Saladin: The Iron Lords believed we could contain SIVA by destroying the chamber where it was produced. These Fallen must have restarted the process. We need to get back in to the chamber and cut off the flow of SIVA at the source.
Shiro: I think we need to focus on what we know. The Fallen have occupied a military bunker in the Plaguelands. We won't get any reinforcements until the Fallen's artillery is taken out.
Saladin: The Fallen are a symptom. SIVA is the disease.
The Plaguelands, Old Russia
Shiro: All right. Vanguard reinforcements are standing by, but until those guns are down they can't leave the hangar. I need you to shut them down.
Guardian, there's a dead Vandal near you. Can you get me a scan?
Ghost: Understood
Ghost scans Vandal
Ghost: He's Fallen, basically, but armour is enhanced, weapons have been modified, cybernetic enhancements.
Shiro: Most Fallen Houses have a sect dedicated to this sort of thing. They're called Splicers. They're like body hackers, bioengineers.
Saladin: It is worse than I feared. The Splicers are not only using SIVA to transform this place, they are using its technology to transform themselves.
Guardian proceeds through Rocket Yard
Ghost: The Fallen have done some… remodelling.
Shiro: They're taking the metal for something big. Hope they're not using it to toughen up those gun emplacements.
Foundry 113, Old Russia, Earth
Shiro: I've never seen the Fallen do anything on this scale before. I'm calling for more reinforcements.
Saladin: You said yourself reinforcements will be useless until the guns are down. Besides, they will not be prepared for what they'll find.
Ghost: I thought SIVA was technology, but this... It's like something alive. Growing. Out of control.
Saladin: These Devil Splicers are using SIVA, but they cannot control it. They are like children with a new toy.
Ghost: I don't know of any toys that eat Russian industrial complexes.
Lord's Watch, Old Russia, Earth
Shiro: Those guns were destroyed during the Collapse! How did the Fallen—
Saladin: It's not the Fallen.
Shiro: Maybe it's not, but the Fallen are the ones pulling the triggers out here. The Vanguard wants them taken down? We take them down.
Ghost: Ok, just to be clear: I don't like creepy tech that spreads like a virus. It gives people the wrong idea about artificial lifeforms.
Bunker Triglav, Old Russia, Earth
Ghost: Detecting a high concentration of SIVA shielding the gun emplacements.
Saladin: Even SIVA-enhanced shields would require and energy source. But be careful... There's something familiar about all this.
Ghost: Right! Destroy the familiar generators, then take down Shiro's zombie guns.
Guardian destroys first SIVA node
Ghost: Shield power levels are dropping.
Guardian destroys second SIVA node
Ghost: That's it! Shield is collapsing. You should be clear
Shiro: Guns are upstairs. Take'em out!
If I didn't know better I'd say the Splicers were creating a beachhead. Something of this scale could be used against the City.
Splicer Battery, Old Russia, Earth
Ghost: So, those destroyed guns? SIVA undestroyed them.
Shiro: Undestroyed?
Saladin: Look for a central SIVA node inside those emplacements! Destroy that, and it will break the Fallen's hold on the gun!
Guardian destroys first SIVA node
Ghost: Get ready! Fallen are sending in reinforcements.
Guardian destroys second SIVA node
Shiro: Keep it going! Air support is standing by, but they can't do much while those guns are still up.
Guardian destroys third SIVA node
Shiro: Great job! Hawks are inbound! Just hold the area until they get there!
Ghost: Uh, Shiro, I'm pretty sure that air support isn't going to get here in time.
Fallen drop Perfected Walker and reinforcements
Guardian counter attacks huge Fallen reinforcements
Shiro: Saladin?!
Saladin: It's directing the corruption to resurrect the guns!
Guardian attacks Perfected Walker
Ghost: It's working!
Guardian destroys Perfected Walker
Saladin: Centuries passed and I have learned nothing. Shiro, can your forces secure that area?
Shiro: We'll do our best.
Saladin: Try. I need the Guardian to return to the Temple. If we are to avoid the mistakes which led us here, we and I must speak about the fall of the Iron Lords.
The Iron Temple, Old Russia, Earth
Saladin: This may not make sense to you, but it took your fight to remind me that immortality is not the same as invincibility.
Ghost: I don't understand...
Saladin presents a projection
Saladin: When the Ghosts first found us, those who where chosen were blessed with power, but not wisdom.
The Iron Lords came together in search of a solution to mankind's struggles. Instead, we found SIVA.
We dreamt of using SIVA to build starships, colonies. We would become what the Traveler always believed we could be.
Ghost: But something happened.
Saladin: SIVA had been lost to time. When Timur tracked it to the Cosmodrome, we thought our quest was finally over. SIVA would be ours for the taking.
Rasputin responded.
More than a hundred Iron Lords entered the Plaguelands. [In the end] only nine reached the replication chamber. But since we were chosen by the Traveller and our cause was just, we were certain the day would be ours. Until SIVA took control.
It infected our weapons. Our armour. The corruption puppeted us against one another.
In the end, Jolder sealed the chamber with the Iron Lords inside, rather than let SIVA escape. A battle was won. Heroes died. And our mistakes stayed here.
Ghost: But Rasputin survived.
Saladin: This is not Rasputin. But neither is it something I know how to fight. They are using SIVA in ways we never even imagined.
Ghost: How would the Fallen have learned more about SIVA than the Iron Lords? Or, better yet, where did they learn?
Saladin: They haven't mastered SIVA yet. This is all still new to them...
See Tyra. She's studied SIVA's origins. If there's a way to track the Fallen's discoveries, she will know where to look.