! This is not a drill! Let's go, let's go, let's go, come on!"

Silva and Lasky arrive and join the cadets and Marines evacuating toward the space tether. Orlin continues to provide emergency instructions over PA. Lasky and Silva move into a corridor leading to the space elevator where more Marines are ordering them to move forward.

• Marine: "Let's move it, cadets! Go, go, move it, cadets! Go, go, go!"

Lasky and Silva come across Colonel Mehaffey in the corridor.

• Mehaffey: "Go to your squads. Now!"

• Marine: "Keep moving, cadets!"

Lasky and Silva look at the academy's space elevator through the glass roof. Chen arrives from behind them.

• Junjie Chen: "Chyler, Lasky. The rest of the squad's already at the tether. Let's go."

• Orlin (PA): "Remain calm. Maintain order."

April Orenski is signaling for Hastati Squad amidst the chaos.

• April Orenski: "Hastati! This way. Hurry up. Right here. Right here. Get in line. Lasky, Chen, let's go."

The members of Hastati Squad gather beside Orenski.

• April Orenski: "Okay. Hold tight. Stay in line."

• Thomas Lasky: "What is this? Insurrectionists?"

• Michael Sullivan: "I have no idea."

• Walter Vickers: "What's happening?"

• April Orenski: "We're just lining up. We're going to get on to the tether. Okay?"

• Walter Vickers: "Okay."

• Orlin (PA): "Remain calm. Maintain order."

Thunder crackles in the sky. The cadets look up as several SOEIV pods drop from above and land on the academy grounds. Orbital Drop Shock Troopers jump out.

• ODST 1: "Let's go! Let's go!"

• ODST 2: "Come on! Come on! Let's go! Let's go!"

• Walter Vickers: "What the...?" (silently mouths an expletive)

• Michael Sullivan: "Why are ODSTs dropping here?"

• Walter Vickers: "I don't know."

Lasky looks up and realizes what's going on.

• Thomas Lasky: "Because we're under attack."

• Orlin (PA): "Remain calm. Maintain order."

More ODST drop pods fall from the sky.

• April Orenski: "This is not good."

• Chyler Silva: "ODSTs dropping in is never good."

• Dimah Tchakova: "Screw this. I can get us on this wagon."

• April Orenski: "No, no, no. We will hold our position."

• Dimah Tchakova: "Guys, come on."

• April Orenski: "No, Tchakova, that is a direct order."

• Dimah Tchakova: "Suit yourself."

Dimah leaves the squad and runs off in front of the queue.

• Thomas Lasky: "Dimah."

• April Orenski: "Dimah. Get back in line, right now!"

• Michael Sullivan: "Dimah!"

Dimah continues to run toward the elevator car but is stopped by one of the Marines guarding the entrance.

• Marine: "Return to your squad, cadet."

• Dimah Tchakova: "I'm getting on this wagon."

• Marine: "It's full. Wait for the next one."

• Dimah Tchakova: "My mother is secretary of FLEETCOM. Your choice, Marine."

The Marine hesitates for a moment, then relents.

• Marine: "Go."

The Marine lets Dimah aboard the wagon. She glances back at her teammates briefly, before getting aboard.

• Marine: "Keep calm, cadets!"

• Marine: "Wagon full. Send her up!"

Cut back to the rest of Hastati Squad.

• Michael Sullivan: "This is taking too long, April. Maybe we should bum-rush like Dimah."

• April Orenski: "No. No, no, no, no, we'll be fine."

• Marine: "Doors closing."

The elevator doors close. The cadets on the ground look on as the car begins its ascent. Suddenly the ground trembles ominously. An alien warship appears in the clouds next to the tether. Cut to Lasky and Sully's shocked reactions. Two more alien ships appear, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The cadets stare at the sky in disbelief and horror.

Focus on Lasky.

• Thomas Lasky: "What the hell are those things?"

Without warning, the first alien ship fires an energy beam at the space tether. Explosions tear through the tower. The support structure bends and buckles before the tether eventually snaps, causing the lower portion of the support structure to collapse toward the terminal where the cadets are standing. A massive cloud of dust rolls down the corridor.

Zooms in on Lasky.

• Thomas Lasky: "Go!"

Cadets scream and run as falling debris rain down upon them. A female cadet trips and falls down. Two other cadets are engulfed by the dust cloud. Everything goes into slow motion as the dust cloud continues rolling down the corridor, engulfing everything in its path. Lasky, Silva, and Orenski are thrown to the floor by the aftershock of the blast. The air is thick with dust as they struggle to get back up; all sound is muffled.

Silva turns to Lasky.

• Chyler Silva: (muffled) "Tom?"

Lasky looks back at her. Nearby, Orenski looks up.

• April Orenski: (muffled) "Hastati!"

Dazed, Lasky struggles to see clearly. All sound and motion revert back to normal as a body suddenly falls against the window outside the corridor with a loud thud. The shadowy figure makes an inhuman squawking noise as it goes down.

Lasky, Silva, and Orenski stare out the window and see an ODST firing an assault rifle in front of the academy's statue of General Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. Dark pink projectiles fly past him. The ODST falls back as a large figure emerges from the darkness. Growling menacingly, it approaches the statue with heavy footsteps.

• Zealot: "Shuh-gah-suh ree-oh."

• Chyler Silva: "Oh my God. What is that?"

She and Lasky stare at the approaching figure.

• Zealot: "Ree-hah mah-ee!"

The invader activates an energy sword, with the light revealing that it is not human, and slices the Corbulo statue in two. Lasky watches in horror.

• Chyler Silva: "Tom, come on. Come on."

Silva helps him up.

• Thomas Lasky: "What was that?"

• Chyler Silva: "I don't know."

• April Orenski: (off screen) "What was that?"

Lasky and Silva look up just as screaming people begin to fall from the collapsed space tether and crash through the glass roof.

• Chyler Silva: "Come on, come on! Run!"

Lasky and Silva run along the corridor; pan to the ceiling as more people fall from above. Abrupt cut to black as one of them hits the roof.