Retribution Lost/Transcript

2nd Mech Ride
Cutscene

[An image showing Paris in ruins and transformed by the Chimera is shown]


 * Rachel Parker: [voiceover] Paris had been transformed beyond recognition. From his vantage point inside the Chimeran machine, Grayson could see only a maze of structures, a confusing web of iron and glass. [an image of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the foreground of the Chimera tower, appears] The Eiffel Tower, once the crown jewel of the Parisian skyline, was now a mere pillar of what would become a vast Chimeran city. A city unlike anything ever seen by mankind- and unless Grayson succeeded- one no man would ever live to see. [[an image of Grayon's Mech approaching the Chrysalis Lair is shown]'' While he knew that Bouchard must already be somewhere inside, he was driven by something he could not explain-to find her.

''[Fade to black. While the level loads, the following text is shown:]''

''Chrysalis Tower, Paris, France. 6 September 1951. The Parisian skyline's been re-drawn--scratched out by a fat Chimeran pencil. From the cockpit of this Hammer, I can see Cartwright's assault on the main tower. Hopelessly outmatched, Cartwright's doing his best to buy me time to reach the Chrysalis Lair. The route into Paris was lined with so much death that Raine couldn't have survived-she's infected, not invulnerable. Gorillas die just like everyone else, only some require a lot more ammo before they go down, but eventually, they all go down.- James Grayson, Mercenary''

Gameplay

River Approach
Cutscene

[A map of Paris is shown, with the positions of the Tower and Chrysalis Lair marked]


 * Rachel Parker: [voiceover] Maquis forces and Cartwright's British commandos were successful in pushing through the Chimera's outer defences. Now they were in a desperate battle for the main Chimera tower. Cartwright's assault had accomplished its objective by diverting Chimeran forces away to the south, reducing the number Grayson had to face as he fought his way through the outer structures of the Chrysalis Lair. Even with Chimera forces diverted southwards by Cartwright's assault, it would be impossible to reach the tower by land. But Grayson had driven the Chimera machine as far as he could, up to the brink of the frozen Seine. To reach the Lair itself, Grayson would have to get past its outer fortifications. The only way to get past the outer walls was to go under them.

''The map fades. The cutscene becomes live; James Grayson disembarks from the machine and jumps down from the riverbank to the ice. A caption reads "Seine River, Paris, France. 6 September 1951". Grayson looks around him solemnly for a moment, then takes off his jacket and casts it aside. He looks at it regretfully, then begins to move away''.


 * Rachel Parker: [voiceover] Later, Grayson could not say why he left his brother's jacket behind. It seemed almost symbolic, a ritual not unlike that of the Cloven, as if Grayson wanted to leave behind the part of his past that had destroyed him, that being submerged beneath the frozen Seine might become a ritual cleansing. Regardless, there can be no doubt that the James Grayson who entered the Seine was not the same man we had sentenced to death only weeks before.

''Grayson walks away from the discarded jacket and heads towards the Chrysalis Lair. Fade to black''.

[While the level loads, the following text is shown:]

''Chrysalis Tower, Paris, France. 6 September 1951.''

''Killing Chimera is no longer fun for me. It's merely one item in a very long list of things that need killing or destroying. The pleasure I used to take was excused by vengeance. I ignored the fact that Chimera are former human beings- relatives of people whose future now rests in my hands. And when one of the Chimera I may have to kill is Raine Bouchard...that's going to hurt me more than it does her.-James Grayson, Mercenary''.

Cutscene

''Grayson has entered the Chrysalis Lair. He is now in a large entrance hall, surrounded with many inactive platforms and switches. As he explores the room, he finds a pile of tattered clothes and military dogtags; Raine's possessions.''


 * James Grayson: Parker, tell the Maquis they can stop trying to contact Bouchard. I've found her.


 * Rachel Parker [Radio]: Grayson, are you there? Come in, Grayson!


 * James Grayson: Or should I say, I've found what's left of her. [ Grayson dives for cover as something behind him unleashes Auger fire on him] What the-!? [He looks up to see Mallery stood on a platform above him, armed with an Auger and his eyes gold in colour; he's been infected] Mallery, I didn't kill her!


 * Roland Mallery: [voice distored by the Chimeran virus] You gave her hope the conversion centers could be explored, research conducted. You drove her to this, Tommy. You are responsible!


 * James Grayson: Mallery, she used you from the beginning. You're infected. You're becoming one of them. She lied to you, Roland, just like she lied to me.


 * Roland Mallery: No, Tommy! I chose this, to be more than human. Go ahead, shoot me. You can't hurt me now.


 * James Grayson: [coldly] We'll see about that.

Gameplay

''Grayson runs from switch to switch, dodging gunfire from Mallery and Chimera troops that arrive to support him, turning on the switchs to lower the platforms, allowing Grayson to reach Mallery. Periodically, he shoots Mallery to delay him, nothing more''


 * Roland Mallery: When will you learn, Tommy!? You can't hurt me with bullets.


 * James Grayson: You're not one of them yet, Mallery.


 * Roland Mallery: I'm faster than you. Stronger. You can't stop me.


 * James Grayson: Do you know how many Chimera I've killed, Molly? Just today!?


 * Roland Mallery: I'm different, Tommy. Smarter. Soon you will see.


 * James Grayson: Smarter, eh? Would have been tough to make you any dumber!

''When the walkway is complete, Grayson unloads his weapons into Mallery, dazing him. Before Mallery can recover, Grayson races up the walkway, reaches and seizes Mallery, snaps his neck and hurls his body to the ground''


 * James Grayson: Fuck you, Mallery!

Cutscene

Grayson stands over Mallery's corpse.


 * James Grayson: [hatefully] I've killed hundreds of Chimera, Molly. Thousands, including my own brother. But I never enjoyed it...until now. [Grayson spits on Malley's body, kicks it off the edge of the platform, jumps down himself and heads for the entrance to the Mother Chamber]


 * Steven Cartwright [Radio]: We're out of time! Get back, get back!


 * James Grayson: Cartwright, I've achieved the objective. Say again, I'm at ground zero. Get your men out of there.


 * Steven Cartwright [Radio]: Roger that. Pull back, pull back. Get those men out of there.


 * James Grayson: Cartwright, good job. I'd have never made it this far if these gorillas hadn't been distracted.


 * Steven Cartwright [Radio]: Good luck, Grayson. We'll see you on the other side.


 * James Grayson: Somehow I doubt it. So far nothing that's gone in has ever come out.


 * Steven Cartwright [Radio]: Cartwright out. Go, go! Move out!

Grayson enters the Chamber

Birthing Chamber
Cutscene


 * Rachel Parker [voiceover]: Little is known about the new Chimera conversion process outside of Doctor Claude Bouchard's research. [an image of a Hag is shown] We knew that until recently, no female Chimera had ever been seen. Human females, it seemed, had been stored in the catacombs DNA facility, for use in later phases of the Chimera invasion [an image of human females stored in conversion centers is shown]. Bouchard wrote that inside the Chrysalis Lair was a structure she called "le coeur de la Mère": the Mother Chamber. It was here that the Chimera DNA was implanted into human subjects, before they were taken to facilities like the one in Bonn. To deploy the serum and infect the Carriers, Grayson would have to enter this heart, the womb where Chimera Hags were conceived in the bodies of human females. [an image of Mallery is shown] Colonel Roland Mallery disappeared in Paris and has to this day never been seen again. Later, Maquis command questioned Grayson, but Grayson had nothing to say and the case was never remanded to military authority. [an image of the Chrysalis Lair is shwon] Once I had also asked Grayson what transpired inside the Chrysalis Lair, but all he would ever say was that "everything changed".

[Fade to black]

[While the level loads, the following text is shown:]

''Chrysalis Tower, Paris, France. 6 September 1951.''

''Mallery and I both saw that coming from the moment we met, only his version had a different ending. Back before all the power had gone to his head, Mallery was a bona fide war hero, whose leadership kept thousands of refugees alive in Chimera-occupied Europe. Having killed him actually makes me sick''.

Neither Mallery nor I ever envisioned Raine's fate; a crushing death so violent all that remained was a soup of skin, blood and marrow.- James Grayson, Mercenary.

''

Script
Cutscene ''Having destroyed the Birthing Chamber, Grayson is unconcious at the top of the Chrysalis Lair. Snow falls on the exposed summit as Grayson starts to stir.


 * Raine Bouchard: James. Wake up, James.


 * James Grayson: Bouchard? Raine? What's happened to you?

Grayson gets up, to see a large Hag-like Chimera standing over him, talking in a vile parody of Raine's voice


 * The Chrysalis: I am the Chrysalis. I knew you would come. [the Chrysalis circles Grayson]


 * James Grayson: [horrified] No! No! What have they done!?


 * The Chrysalis: [in Raine's voice] You promised to help me, James.

''The Chrysalis screams and blasts Grayson with telekinetic energy. He falls to his knees, clutching his head and howling in pain''.


 * James Grayson: AAAARRRGGGH! Get out of my head!


 * The Chrysalis: You think you can resist, but you are mistaken! Join us.


 * James Grayson: The way my brother joined you!? [Grayson shrugs off the attack and holds up the empty serum vial] It's too late, Raine. The serum's already spreading, like a virus. [the Chrysalis blasts him again, but Grayson ignores it] The entire system's collapsing. [the Chrysalis continues blasting Grayson but he keeps talking] Aah! How many Carriers have already left infected, Raine!? Eh!? How long before this is all gone!?

''The Chrysalis screams in fury. Cut to black. The scene returns with the following text;''.

''Chrysalis Tower, Paris, France. 6 September 1951 This flying demon looks like some kind of evolved Hag, but she claims to be the Chrysalis and Bouchard. That can't be. I found Raine's body- or what was left of it at the base of the tower. I'm not afraid to die now that I've infected the Carriers. Soon, all the Chimera across Europe will be dead. What makes the Chrysalis so pathetic is she's already dead too. She just doesn't know it yet. I'll try to hammer that point home- James Grayson, Mercenary''.

Gameplay

''Grayson runs around the edge of the Birthing Chamber until he comes to a control panel next to a laser aimed at the Chrysalis, which he activates; the laser fires, blasting through the Chrysalis's shield. The Chrysalis screams in pain as her shield fades, while Grayson responds by firing his weapons at her. After a few moments, the shield reappears and Grayson runs for it. The Chrysalis retaliates by attacking with a sonic scream. Grayson groans in pain.''


 * The Chrysalis: [in Raine's voice, coyly] What's wrong, James? Headache? [Grayson groans in pain] Your eyes, James...is there something you need to tell me?


 * James Grayson: I have to kill you, Raine. You know that.

''The Chrysalis retreats and a group of Drones attack. Grayson engages the drones and shoots them down one by one. As the last drone is destroyed, the Chrysalis returns. Grayson does what he did before; he runs around the Birthing Chamber, using the lasers to destroy the Chrysalis's shield and then shooting her once it is gone, as well as fighting off squads of Drones that appear periodically to support her.''


 * The Chrysalis: We're the same, James. No one else needs to know.


 * James Grayson: I should have killed you when I had the chance!


 * The Chrysalis: I see you staring! Don't be shy; I am beautiful now!


 * James Grayson: You weren't so shabby before.

''When enough damage has been done to the Chrysalis, she screams for help. This time, instead of drones, it is a pair of Titans that reinforce her. Grayson battles with the Titans as the Chrysalis retreats and eventually destroys them. The Chrysalis returns to the fight as the Titans are killed''.


 * The Chrysalis: It's pointless to resist. You're already infected.


 * James Grayson: If Mallery were still alive, this would blow his mind! Why did you let this happen, Raine!?

The battle continues until grayson does enough damage; severly injured, the Chrysalis collapses to the floor of the chamber.

Cutscene

James Grayson advances on the badly injured Chrysalis, a handgun held ready


 * James Grayson: I should have killed you when I had the chance!


 * The Chrysalis: You can't kill us. You are simply raw materials, resources. There are worlds of us, infinite in number. We will not stop.


 * James Grayson: You're wrong, Raine, or whatever the hell you are. The serum is working. Your father's virus is spreading; soon, every Carrier in the world will be dead.


 * The Chrysalis: Yes...we know. [the Chrysalis's voice fades. When it returns, it speaks with Raine's voice] James, we're not dead. The serum spread, set off triggers...they're so advanced. [coughes chokingly]


 * James Grayson: Raine? What are you saying?


 * Raine Bouchard: Carriers gone...just triggered new types. Spinners, James. No matter what we do, they'll just keep evolving. [Raine's voice fades in a fit of coughing and choking]


 * James Grayson: [concerned] Raine? Raine? Raine? RAINE!

''[Raine's eyes open; they are pure gold. She snarls at him, baring serrated, Chimeran teeth. The Chrysalis has consumed Raine. Grayson steps back and aims his gun]''


 * James Grayson: [solemn] Goodbye, Raine.

''[Cut to black. A single gunshot is heard]''

''[The scene returns. Grayson is shown staring at the ruins of the Paris tower]''


 * Rachel Parker [voiceover]: Cartwright's task force was successful. Just as in London, when the Paris tower fell, Chimera forces everywhere in Western Europe became confused, disorganised and began to die. Grayson was also successful; at least, it seemed so at first.

''[Cut to black. When the scene returns, an image of dead Carriers and Boilers is shown]''


 * Rachel Parker [voiceover]: Dr Bouchard's serum worked as designed. Carriers spread the contaminated fluid from the Mother Chamber to facilities all over France and Germany. The new conversion process ground to a halt. But while Western Europe had earned a short reprieve, reports continued to come in from Russia, the Balkans and Spain. Chimera forces were on the move. Vast fleets of Chimera Dropships were being constructed--their targets and destinations unknown. [An image of the Chimeran Fleet taking off is shown] Grayson never talked about what happened inside the Chrysalis Lair. To anyone. But it was obvious to everyone that Grayson was changed in ways we would never understand.

''[Maquis Memorial, Reims, France. 9 September 1951. Grayson stands in front of the memorial, musing, while Parker stands behind him]''


 * Rachel Parker: Did you ever find any sign of her? Bouchard, I mean?


 * James Grayson: Yeah, I found her. [Pause. Grayson stares at Raine's dogtags in his hand] She was already dead. [Grayson places Bouchard's dogtags on the memorial and turns to walk away, but Parker puts her hand on his shoulder to stop him]


 * Rachel Parker: I don't know what happened in there, James. But don't let her death destroy you the way you let your brother's. It's time to bury our dead.


 * James Grayson: I don't need a lecture, Parker! I'll be fine.


 * Rachel Parker: Wait. I've got something for you. British Command has cleared your record. We're offering you a field commision. How does Major Grayson sound?


 * James Grayson: [scoffs] And sit on my arse like Cartwright? [Major Steven Cartwright walks up] Hey, speak of the devil.


 * Stephen Cartwright: Grayson. I've been looking for you. I think this is yours. [holds out Grayson's discarded jacket] Some of the boys found it during mop up. I thought you'd want it. [Grayson takes the jacket and looks uneasily at it, sighes and moves towards the memorial]


 * James Grayson: It belongs here. As someone said, "It's time to bury our dead".


 * Rachel Parker: Keep it, James. Your brother would want you to.


 * James Grayson: Maybe he would've at that. [Grayson turns and salutes Parker and Cartwright, who return the gesture] Goodbye, Colonel, Major.


 * Rachel Parker: Goodbye, James.

[Grayson begins to walk away, but then turns back, having thought of something]


 * James Grayson: Hey, I hear the Maquis have a replacement opening for a colonel. Maybe I'll apply. [Grinning, James Grayson walks off into the distance]


 * Rachel Parker [solemn]: Goodbye, James.


 * Steven Cartwright: Shall we? There's still a war going on, last I checked. [Parker and Cartwright depart. Cut to black]


 * Rachel Parker [voiceover]: We never saw Grayson again. He did join the Maquis, volunteering to lead a dangerous mission into the heart of Russia. To find the source of the Chimera invasion. During the Battle of Warsaw, 12th of June 1953, the Maquis listed Grayson as Missing in Action. But I had to wonder. Among the Russian refugees, there were rumours of a British soldier seen roaming the streets of Minsk, Kiev and Moscow: a man they called the Cloven Killer. Perhaps Grayson did die in Warsaw, but I like to think that somewhere out there, James Grayson had found another cause worth living for.

''[James Grayson is shown standing before St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. He turns around, revealing his eyes to be gold in colour; a sign he is infected with the Chimera virus]''