Come and Take your Medicine is the fifth level in Marathon 2: Durandal. It is the second level of Volunteers, the second chapter of the game. The map is a sprawling, multilevel Pfhor stronghold with a complex, interconnected structure.
The objective of this level is to destroy a couple of circuit panels to the south of the starting room. Strangely, almost all parts of the map are optional; if you take the shortest path straight to the objective as indicated on Durandal's map, you'll be able to skip almost the entire level.
This level features the game's first occurrence of two enemy types previously encountered in Marathon 1: Pfhor Troopers and S'pht Compilers. The fortress is also patrolled by Drones.
A 1x shield recharger can be found in the starting room. There is a single pattern buffer in a room to the west of the starting room.
Walkthrough[]
You will start in a room with a 1x shield recharger; this is the only recharger in the level, so return here when you're low on health. From this room, make your way south, following the route Durandal indicates on the terminal map. In the room just to the south of the starting room, you'll have to destroy some circuitry to open the southeast door. Head further south to find two wall panels at map positions A1 and A2 that can be opened. Destroy the circuit panels behind them. The fastest way out of the level is easy: retrace your steps and read the starting terminal to be teleported to We're Everywhere.
There's much more to this level to explore if you want. Just try not to waste all of your oxygen in the underwater areas, because there's no opportunity to refill your oxygen reserves here.
A pattern buffer can be found at map location B, not far from the path Durandal told you to follow. From circuit panel A1, take the north door. There's a corridor in the northwest corner of the room; follow it north to reach the pattern buffer room.
The west part of the map has some large, open water-filled areas. If you fall in the water, head all the way north to find stairs leading up out of the water. In a room east of these stairs, a S'pht terminal can be found.
The east part of the level has several guard-tower-like structures overlooking wide tracts of land. It's possible to get inside the upper rooms. East of the starting room, you'll find a button that triggers a nearby elevator; ride the elevator up and cross the ledges around the room. Enter the door to the south, then immediately turn east to find a room with an Alien Weapon (map location C). Further to the east you can open a wall to enter some ammo-filled guard rooms overlooking lower parts of the map.
In the central building, you can drop down some elevator shafts to enter a system of water-filled tunnels running below the map. This tunnel system stretches all the way under the southeast and northeast parts of the map; an elevator in the northeast tunnel takes you up to the inside of some guard towers. In the north and southeast, this tunnel system is linked to the large water reservoirs on the west side of the map.
Terminals []
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The first terminal is a message from Durandal, who had recently awakened several captured BOBs from stasis. His ship, the Sfiera, is crowded with colonists, so he has decided to set up a human headquarters near the Citadel of Antiquity on Lh'owon, the S'pht homeworld. He then begins explaining to you that he can barely tolerate humans, but feels some strange loyalty towards them, perhaps because he is able to easily manipulate them. However, he soon grows tired of his ranting, and tells you to disable the defenses operating around the Pfhor fort and to destroy the circuitry inside the control room, as well as giving you a few tips.
If you return to the terminal, Durandal tells you how odd it is fighting the S'pht it is your mission to free. He then tells you to assist the humans capturing the command center.
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The second terminal is a message from F'tha, one of the S'pht. The message makes very little sense, but it seems that F'tha wants you to kill him to "free the unit-whole". It's mentioned that all S'pht will be your ally once you find the S'pht royalty, and that mechanisms are in place to cripple the Pfhor empire once that is achieved.
Sources[]
Marathon 2: Durandal - Level 5: Come and Take your Medicine