This Side Toward Enemy is the nineteenth level in Marathon 2: Durandal and the first level in the chapter Blake.
The leader of the remaining human and alllied S'pht survivors, Robert Blake, has asked you to follow Durandal's last instructions: you need to reactivate a dormant S'pht AI. In order to do this, a number of personality cells have to be activated; the first two cells are found in this level.
This water-filled facility is populated by F'lickta, Pfhor Troopers, and S'pht Compilers.
There is a pattern buffer in a room east of the starting location. In a water-filled tunnel in the room just west of it, a 1x shield recharger can be found. In the northeastern part of the map, near the end of the level, an oxygen replenisher may be found. There's another pattern buffer not far from it, in the first personality cell room.
Walkthrough[]
You start this level low on health and without any weapons. There is a .44 Magnum Mega Class with some ammo for it in the room you start in. Go through the east door; you'll find a room with a staircase. There is a 1x shield recharger in an underwater tunnel north of the staircase.
Go up the staircase, then head east to find the first pattern buffer. Hit one of the switches in this room to raise a platform you'll be using later in the level.
Go back to the starting room, and go through the western underwater door. You'll find an elevator platform behind the central pillar. Ride the elevator up, and jump across to a ledge to the west. Hit the button here to open two doors on either side of the room.
Behind each door lies a corridor with a button at the end of it. You need to hit both buttons, then return east to the long corridor that leads to the pattern buffer room. At the western end of this corridor, you'll find a ledge overlooking the starting room. Make your way upwards clockwise around the room. From the northwest ledge (location A on the map), you need to jump across the pool to the northeast ledge. After the jump, pick up the second Magnum before continuing through the corridor into a water-filled room.
In the middle of the room there's an elevator platform you need to stand on. At the top, jump east onto one of the two small columns. An eastward corridor will be revealed. Behind it, there's yet another elevator in the middle of the room. At the top of the elevator, look in the southeast direction, and jump to the left column to get to another corridor. If you correctly raised the floor in the pattern buffer room at the beginning of the level, you can now proceed through the corridor.
There's an oxygen replenisher just ahead. Go north, and turn left at the terminal to find another pattern buffer and the first AI personality cell room. The switch at the top of the stairs, at the entrance to this room, controls the water level; the switch next to the pattern buffer activates one of the personality cells, and needs to be hit as part of this level's objectives.
If you go to the north end of the room, you'll find a Zeus Class Fusion Pistol, and some enemies will ambush you.
Go back to the terminal, and head north. You'll find the second personality cell room. Just as before, the switch near the entrance controls the water level, and the switch on the opposite wall activates the machinery in this room. If you go to the west end of the room, you'll find some more ammo.
Return to the exit terminal after you have activated both personality cells. You will find a message from Blake who will teleport you on to God Will Sort The Dead...
Terminals []
acropolis.piltdown//004121.25.1 (south)[]
In this terminal, the player is contacted by and introduced to Robert Blake, who explains he's the leader of the S'pht and humans at their base on Lh'owon, nearly a mile below the surface. He tells you that you were a prisoner of the Pfhor for nearly a month before you were rescued. Blake explains that before Durandal was destroyed, his last instructions were "for us to reactivate a dormant S'pht AI, sealed beneath the surface and reachable only through teleportation".
acropolis.piltdown//004121.25.1 (north)[]
Blake says he was convinced by Durandal that the S'pht AI you're reactivating is the only way to the contact the lost S'pht clan, who are Earth's only hope of withstanding a Pfhor invasion. Once you have reactivated the AI personality cells in the area, Blake tells you that his base has been infiltrated by Pfhor androids, disguised as humans and packed with explosives. He needs you to exterminate them.
Sources[]
Marathon 2: Durandal - Level 19: Begging For Mercy Makes Me Angry