Composer (level)

Composer is the 7th level in the Halo 4 campaign. It was first announced along with the rest of the Achievements for Halo 4.

Synopsis
The mission starts as John-117 takes out an Elite from the Covenant Remnant. The boarded Lich's course was too low and due to her rampancy, Cortana ignored the Chief's repeated attempts to get her to correct their course, resulting in a collision with the Ivanoff Research Station. The Chief then fights through Covenant forces who were boarding the station to find his way to Dr Tillson. The Covenant were here to remove the Composer for the Didact. The Chief met up with Dr. Sandra Tillson to inform her that the station's personnel must be evacuated, and that the Composer had to be destroyed using a nuke to prevent the Didact from claiming it. The Chief then attempts to hold off Covenant forces so that they could destroy the Composer. However, the Didact removes the Composer using a tractor beam from his ship. The Chief makes his way to Dr Tillson. Unexpectedly, the Didact uses the Composer on the station and turns all humans on it, including Dr. Tillson, to ash. Fortunately, Master Chief was unaffected, thanks to the Librarian's genesong, given in the level Reclaimer, which made him immune to The Composer's effects. The Chief and Cortana then obtain a Broadsword from the station's hangar bay and equip it with a HAVOK Tactical Nuclear Weapon to pursue the Didact and destroy his ship before it reached Earth.

Transcript
{Cutscene} ''Cut to an asteroid belt with a large planet in the background. A Slipspace portal suddenly appears in the foreground and the Mantle's Approach comes out, along with several Covenant remnant Liches and Phantoms. They all move away from the belt. Cut to John-117, under cover in one of the last Liches. The shields protecting the ship from Slipspace fade away.'' ''More Phantoms and Liches cross in the background as John gets out from his cover and looks up. He sees a Halo installation.'' John looks up at the Halo. ''Cut to a nearby asteroid belt, where most of the Covenant craft are flying towards. A human station built into one of the asteroids.'' ''Numerous Phantoms and Liches approach the station. Cut to John.'' ''Fade to black. A moment later, a gunshot can be heard. Cut to the inside of the Lich. A Sangheili's shields flare as he collapses on the floor, the entry wound in the head still smoking. John steps over the body, carrying a Covenant carbine, as he walks toward the control panel.'' ''John steps up to the panel and inserts Cortana into the console. A hologram of the station comes up.'' Cut to the Lich's exterior; it is approaching the station. The hologram of the station flickers and disappears completely, replaced by the figure of Cortana, who's undergoing another rampancy fit. A red signal flashes on the screen as the Lich flies toward the station on a collision course. ''The Lich flies dangerously close to the station with no deceleration. The red signal continues to flash.'' Cut to black as the Lich crashes just below the open landing bay.
 * MCPO John-117: "Cortana?"
 * Cortana: "Still here."
 * John-117: "A Halo?"
 * Cortana: "Installation 03. It's where Infinity found the coordinates for Requiem."
 * John-117: "Then why are they bypassing it?"
 * Cortana: "Because the Composer's not on the ring."
 * Cortana: "What are you waiting for? That station's not going to save itself."
 * Cortana: (voice distorted) "Put me into the console."
 * John-117: "This is UNSC Master Chief to base. Do you read?"
 * Dr. Sandra Tillson (COM): "Yes! I hear you! This is Sandy Tillson of Ivanoff Station! We're under attack!"
 * John-117: "They're after a Forerunner artifact you took from the Halo ring."
 * Tillson (COM): "How do you know about that?"
 * John-117: "Doctor. I need you to protect that artifact until we arrive. Send whatever-"
 * Cortana: (voice distorted and high-pitched) "Do you know what that condescending bitch said to me after our first game of chess?"
 * John-117: "Cortana…"
 * Cortana: "Even I don't call him by name anymore."
 * John-117: "Correct your approach."
 * Cortana: "Yes, well he also said he works better alone."
 * Cortana: "I can see why you chose him, Catherine."
 * John-117: "Cortana!"
 * Cortana: "I'm your greatest achievement and you detest me!"
 * John-117: "Pull up! Now!"

Any Landing You Can Walk Away From
''John wakes up on the floor of the landing bay. The wrecked Lich is nearby, aflame. An Assault Rifle lies near him.'' John gets up as his HUD flickers. John grabs the assault rifle, and his HUD clears up. {Gameplay} ''John runs to the end of the landing bay, where there are several supplies in crates. As he approaches the exit, the doors open. A security guard, wielding a Sticky Detonator, is thrown violently against the wall as projectiles from a Needler kills him. The explosive from the Sticky Detonator detonates, killing two Kig-yar at the end of the hallway. John runs down the hallway and around some corners, arriving at another doorway. It opens to a hangar.'' ''A security guard is jumped by a Kig-yar and is killed if the Master Chief takes no action. Two scientists run past, attempting to escape.'' ''John kills the Jackal and enters the hangar. Two Phantoms are dropping off Covenant remnant forces. John takes care of them and pushes on, running into another squad of Covenant soldiers. He takes them out and and moves on. Some security guards and scientists are making a stand nearby.'' ''An infinite amount of Phantoms arrives to reinforce Covenant positions. John begins assisting the pressured security forces.'' John begins taking out the Covenant remnant forces on the platforms, eliminating several Sangheili on the way. If the player approaches the wrong platform: John gets to the controls and activates the system. A blue barrier activates and blocks the hangar from any more Phantoms. ''John quickly runs to a door leading toward the doctor, which opens up to reveal more Covenant soldiers. John eliminates them. Inside the room, a group of security guards are taking cover behind crates and engaging more Covenant soldiers.'' ''John assists the security guards, killing the enemies in the area after a lengthy battle. He runs to the end of the room and into a large staircase, where two more security guards are holding the bottom floor. Several Unggoy make their way down the stairs. John and the security guards eliminate them, joined by the two others behind them. The group begins pushing up the stairs, engaging more enemies on the floor above. Suddenly, an orange scan line from the Mantle's Approach moves through the station.'' ''John and the security guards continue pushing up until they reach the floor overlooking the bay. They engage another Covenant squad and finally secure the bay. John makes his way through another door leading toward another hallway. As he runs down it, another scan line moves through the station. John runs down the length of the hallway, meeting up with a distressed scientist.'' ''John picks up the nearby Thruster Pack. The door opens to reveal the next room, where several scientists and security guards are in a one-sided battle with the Hunters.'' John does battle with the Hunters in the control room, eventually killing them. ''John's HUD flickers again. Cortana responds, but with a series of incomprehensible computerized tones and beeps. John's HUD stabilizes again.'' ''John quickly runs to the door and activates it. Fade to black.''
 * Cortana: "I'm sorry- I just… can't stop them!"
 * Cortana: "It's like a thousand of me arguing all at once!"
 * John-117: "Doctor Tillson, are you there?"
 * Tillson (Video COM): "Oh, thank God! When your signal cut off I di-"
 * John-117: "Doctor, listen to me. You have to issue the order to evacuate the station."
 * Tillson (Video COM): "We've been trying! The Covenant… they've already taken over the landing bays!"
 * John-117: "Send me your coordinates. I'll see what I can do about clearing an evac route on my way to you."
 * System: Emergency quarantine released.
 * Scientist #1: "They're killing everyone!"
 * John-117: "What can we do to keep the Covenant out?"
 * Cortana: "The Harbormaster controls can erect a barricade over the bay, but we'll have to locate them."
 * Scientist #2: "Where's Jesse? Jesse!"
 * Scientist #3: "How'd the UNSC get here so fast?"
 * Cortana: "Wrong platform, Chief! Dock controls are on the other one!"
 * System: Warning. Emergency Harbor Barricade engaged. Enacting in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
 * Cortana: "Doctor Tillson. Bay 7 is secure and we're moving to your position now."
 * Tillson (COM): "Really? Oh- that's incredible! Thank you!"
 * Scientist #4: "Where are the other station cops?"
 * Security guard #4: "We need backup! Bay 7 Duty Port Baker!"
 * Security guard #5: "Spartan? How many of you are there?"
 * Security guard #4: "Guys, we can't hold this position!"
 * Security guard #5: "Fall back! Fall back!"
 * Cortana: "Didact doesn't know where the Composer is! Just that it's on the station."
 * Tim (PA): "Attention! Station's security's just broken through to Emergency Station 12, A-11. Lifeboat access there is limited but functional! ES12, A-11!"
 * Scientist #5: "Help us! A pair of Hunters forced their way in. Take this. It's calibrated for heavy armor. Please! Help them!"
 * Cortana: "Hunters!"
 * Scientist #5: "Is everyone OK?"
 * Tillson (COM): "Spartan? Are you all right? It sounds like the end of the world out there!"
 * John-117: "Cortana? Door controls?"
 * Cortana: "Tillson's inside the door over there!"

{Cutscene}

''John walks through the open door. Sandy Tillson is right in front of the door and greets him immediately and nervously.'' ''The two arrive at the control panel at the end of the room. Tillson starts inputting commands in, opening up the window in front of them and letting in some sunlight.'' Tillson hesitates and turns back to John as the room starts descending. ''The room descends enough to allow the two a view of the Composer. A spotlight shines on the extremely large artifact. Cut back to the two.'' Tillson walks back to the control panel. ''She starts typing into the panel. John continues to look at the Composer.'' Tillson stops, looks up and back at John. Tillson looks at John in entreatingly. Tillson hesitates again and looks down resignedly, in deep thought. John turns and begins walking out of the room. ''John turns to listen to her. He nods.'' ''John turns again and walks out the room. Tillson watches him go and looks down sadly. The door shuts behind John. Cut to black.''
 * Tillson: "I desperately hope you know why all this is happening. Because, to be honest, my objectivity isn't doing me a whole lot of good right now. Hold on, I'll start us down."
 * John-117: "The device you recovered was a Forerunner weapon. The commander of that ship wants it back."
 * Tillson: "Wants it back? You don't think you can remove… it can't leave this station, you know that, right?"
 * John-117: "We don't have any choice, doctor."
 * Tillson: (shaking her head) "It's not a matter of choice. It took three months, and the biggest starship the UNSC could throw at it just to relocate it here. Unless you're a lot stronger than you look, it's not going anywhere."
 * John-117: "Can you give Cortana access to the station's supply manifest?"
 * Tillson: "What for?"
 * John-117: "If we can't move the Composer, we have to make sure the Didact can't either."
 * Sandra Tillson: "Oh wait… we have years of work invested here."
 * Cortana: "Inventory lists seven excavation-grade Havok mines. Just one of those would turn this base into a piñata."
 * John-117: "I'm sorry, doctor. Keep routing your people to the evac centers. Once we take care of the Composer, you won't have much time."
 * Sandra Tillson: (barely composed) "I'll… make sure the nukes are primed so you can detonate them remotely."
 * Sandra Tillson: (sadly) "Maybe next time you rescue us, you can give us more time to pack?"
 * John-117: "Next time."

{Gameplay}

''John is outside in a hallway on a lower part of the station. A nearby door crackles with electricity.'' John walks through a door in front of him and down a short hallway, arriving at a doorway, opening to the large, open cavern where the Composer is.
 * Tim (PA): "Attention, attention. Lifeboat 12, A-11 is now filled to capacity and about to depart. Do not head to 12, A-11- we're prepping additional shuttles out of Bay 7, C-5. Again, Lifeboat 12, A-11 is exhausted and about to launch."

The Composer
''John walks out and around the large area, meeting with several security guards and active Mantises being piloted by scientists. An explosion is heard, followed by the station shaking violently.'' John makes his way across the atrium, passing by a group of security guards. ''Nearby the door leading to the objective, a scientist is watching his coworker trying to work the nearby Mantis. The Mantis stomps the ground, startling the scientist next to it.'' ''John walks through the door and down the hallway. A security guard is sitting on the floor nearby.'' John approaches the guard, who stands up and walks toward the control panel for the door, keying it open and allowing John to pass through. ''John walks through the door and up a catwalk to the hallway above as the door closes behind him. Another scan line moves through the station.'' ''The station rocks again and the power is suddenly cut. John moves on and faces an Unggoy and a Kig-yar. He quickly eliminates them and moves on to the door, which closes and locks.'' ''John moves through the dark hallways, facing more Covenant troops. He engages them and arrives at the end of the hallway, where three doors open, leading toward a large room with three airlocks and more Covenant soldiers. John pushes through and eliminates them all.'' A door opens at the end of the room. John runs through the door, down a catwalk, and into another hallway, where some scientists and security guards are being cornered by Covenant soldiers. John proceeds to assist the desperate personnel. John kills all the Covenant soldiers. If the player walks away from the scientists: John approaches the rescued group. or ''A security guard or a scientist keys open the nearby door, leading to a small side area with two auto sentries. John walks back to the main hallway and proceeds onward. He rounds a corner and walks up a walkway to a level above, taking out two Unggoy along the way. He turns into another airlock room.'' ''John engages the Covenant troops inside. Meanwhile, Covenant troops are using the airlocks to enter the room from their boarding ships. John can use the buttons on the airlock door to vent it, causing the troops inside to be blasted back into the vacuum. John repel the boarders, leaving only a few more enemies.'' ''She marks the remaining Covenant soldiers. John eliminates them, then walks to the upstairs area to the door on top, which opens up. John quickly runs through into the hallway. Another scan line runs through the station.'' ''John runs up the length of the hallway to the door at the end, which opens, leading to a balcony overlooking the station's exterior. Phantoms are dropping off more Covenant soldiers, while a small group of security guards are attempting to repel the Covenant. Meanwhile, two cloaked Sangheili are checking the room.'' ''John begins engaging the cloaked infiltrators. His HUD starts flickering again.'' John takes out all the Sangheili. John grabs Cortana and runs to the other door in the room, making his way down the hallway. ''John runs into a Covenant squad running down the hallway in the same direction ahead of him. He quickly takes them out before they notice him. He walks down the hallway and turns to his left through another open door, leading to the room with more Covenant. There are Ungggoy cheering. At this point, subtitles appear:'' John takes them out and makes his way to the door at the end, where another lance led by a pair of Sangheili stands guard. ''It opens to another hallway, with another door at the end. John approaches it and waits for it to depressurize, finally letting him into a room with a view of the cavern.''
 * John-117: "Doctor, what was that?"
 * Tillson (COM): (in shock) "The Covenant… the Covenant just shot down the first evac shuttle."
 * Cortana: "The station should be equipped with outer turrets. If we can reactivate them, I can program the station's defenses to provide cover for the evacuation."
 * Sandra Tillson (COM): "OK… OK, I'll send you the coordinates."
 * Security guard #6: "Orders are to keep the Covenant away from the artifact; no withstand or buts. Gus, Edwards, you two take the flanks."
 * Security guard #7: "Yes sir."
 * Security guard #8: "On it."
 * Security guard #6: "French, lock down the far edge."
 * Security guard #9: "Sir."
 * Security guard #6: "Warren, keep your eyes peeled and mainly stay out of the way."
 * Security guard #10: "Mmm."
 * Security guard #6: "Keep it safe, gentleman. Go!"
 * Scientist #6: "I thought you were the Mantis expert."
 * Scientist #7: "I know how to use it to haul cargo, not shoot Covenant!"
 * Scientist #6: "The watch commander said he's sending someone down who knows how to use the weapons on these things."
 * Security guard #11: "Over here, Spartan!"
 * John-117: "Officer, seal the door behind me."
 * Security guard #11: "Yes sir."
 * Didact (telepathically): "You impress me, Human. Your singular valor will be preserved and studied, once your Composition is complete."
 * Cortana: "The power loss triggered an automatic lockdown. Look for a service tunnel."  John finds the service tunnel entrance not to far from the door and walks down it, taking out an additional two Kig-yar. The door at the end opens.
 * Tim (PA): "All hands! Bay 7, Level C-5 is cleared and available for evac! Again, this is not a drill! Bay 7, C-5!"
 * Cortana: "I think that's the last of them."
 * Cortana: "Let's go."
 * Scientist #8: "Spartan! In here! They've got us cut off!"
 * Scientist #9: "Help us, please!"
 * Scientist #10: "Hey, it's the military!"
 * Scientist #8: "No!"
 * Scientist #8: "No -wait!"
 * Scientist #8: "Don't go!"
 * Scientist #8: "Hey, wait! Come back!"
 * Scientist #8: "The Covenant's just wasted one of the security teams! What chance do a bunch of archaeologists have?"
 * Scientist #9: "They ran! The security team assigned to us, the second the Covenant showed up! How could they do that?!"
 * John-117: "Find Doctor Tillson. She'll get you to the evacuation area."
 * Cortana: "The battlenet's directing all troops to our position!"
 * Cortana: "Only a few more left."
 * Cortana: "Maybe the Great and Powerful Didact shouldn't misplace his things!"
 * Cortana: "That's the main defense console."
 * Cortana: (rampant) "My intervention is the prerequisite of success! (ominous whisper) Why should we save them?"
 * Cortana: (maniacally laughing) "Insert me into the defense grid."  John, having no choice, puts Cortana into the console. Her figure comes up and she turns and starts typing into a hologram.
 * John-117: "Doctor Tillson, are you there?"
 * Tillson (Video COM): "I'm here. Any luck?"
 * John-117: "Cortana's bringing the defense grid online now."
 * Cortana: "OK. That's it."
 * Tillson (Video COM): "I hear it! We'll broadcast the final evac orders."
 * John-117: "The nuke?"
 * Tillson (Video COM): "We're rigging it now. Meet us back on the upper platform and we'll help you get it to the artifact."
 * Cortana: "Pull me, Chief!"
 * Cortana: "Chief, if we pull this off and actually get back to Halsey? Don't tell her how bad I got. Please?"
 * John-117: "I won't say anything."
 * Cortana: "Thank you."
 * Unggoy: "The Didact shelters all! The Didact shelters all!"
 * Sangheili: "Kill the Librarian's pet!"

All Things Lost and Found…
''Inside the cavern, several Phantoms can be seen dropping off more Covenant soldiers near the Composer. Multiple Unggoy are cheering around disabled Mantises while no human can be seen inside the cavern.'' ''John leaves the building and enter the atrium. He operates one of the Mantises and engages the Covenant." Phantoms enter the area to drop down troops, Ghosts and Wraiths. John eliminates the deployed Covenant. More Phantoms enter the cavern. A squadron of Banshees enter the atrium. John destroys the Banshees and continue to hold off the Covenant's Phantoms. Phantoms stop entering the atrium as John kills the last Covenant soldiers. John enters the elevator in one of the buildings. John activates the elevator, which begins to ascend. Suddenly, the roof of the cavern breaks off, exposing the entire atrium into space. One of the cranes loses controls and smashes into the elevator's window. The elevator stops as the crane falls off. The Mantle's Approach is seen firing a strong orange beam into the atrium. The Composer breaks off from the ground and levitates out of the station. John's HUD begins to flicker.'' Cortana doesn't respond. The elevator resumes. ''The elevator stops, and John presses a button to open the elevator door. Cut to black.''
 * Cortana: "Keep them away from it!"
 * John-117: "They found the Composer."
 * Cortana: "(distorted) Stop them, Chief! You can't let them tell him it's here!"
 * John-117: "Doctor Tillson, the Composer's location's been compromised. You've got to get the nuke down here!"
 * Tillson (COM): "It's- It's not ready yet!"
 * John-117: "Ready or not, I need it now!"
 * Cortana: "They're throwing everything they've got at us to get the Composer!"
 * Cortana: "Another wave!"
 * Unggoy (chanting): "Didact! Didact! Didact! Didact! Didact!"
 * Cortana: "Banshee!"
 * Cortana: "Where is he?"
 * John-117: "Doctor Tillson! Where's the warhead? Doctor Tillson!"
 * Cortana: "Head back to the elevator platform. I'll keep trying to raise her."
 * Cortana: "The HAVOK mines will be in one of the cargo bay. Start us up."
 * Cortana: "Chief! Immense Casimir wave building outside the atrium!"
 * John-117: "What's he doing?"
 * John-117: "Cortana, see if you can raise Tillson. Get me a status on the rest of the station."
 * Cortana: "I can't believe he did that…"
 * John-117: "Cortana, I need that info!"
 * John-117: "(sigh) Look… don't think about the Didact, don't think about the composer. Only focus on finding me Tillson."
 * Cortana: (strained) "Tillson, Sandra K. Female. 51 years of age. Doctor of Archaeology. Pegasi Institute-"
 * Cortana: "Got her. Biosignature stable on 350-level, B-deck."
 * John-117: "Thank you, Cortana."

{Cutscene}

''Cut to John's first-person view. Several scientists, including Tillson, are on the platform, some running around on their tasks. Tillson is conversing with two coworkers.'' ''Cut to John. He runs over to a nearby console, passing Tillson on the way.'' He takes out Cortana and puts her in the console. Tillson and the scientists stop to look at the Mantle's Approach'', which is closing in on the station. The Composer on it starts charging.'' Cortana is fiddling with a hologram. ''The Composer continues to charge. Cortana is attempting to start the defense systems, to no avail at every attempt.'' ''Cortana turns to look at him. The hologram is still flashing a error warning.'' ''The Composer fires. The scientists stagger from the blow, their skin already starting to flake off into units of data. They all begin to collapse. Cut to a closeup on Tillson. She screams in pain as her skin, muscles, and skeletal system are broken down into orange flakes of data. John is unaffected, though his armor flickers orange as he collapses on the floor and blacks out. John awakens sometime later, the staff now reduced to ashes. Cortana is sitting on the pedestal, forlorn. Vapor is rising from John's armor, as well as the ash piles that are all that remain of the scientists. He wakes up, looks around, and gets up onto one knee. Cortana looks up at him.'' ''John stands up with his assault rifle. He looks around at the ash piles, still smoking.'' John moves toward the door, thinking. Cortana remains silent for a moment. John looks and turns toward her. ''John doesn't respond, turning around again. Cortana stands up and activates the hologram again.'' John turns back to her. Cortana turns toward him. ''Cut to black. Level ends.''
 * Tillson: "They've compromised the station's hull."
 * John-117: "Didact's taken the Composer. Get these people to the evac centers!"
 * Tillson: "'Taken'? Taken how?"
 * John-117: "Tap the flight deck. Find us something that carry a pay load."
 * Tillson: "Wait, something's happening."
 * John-117: "Cortana, can you access the station's defense systems?"
 * Cortana: "They're not responding!"
 * John-117: "Cortana?"
 * Cortana: "Chief, it's-"
 * Cortana: "Are you okay?"
 * Cortana: "I monitored the data pulse. I could hear them… what was left of them…"
 * John-117: "We need to move."
 * Cortana: "These people are gone."
 * John-117: "And more will follow if the Didact reaches Earth."
 * Cortana: "They will pair you with another AI. Maybe even another Cortana model if Halsey lets them."
 * John-117: "That's not going to happen."
 * Cortana: "It won't be me, you know that, right?"
 * Cortana: "Spinning up a Broadsword at hangar C-11. Whatever the The Librarian did to you obviously worked."
 * John-117: "Cortana."
 * John-117: "It's not over. Not yet."
 * Cortana: "Not yet."

Trivia

 * This is the second and last mission in the campaign to use the Mantis
 * The room with the Hunters has several specimens from Installation 03. There is also a small room within it with two of Dr Catherine Halsey's personal log entries. It is possible that she had used it as an office earlier when she was sent to this station after being arrested on Shield World Trevelyan.
 * Also in this room is the activation index for installation 03.
 * It is possible to break out of the level and join the security forces fighting covenant in a large outdoor area. On the part before you activate station defenses, wait for the loading point to commence, but do not proceed into the room with the console. Instead, wait for the door to the previous area to close, and crouch jump into the doorframe. Careful jumping and experimenting will get you outside to the battle. Most of the time you will fall into an abyss though.
 * If you do manage to make it outside to the space battle, you can observe the security forces don't have EVA gear. Also, if you attempt to trade weapons with any of them, you and the station guard will lose your weapons, and the station guard will walk around aimlessly until killed.
 * Weapons are not retrievable in this glitched area.
 * It is also possible to enter and use the Onager MAC defense turrets in this area through very careful jumping and timing, detailed step-by step in this video.
 * You can cut short the fight in the hangar bay after the second Phantom by quickly making your way to the door controls and killing the Elites and other Covenant forces as fast as possible with a well aimed Sticky Detonator. You should be able to close the door when the second Phantom is actually inside the hangar bay still and as it attempts to leave it will humorously hit the hangar doors causing it to explode. This is difficult to achieve and may require multiple save point reloads, especially on Heroic and Legendary,
 * This is the last level of the game where the player fights the covenant remnant