Prelude to Harkov's Defection - Complete Walkthrough
By ShadowCell
Steps
1-10 | 11-22
If you've been directly following this walkthrough you probably don't have much ammo left, so if that's the case, here's what you do: all the openings in the sides of these hallways don't lead to anywhere important to your mission. If you want, you can take a look. I highly reccomend it just to admire Hoerby's superb work on this level, and there's even a concussion rifle awaiting in one room as a reward for your curiosity. If you don't want to admire, sprint down the hallway to the elevator and hop in. There are plenty of branch-offs containing easily-downed enemies, and bear in mind that when you reach the Imperial base, everyone will be attacking you until you reach Harkov's sector, so you should collect whatever firepower you can now. Also, be aware that some of the Gamorrean guards lining the hallways will attack you. If you have a porcine pursuer hot on your heels, switch to the repeater and blast him. I've found that while it takes several rounds, the repeater works wonderfully in keeping him away from you.
You get to sprint again, this time through a similar hallway to the Imperial complex. Among the alcoves and branch-offs is the killer Absalom Straylight. Go ahead and fight him. Show some Jedi trust in the Force. If you would rather let the Dark Side dominate your destiny, sprint down the hallways onto the walkway. Get out a thermal detonator, or that I.M. mine you got back at 2. Plant it next to that seam in the wall near the force field and stand back. Just like in 11, there are lots of branch-offs containing easily-killed enemies whoes ammo you can collect. Also, beware of Gamorreans in this tunnel as well. If you want to fight Absalom Straylight, whip out your concussion rifle, draw him into the hallway, and back up. He can only attack you at close range, so keep backing up and blasting him with the concussion rifle until he's dead. He has Phase 1 Dark Trooper logic, so only explosive weapons like the concussion rifle will do him in. Also among the alcoves is the entrance to a sizable hotel. In one of the stalls in the bathroom, there's a grate that conceals a revive.
BOOM! Instead of taking some long, complicated maze of air ducts or secret passageways into the Imperial base, you just blow up the force field and walk right in, after blasting some pesky Imperial resistance. Inside the left-hand door is a control room, where the force field is supposed to be raised and lowered by the conventional switch, with another door that leads to a small armory containing lots of supplies and a remote. If you need supplies, head in there. If you don't, head down the hall for the door. However, there are lots of irate Imperials in the base ahead of you, so be very careful and make sure you're well-equipped before proceding any further. The wise would have explored all the alcoves to collect ammo, preferably for their favorite gun with which to deal with Imperial scum. Feel free to return to this supply room if you need to.
You're in. Now to start the real fun. Head to the left first inside this circular nexus. There are four doors here, and you have a few jobs to do. Enter through the first door on the left and clear the hallways of Imperial presence. Then go through either of the doors at the ends of these halls. Enter the cargo area. Among the crates are an extra life and a revive, plus a WAX of Max the Rabbit from Sam & Max hopping up and down with his trademark psychotic grin on his face. If only you could let him loose on the Imperials. His love of random, wanton violence would prove to be awfully helpful in clearing out the base. But all he'll do is hop up and down, so clear out the Imperials, get the goodies, and head up the lift. Clear out the second cargo room and exit through either of the two doors.
This is the hangar for the base's TIE Fighters. It's guarded by a commando wielding a concussion rifle, a handful of Stormtroopers, and a pair of probe droids. Clear out the Imperials and head for the right-hand hall, which leads to an eleveator. Throw the switch and then remove the grate and hop into the air duct above the switch on the wall to enter the ventilation system where you can get an extra life. One of the grates leads to a TIE Fighter loading platform, where you ice an Imperial pilot if you want. Return to the elevator by hopping down onto the TIE loading platform and then back into the hangar, and returning to the elevator.
The short hallway on the left when you exit the elevator leads to a loading gantry with a docked TIE Interceptor and space tug. Head across the gantry to the opposite side to ice the Imperial defenders in a control room and get the Yellow Key. Now you can get into Harkov's area! If you want, you can investigate the other door in the hallway and eliminate its Imperial occupants, but your objective is to return to the hangar. A transport has landed and has deposited more troops. Blow away the reinforcements and return to the door at 14 where you first entered this whole hangar complex.
Heading left again, enter the next door on your left. This will lead you to a twin-branching hallway. Empty it of Imperials and take either lift down to the shuttle pad. Clear it of Imperial troops. If you're lucky, the two concussion commandos will accidently take out three or four Stormtroopers with their concussion shots. Why are you doing this? The reason will be clear soon. Return to the door where you entered the shuttle pad area.
Enter the next door on the left. This is the path to Harkov's area! Kill the resistance and take a moment to observe the area. Hmm. Pictures of gas masks. Skulls and crossbones. This can't be good. Open the big door with both switches. Collect the batteries in the left-hand anteroom if you need them, and then head through the airlock.
Wave hello to Harkov's troops. They won't do anything. Amazing! And you thought only LAREDLITE could get you this! Revel in the glory of being ignored by Stormtroopers without cheating for a few moments, then head to the end of the hall and go through the door at left.
If you didn't get the gas mask back at 7, you must sprint as fast as you possibly can to the lift at the end of these three poison-filled chambers. Don't waste time admiring those Day of the Tentacle WAXs or pretty toxic cesspools. Just get to that lift. If you do have the gas mask, you have nothing to worry about.
Captain Convegade, Harkov's data tapes, and three gas masks and a handful of batteries are your reward for getting through the toxic area. Collect the batteries, masks, and data tapes, and return to 17, making sure to don your gask mask again when you go back through the toxic area.
The Imperial Shuttle is away! So you don't have to search for a roof for pickup! Cool! And because you cleared away the Imperial defenders already, all you have to do is sit back and wait for Jan to arrive in the Crow. Mission Accomplished! If you downloaded the LFD file, you get to watch a cool little cutscene of the Crow leaving Nar Shaddaa while various transports and tugs fly around in the background. And if you watch the credits, you'll learn what happens as a result of your successful mission.
(A minor techinical quibble, though: if you've actually played TIE Fighter and completed the Battle 5 tour of duty, then Admiral Harkov is not supposed to have made it to the Rebel Alliance. Rather, he's captured and meets an unpleasant end at Darth Vader's hands. In fact, the famous and often-used Vader line "Now you will pay for your treachery" comes from TIE Fighter, specifically the cutscene where Vader delivers Harkov's untimely demise.)
Note: This walkthrough only takes you into one area that isn't necessary for your mission. Once you've fulfilled your mission objectives, go back through the level to the start (I did it with LANTFH) and just admire the level. It's a great level with a wonderful big-city atmosphere that deserves admiration.
Oh. And all of you go play TIE Fighter. Now. Or else. It's as good a game as Dark Forces, maybe even better because it puts you behind the wheel of a TIE Fighter and lets you see the galaxy through Imperial eyes.
