Combustion

"Hawthorne's waiting on the cliffs above the salt mines. Help her get the word out: We rally at the Farm."

- In game description

Combustion is the fourth story mission of Destiny 2, taking place after Spark and A New Frontier and before Hope. It is unlocked at the same time as adventures Calling Them Home and Poor Reception after completion of A New Frontier. Completing Combustion will unlock the mission Hope, and the adventure A Frame Job.

With their Light restored, the Guardian and Ghost make their way to the Salt Mines in the EDZ, in order to help Hawthorne re-establish communication between themselves and Commander Zavala. Only, the mines have become infested with Fallen scavengers.

Enemies
Fallen - House of Dusk
 * Kiriks-16

Objectives

 * Rendezvous with Hawthorne
 * Bring Devrim's signal booster up through the mines to Hawthorne.


 * Rendezvous with Hawthorne
 * Ride the elevator to the top of the mines to meet with Hawthorne.


 * Find another way up to Hawthorne
 * Enter the mines to find another elevator that can take you up to Hawthorne


 * Find another way up to Hawthorne
 * Ride the elevator to the top of the mine to meet with Hawthorne


 * Rendezvous with Hawthorne
 * Deliver Devrim's signal booster to Hawthorne.

Gameplay

 * Complete mission "Combustion" in the EDZ
 * Hawthorne's waiting on the cliffs above the salt mines. Help her get the word out: We rally at the Farm.


 * Start Mission.


 * Rendezvous with Hawthorne
 * Bring Devrim's signal booster up through the mines to Hawthorne.


 * The player moves towards the Salt Mines

Hawthorne: Hey, Dev. I'm still sitting up here above the mines with this busted comm relay. Where's that signal booster?

Devrim Kay: Our new Guardian friend is en route. I'm getting too old to clean up after you, Suraya.

Hawthorne: Finally! He admits he's old. Hahaha! Bail me out on one assault charge and you never let me live it down.

Devrim: Aww, don't you mean one a week? You're the reason my hair is grey.

Hawthorne: Yeah, yeah. Keep talking old man.


 * Rendezvous with Hawthorne
 * Ride the elevator to the top of the mines to meet with Hawthorne.


 * The player enters the Salt Mines finding it full of Fallen.


 * Rendezvous with Hawthorne
 * Clear the area of Fallen to safely use the elevator


 * The player enters the area of the elevator and fights the Fallen. The area contains Ghost Scan EDZ-SM-1 which reads:


 * Ghost: "These House banners are rare on the ground these days. Between the Guardians and the Cabal they've buried a lot of the old grudges. All four hands on deck."


 * The player kills the Fallen.

Ghost: That elevator should take us up to the top of the mines.


 * Rendezvous with Hawthorne
 * Ride the elevator to the top of the mines to meet with Hawthorne.


 * Call Elevator


 * The player summons the elevator, which comes crashing to the ground at full speed, its breaks cut. The player heads towards the gate leading deeper into the mines.

Ghost: We'll have to find another way up to Hawthorne


 * Find another way up to Hawthorne
 * Enter the mines to find another elevator that can take you up to Hawthorne


 * Open Gate.

Devrim: Careful. The Fallen are scavengers of the highest order. They're going to put up a fight for whatever they can get their grubby claws on.


 * The player continues through the mines, killing more Fallen and encountering a dead servitor, GS-EDZ-SM-2:
 * Ghost: "I'm not detecting any Ether. The Servitors keep the Fallen going with that stuff. Bet they took it all before they moved on."


 * In the next room on the far side of a gap is a Fallen terminal in House of Kings colours, GS-EDZ-SM-3


 * Version 1


 * Ghost: "They were using this terminal to control the elevator. No wonder it almost crushed us into Guardian and Ghost soup."


 * Version 2


 * Ghost: "This terminal was first powered on in the Cosmodrome during the SIVA crisis. Maybe we shouldn't get too close.


 * The player continues through the mines, encountering a Sniper Rifle, the Dead Zone Rifle, next to a dead body.


 * Pick up Sniper Rifle


 * The player continues into the next area where a large cave opens up before them. Shanks start rising out of the hole and flying around shooting at the player, giving them the opportunity for a skeet shoot in which they can be trained on the usage of Sniper Rifles against fast moving targets, or the more static Vandal snipers also present.


 * The player defeats the Fallen and descends through the cavern as they proceed through the Salt Mine, before finding their progression blocked by a web of Fallen Trip Mines which can either be safely destroyed at a distance, or carefully navigated to pass.

Devrim: Ah! You'll be pleased to know that I can see the Fallen fleeing the mine. Seem's like you've really kicked the hornet's nest, haven't you.


 * The player makes it past the trip mines and enters a vast underground cavern at the center of the mine, with an elevator visible at the far end.


 * Find another way up to Hawthorne
 * Ride the elevator to the top of the mine to meet with Hawthorne

Ghost: We found an elevator.

Hawthrone: You're good. Almost as good as Louis.


 * Call Elevator


 * The player summons the elevator but nothing happens.

Ghost: Elevator's not working. Power must be out.


 * The Fallen enter the scene, with numerous Servitors in tow, introducing these units to the player.

Ghost: And we've upset the Fallen.


 * Battle commences. The Servitors shield nearby Fallen units, making them immune to player damage, requiring the player to prioritise the Servitors destruction over the other enemies. Yellow bar Dregs titled "Resilient Dregs" also guard the several Servitors alongside the regular Fallen unit.


 * After defeating the lesser Servitors, their leader Kiriks-16 appears. The player defeats Kirkis-16

Ghost: That did it. Killing the Servitor brought the power back on.

Hawthorne: Good job! Maybe I'll finally get my booster one of these days.


 * The door of the elevator opens allowing the player to enter. As the elevator's cage door shuts and the lift slowly begins to rise, more Fallen pour into the area eager for revenge against the escaping Guardian.


 * The elevator rises through the cavern, exposing the player to incoming fire from Fallen on the gantries crisscrossing the mining cavern, and shanks flying up to follow and shoot the player until the elevator exists the cavern, passing through the top of the mountain and allowing the player to exit.


 * The player exits the elevator onto a cliff face outside the Salt Mines, overlooking the Red Legion base, and proceeds along the ledge towards Hawthorne.


 * Rendezvous with Hawthorne
 * Deliver Devrim's signal booster to Hawthorne.

Ghost: Hawthorne, we're out of the mine and heading your way.

Hawthorne: Then hurry up with that booster. Let's finish hooking up the comm network. And, uh, thanks for the help. You're not so bad... for a fancy-pants Guardian

Devrim: Now that's the nicest thing I've ever heard Suraya say. You're in a rarefied air, my friend.


 * If the player delays in reaching Hawthorne:

Hawthorne: Hey, I'm right here! I can literally see you! Keep coming.

{Gameplay Ends}

Cutscene

 * The Cabal base in the background, the mountains cut open to make way for the ships making anchor. The Guardian and Ghost enter from the right as the camera follows them to Hawthorne, bent over the comm relay. She looks up as the Guardian approaches, holding the signal booster in their outstretched hand and passes it to her.

Hawthorne: You made it! Looks like Louis owes me money!


 * Hawthorne moves back to the relay and gets ready to place the booster into the relay.

Hawthorne: All right. Let's see if this works.


 * The booster is placed in the relay and Hawthorne starts typing on the attached keyboard to activate the relay.

Hawthorne: Now if I read the manual right...


 * She pauses mid keystroke, confused, and looks across at the Guardian.

Hawthorne: There's an incoming beacon...


 * The Guardian's interest is peaked as the camera changes and moves out a distance to show the trio and the relay, its antenna now rotating in an active scan as Commander Zavala's voice comes over the radio. The camera zooms in on the relay's display screen showing Zavala's face as the message comes in.

Zavala: Guardians...the City is lost... if there is any Light left in the system... we rally on Titan. Be Brave.


 * The message from Zavala repeats, while Hawthorne looks up from the display, frowning. Guardian and Ghost look at each other excitedly as Ghost says

Ghost: Zavala's alive!? If we leave now, we can -


 * Hawthorne slams a button on the keyboard quieting the repeating message. She looks at the Guardian, angry.

Hawthorne: You are not going to Titan!


 * She leaves the relay, closing on the Guardian and gesturing as she makes her points saying:

Hawthorne: We've got refugees coming in, the Red Legion one one side, the Fallen on the other -

Ghost: But we have our powers back. And if we're going to retake the City

Hawthorne: Your City is GONE!


 * Guardian and Ghost alike are stunned by her statement, as Hawthorne turns in disgust, walking back to the relay, where she grabs her rifle and prepares to storm off.

Ghost: Hawthorne. We will be back. And we won't be alone.


 * Hawthorne shakes her head dismissively as, rifle in hand, she walks past the Guardian

Ghost: You'll know where to find me.


 * The camera zooms out as Guardian and Ghost look at each other in dismay, the added depth of vision emphasising the widening gulf between them, still standing by the relay, and Hawthorne as she storms off and out of the scene, while the Red Legion base looms ominously in the background.

{Cutscene Ends}

Cutscene

 * The camera fades in on the Speaker, still strapped to the X shaped device on which he has been tortured by Ghaul

Speaker: It would save us both a lot of time if you would just kill me.


 * Ghaul, impassive, is once more staring out the window at the Traveler.

Ghaul For one who calls himself "Speaker"...


 * Ghaul looks at his victim.

Ghaul: ...you have remarkably little to say.


 * The camera zooms out, showing Ghaul's throne on the left, Ghaul and Speaker in the middle, and outside the window to the right, the Traveler caught inside the Traveler's Cage, now quite progressed in its encasing the Traveler.

Ghaul: We've learned that one of your Guardians has reconnected to the Light. You say you have no power over the Traveler, yet...


 * A close up of Ghauls face as he looks once more at the Speaker.

Ghaul: ...this.


 * Ghaul spits the word out angrily, then closes on the Speaker menacingly.

Ghaul: Help me understand, Speaker.

Speaker: The Light lives in all places... in all things. You can block it... even try to trap it. But the Light will find its way.


 * Close up of the Speaker, his face still obscured behind the Mask, the anger rising in his voice.

Speaker: And the Traveler will protect itself.


 * The camera returns to show Ghaul, gesturing as he speaks, walking across the room, the power of his empire clearly demonstrated by the ships visible out of the window behind him as both Ghaul and the camera move to center our focus once more on the Traveler.

Ghaul: The Traveler... For years, I have studied it... the worlds it has touched... its power over life and death.


 * Ghaul turns back towards the Speaker once more

Ghaul: We are not so different... your Traveler and I.


 * The Speaker, still tied up to his torture rack, retorts, contempt dripping from his every word.

Speaker: You are nothing like the Traveler. NOTHING. You think you have power. Control. I know your kind. You started small... you will end small.


 * Angered, Ghaul reaches out and starts choking the Speaker, looking him in the eye as he speaks.

Ghaul: If the Traveler truly has chosen humanity of its own free will... then there is now reason I should not reach inside... tear out the Light for myself, and leave this system in ashes!


 * Ghaul tightens his grip on the Speaker's throat before tossing his head back and releasing him.


 * Undaunted by his torture and strangulation, the Speaker continues

Speaker: Only those the Traveler chooses will be reborn in the Light.


 * Ghaul nods his head and walks away.

Ghaul: Yes. This I know. This is why I have claimed your planet, and why you still live.


 * Done pacing, Ghaul returns to menace the Speaker once more.

Ghaul: The Traveler WILL choose me, Speaker. And you are going to tell me how.

{End Custscene}

{Mission: Combustion, Ends}