Strike Idea: Spare Batteries Commander Zavala has intel that The Cabal have been testing new shielding technology. The Speaker would like to apply this technology to the The Last City’s defenses. Loading Screen Text: Zavala: [quote]Guardian. My sources tell me The Cabal have been working on some sort of shielding technology that’s powered by what we're calling “The Battery.” Normally we’d wait and keep gathering intel, but The Speaker has asked us to retrieve the battery in hopes shielding The City. I realize this… isn’t the most ethical thing we’ve ever done. But as a Titan myself, I can agree that our City could always use more defenses.[/quote] Player spawns at Trenchworks, facing the route to Valley of the Kings. It is currently dusk. Zavala: [quote]This mission is of utmost secrecy. If the Cabal know we are the ones taking their Battery, Siege Dancers will come to Earth themselves and take it back. We cannot afford an all-out war against the Cabal right now, let alone on Earth.[/quote] Player starts towards Valley of the Kings Zavala (continuing): [quote]Avoid the fight, Guardian, stick to the shadows.[/quote] Player arrives at Valley of the Kings, waypoint pointed at Cabal mobile base (Where the Cerberus Vae III Strike ends). Ghost: [quote]Actually, bring me around back.[/quote] Player drives outside to far side of base, where Player is prompted to “Summon Ghost.” Ghost interfaces with electrical box. Ghost: [quote]They may be working on shielding technology, but I bet I can still mess with some electrical equipment![/quote] Base power audibly turns off. Ghost: [quote]There! That oughtta help.[/quote] Base emergency power turns on. Base lighting pulsates between darkness (say, 15% brightness) and a hearty red glow. Ghost: [quote]I mean, kinda.[/quote] Player drives/walks up entrance ramp to base and turns left. Ghost: [quote]Here’s the deal: the emergency power limits which doors open and which doors don’t, so we’ll be strapped for time. I’ll begin rerouting energy to doors as soon as you near them. I’ll just need a few seconds to interface with the system.[/quote] The doors to the right, leading to Cerberus Vae III are closed, but the boxes straight ahead [spoiler] I think there’s a dead ghost hidden here?[/spoiler] are cleared away. NavPoint points here. Ghost (as player nears waypoint): [quote]I’m on it![/quote] Player now must hold area for ~5 seconds, similar to capturing a point in Control. There is no command to Summon Ghost. Now completely away from the outside light, the only sources of light are the pulsating red glow and, if desired, your Ghost. New objective: Find your way to the Battery Player must navigate a dark maze. In order to open a door, Player must hold the Control point in front of it for 3-5 seconds. There are occasionally dead ends and un-openable doors, as well as randomized-location materials chests, but no Cabal. At the end of the maze, there is a long hallway that is somewhat wide. There are multiple clusters of some cabal standing around growling, grunting, discussing. Ghost:[quote] Translating… They’re confused. They know neither the source of their power failure, nor why their battery isn’t helping them. So it [i]is[/i] here![/quote] Zavala: [quote]Remember what I told you, Guardian. Avoid the fight. Wait for the light to go out and sneak by them.[/quote] The Player may now choose to either sneak around the Cabal, avoiding fights, or can choose to open fire on them. If using quiet methods (such as Sidearm or melee), the Player can eliminate clusters without alerting other clusters of Cabal. IF any Cabal are alerted and begin firing: Ghost: [quote]Nooo no no No NO! We’ve been seen![/quote] Zavala: [quote]Damn it. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this. Guardian… eliminate all Cabal in this room. No witnesses. We cannot jeopardize their knowing we're here.[/quote] Player must eliminate all Cabal in the area, as well as a few reinforcements. More reinforcements coming if your Ghost says the following: Ghost: [quote]That one’s going to set off an alarm![/quote] Waypoint will point out which “one” it is. If tripped, player must deactivate alarm using Control capture again. Cabal will appear continuously in stronger and stronger numbers and ranks until alarm is shut off. [spoiler]If fireteam is full and of decent skill, this could be a decent glimmer farm if numerous yellows continuously appear.[/spoiler] Fight or no, once at the other end of the hall, your Ghost will hack a door open. Stairs will lead the Player up to some dimly lit catwalks over a large open maze below, similar in structure to the dark maze earlier. The catwalks are low in height, and the player must navigate the entire thing crouched. There are random Cabal strewn about in the maze below- each capable of fighting or running to another alarm- but they are only visible by the pulsating red light. If the player falls, walls can be jumped over on the way back to the stairs up, but the top of the walls cannot be jumped off of to get back onto the catwalks. The Player must instead navigate their way back to the beginning by the stairs and try the catwalks again. Navigating to the end of the catwalk maze, the Player proceeds through a vent and becomes able to stand again. A NavPoint leads the player to a door that your Ghost hacks open. This door leads back into the maze below the catwalks. Ghost: [quote]Oop, wrong way.[/quote] Turning around, a Terminal appears next to another door. Ghost: [quote]Hold up! Maybe there’s some research notes I can extract from here, help us out when we retrieve the Battery.[/quote] The Player summons the Ghost to interface with the Terminal. Ghost:[quote] Oh… oh my.. This… Battery. It [i]does[/i] technically power a shield, but it’s not for deflecting bullets or missiles- It’s a repellent, against Taken. Their notes aren’t exactly clear how it works, but something about is dissuades Taken from being around it for extended periods of time.[/quote] Ghost (continuing, shocked):[quote] If we take this… the Cabal will be open to Taken attack… again.[/quote] The door opens and the Player moves into a long, slimmer dark hallway. At the end of the hallway is a luminescent orb, being investigated by three Psions. Ghost: [quote]Gasp! That must be the Battery![/quote] The three Psion immediately notice. Ghost: [quote]Oop. Thaaat’sss on me. Sorry.[/quote] The music picks up. The Boss Titles and health bars appear on the three Psions: Question Seeker, Answer Seeker, and Truth Seeker. Each takes position behind a different set of boxes separating the Player and the Battery. If the Player rushes the Battery with two or more Psions remaining, they will use a wave attack, similar to other Psions. Instead of damage, though, the wave will knock the Player back, doing damage on impact with the back wall. Outside of this attack, these Seeker Psions have the same attacks as normal Psions. During the ensuing battle, the following conversation takes place: Zavala: [quote]This Battery is giving off a familiar sensation…[/quote] Ghost: [quote]It… feels like Light. Similar to the Traveler’s![/quote] Speaker: [quote]That’s because it [u]is[/u] Light, little one.[/quote] Ghost: [quote]The Speaker! You knew?[/quote] Speaker: [quote]We had our hunches. What’s more important right now is that you bring it back to us.[/quote] Ghost: [quote]This isn’t right.[/quote] Speaker: [quote]You must![/quote] Ghost: [quote]They could die![/quote] Zavala:[quote] Sir, I…[/quote] Speaker (cutting him off): [quote]WE could die! THE CITY could die, we are vulnerable, Light![/quote] Zavala (interjecting): [quote]Just! …bring back the Battery, Guardian.[/quote] The Player picks up the Battery, and the music changes tone in addition to Cabal sirens going off. The camera changes to third person and the Player moves similar to controlling the ball in Rift, except the Player cannot throw the Battery. They may only run with it. The button normally used for “Throw Ball” now simply drops the Battery. Ghost: [quote]Let’s go- we need to go![/quote] New Objective: Find the Exit Zavala: [quote]Remember, this is a secret mission! You cannot be seen with the Battery.[/quote] With the Battery in hand, the Player again navigates the maze under the catwalks, jumping is again allowed, but may allow the player to be spotted. The emergency lights are still providing the only visibility, outside of the Battery’s glow. If the Player is spotted by any Cabal, the Cabal will get a waypoint over their heads. The Player must eliminate them to continue, and may do so by either melee with the Battery in hand, or, the player may drop the Battery and regain their own weapons. Ghost: [quote]So much unnecessary death... surely we enough light of our own that we could've spared this?[/quote] The Player treks back throughout the entire level, and back through the first dark maze. There are Cabal this time. The player reaches the front door and is instructed to Summon their Sparrow and Turbo off into the night (in the direction of Trenchworks) The Mission Complete HUD displays while the Player is still driving. Zavala: [quote]I’m sorry Guardian. We weren’t sure- but you must believe me that this is for the best. The Light will be out of the hands of the Darkness, back again near the Traveler. I know that we and the Cabal may share the common enemy of the Taken, but that does not make them our friend. Fulfilling this mission was a tough decision, but it’s one we must make. It is our duty, as Guardians of the Light.[/quote] Aaaand that's it! All three of my ideas have been penned. Thanks for reading, and thanks more for the kind words. See you starside. Keep it clean, -a Kitty XD Jumps to my other strikedeas: [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/199184577?sort=0&page=0]A Territorial Power Struggle[/url] [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/199293550?sort=0&page=0]The Inorganic Parasite[/url]