Chapter 4: The Brotherhood
Disclaimer: Warhammer and C&C belongs to their respective owners. Credits to betapike and VexMaster for inspiration. Thank you for your time reading this.
{2028 AD - Earth - Japan}
Kanegawa looked at her wristwatch. 'Thirty minutes has passed. In the elevator alone, to add. When I'm done with this I'm going to renovate this rustbucket.' She thought in mild irritation.
Why was she in Japan? And in a skyscraper no less? Well, you'll find out soon enough.
However, she wasn't alone in this elevator. A soldier was guarding her.
Meet Suzumi "Psycho Serpent" Matsui, the first (and by far the most powerful) Black Hand operative. She was decked in all black, though her armour was a shade lighter than the rest. Her helmet has a crimson red visor (to the outside viewer) with a state-of-the-art computer lodged in it, which can give it's user a HUD equivalent like in First Person Shooters (complete with mini-map, objective list, infrared sensors, ally detector, etc), as well as a small comms device. On her left shoulder lies the insignia of the Black Hands; a hand within a stylized triangle, with both painted silver. On her hands, a cutting-edge kinetic burst assault rifle (though it is still in it's prototype stages). All in all, her very appearance screams "suspicious person right here!".
Why would Kanegawa bring a Black Hand of all people to a public area?
Firstly, as much as she tries to, Kanegawa simply couldn't have it in her to trust Matsui to not cause havoc if left alone for great lengths of time. Matsui's mind is unstable, and her power is great.
Secondly, for the extra shock and intimidation factor. Although a pistol would do the job just fine.
Thirdly, she wanted to show her handiwork.
The elevator had now just reached the intended floor. "That was a waste of time." Kanegawa told to no one but herself.
This floor of this building screams "I'm rich and I live like a king" like no other. Velvet red carpet, mahogany tables, a number of indoor plants, several computer screens, and multiple paintings decorated the main room, to the point that it can be mistaken as the modern version of a Throne room if one came from the Middle Ages. And a man can be seen in the middle of all this vanity, his back turned from the opening door.
"Tsuba-chan? Back so soon?" The doctor flinched at the nickname, before quickly recomposing herself.
This man was dressed in a typical business get-up; a black suit, white shirt, and blue tie. His slick jet black (and shiny) hair was combed back nicely, with an immaculate goatee adorning his chin. And as always he wore a smile that can be interpreted in a million different ways. This man is Yoshiteru Kanegawa, the current CEO of Kanegawa Industries (often shortened as "KI"). But the doctor had always known him as...
"Father."
Yoshiteru turned backwards to face his daughter, a mighty fine source of income all things considered. "Why are you here?" He raised an eyebrow when he noticed the terrifying soldier beside her. "And tell me, who is he?"
"It's a she." Tsubakura glanced at her 'subordinate'. "She's a Black Hand." She then raised a finger. "As to why I am here? Well..." Matsui raised her weapon.
"Succeeding you, father." Tsubakura replied smoothly, with a smile that wouldn't be out of place on a psychotic killer.
...
Silence reigned.
"You need to work on your one-liners, dear daughter. That was unbelievably cheesy." The father said with an amused smirk.
Silence reigned once more.
Until Tsubakura broke it with her laughing. This action puts off Matsui, who then lowered the prototype rifle. Both family members laughed it off in the end. 'This is one weird ass family reunion.'
"True, true. This is what I get for taking shonen Anime and Disney villains' monologues seriously. I guess taking anything, even a threat at gunpoint, in stride is a familial quirk." Yoshiteru hummed in agreement.
"If you wanted to inherit the company, you could've just asked."
'What?' Matsui thought to herself, completely dumbfounded.
"Oh? And wouldn't that make such an awkward scene?"
"Not really. Many know you are way ahead of the curve unlike most of your age. Not many can boast they fully understood how a car and it's machinery worked in the age of seven."
"Maybe..." She then shook her head. "But my past achievements isn't why I am here."
The amused smirk returned to Yoshiteru's face. "And that 'You Have Outlived Your Usefulness' ploy is?"
"Yes. And also because I want to show you the Black Hands." She pointed her index toward Matsui.
"And what, pray tell, are they supposed to be?"
"Our own counterpart to the Imperium's Adeptus Astrates. I now have the legal authorization to mass produce them."
He blinked owlishly. "Tsuba-chan, you're kidding, right?"
"Why, oh why, would I be lying?" The nearly-adult mad scientist flashed a mad grin. Yoshiteru looked at her as if she grew a second head.
"How did you make them anyway!?"
"Oh now that would be spoiling~"
'Yep. This is official. Weirdest family reunion ever. Nothing can top this off.' Matsui inwardly declared.
"And how did you get the legal authorization in the first place?!" The mind of Yoshiteru Kanegawa is a complete mess right now, after all, his own daughter had just dropped a nuke with her reveal that she had genetically modified people. He knew long ago she was smart, but not this smart.
"Oh... that. Well..."
{Back in the UN Headquarters}
General Thorn had just finished listening to... this. And the only response he could form was...
"What in the name of God..."
From what he could see, the other members were similarly in utter confusion.
Chairman Cheung Liu, who has been quiet all this time, decided to speak up. "Ms. Kanegawa, what you just said back there was..."
"Insane? Unbelievable? If I were you and I didn't know any better, I'd say the same. But ladies and gentlemen, I assure you that this is all real."
Thorn responded, "Then how did you manage to do all of this?"
Tsubakura simply sighed. "Honestly? Three things. Perseverance, my own smartness, and the GLA." This revelation alarmed everyone. Especially the last one.
"You worked with the GLA!?" Many screamed out in outrage. Why wouldn't they? The Global Liberation Army were a total nightmare for everyone involved. Europe was in cinders, the Three Gorges Dam was destroyed, Central Asia and Central Africa was even more of a hellhole than they were before, the nuclear carrier USS Ronald Reagan was sunk, Crete was rendered inhospitable, Russia now underwent a political shitstorm, the US and their military was thoroughly humiliated, and not to mention the numerous lives lost, families broken, destroyed infrastructure, all of which are still happening to this day (though after the First Panic the frequency of their attacks has reduced somewhat).
"Calm down, this isn't that big of a deal." Tsubakura can only sigh in annoyance at this expected behavior. "I only worked with the warlords who were 'trustable' enough with this little project of mine. After they've served their purpose, I had them quickly eliminated. After all, who would miss some random GLA militia that disappeared for unknown reasons?" Eyes twitched at this.
"Hell, you all should be happy I've cleaned up house." She finished her justification. "Now if you all would excuse me, I need a guarantee that not Interpol nor any government 'security' agency will shut down this obviously illegal project. I am doing our world a favor, and I'd be damned if I let humanity fall because some people simply won't get their hands dirty."
She was met with silence.
Thorn asked the gathered assembly once more. "Anyone?"
The cold rage of everyone present is palpable, though it failed to deter Tsubakura, and they would have loved to shut down this "Black Hand" bullshit. But the fact remains that they have to fight the factions of Warhammer 40000, and none would show mercy. So they grit their teeth and begrudgingly agree.
Tsubakura smiled smugly in triumph. "Good. You won't regret this investment. Thank you for your time, ladies and gentlemen." And exited from the premises.
"Good fucking luck. For karma's going to kick your ass, Tsubakura Kanegawa." Thorn said to himself silently.
"Damn." Yoshiteru shook his head. And Matsui silently agreed with him.
"Yeah, that sums it up about right." Tsubakura simply shrugged. "Anyway, it's high time for me to prepare everything." She walked towards the elevator, with Matsui following right behind her. Getting into it, "So, see you later."
"Yes. I'll see you later as well." And thus the door closed.
Yoshiteru sagged down on his chair and rested his arms on his desk and his head on his arms. "God, I need a drink. Us Kanegawas may be easily underwhelmed, but Tsubakura took that to a whole another level." He opened a drawer, which just so happened to contain a bottle of brandy. Opening it, he continued. "Tsubakura working with the GLA? If it wasn't the girl herself saying it, I wouldn't believe it otherwise." He gulped down the brandy. 'You were such a sweet kid back then. I'm sorry that your mother and sister died. If they were still alive, who knows, you might have turned out differently.'
Little did he know that the survival of her mother and sister wouldn't do anything to change her fate. Maybe make her a bit more grounded, but that's it. He would have a heart attack if he learned that this is her fate ever since she was marked by me. All anyone could do now is to pray for her luck. Thankfully for him, he will never learn this simple little fact.
He picked up his phone, and called his secretary, Suki Toyama. "Suki, tell everyone I'm going on an early retirement. I think I'll need it. Let Tsuba-chan know she's in charge of the Industries, but make sure there are certified people who'll watch over her." He put down his phone and finished his brandy.
{Outside the KI Building}
Tsubakura has entered her personal car, with Matsui on the wheels. During this time, the mad scientist got a call from an unknown number. She had made sure Matsui can't overhear the call. Too untrustworthy and all that.
"So, how is the inheritance process going, Marked One?" The mysterious caller asked, his voice muffled.
"You need not to cover your voice, Seth." She deadpanned.
"Can't fault me for being careful now, can you?"
"..." Silence.
"You know what? Screw that. I'll just get straight to the point; my father is going to give the company to me. That I am sure of regardless. My calculations never failed me before."
"Good."
"And make sure to get certified people inside the Industries. He'll tell Toyama to fetch some certified people to be overwatch for me, so have our men fill those positions."
"Done. Anything else?"
"That's all."
"You know, I didn't understand why you would name the Fate Soldiers as the Black Hands."
"So that if our organization will ever have to surface we won't be complete strangers. They would regard us as an equivalent of a Space Marine Legion. The Committee already recognizes us as the Space Marine Chapter of the Third Millenium."
"...I won't even pretend I understand that."
Tsubakura sighed. A downside of being inhumanly smart is that other people couldn't even comprehend half of what you are saying.
"Just remember the first line, Seth."
"Okay then."
"..."
"Oh, how is the process of assimilating the Global Liberation Army going?"
"It's going great. Providing evidence that most of their generals are self-centered assholes and subsuming these cells into the organization are surprisingly easy. The proselytization of the more rational-minded generals are going good as well. If this rate continued, it would take months to convert the entirety of the GLA. Not years as we have predicted."
"Glad to know things are still going well on our end. Tsubakura hummed. "And the situation in Russia?"
"We're still trying. Suvorov's being a total bitch to handle though."
"Can't we just sic the Fate Soldiers at him?"
"No. It would attract too much attention for our own good."
Tsubakura sighed. "Oh well. We can't have everything on a silver platter."
"Has Tiberium landed yet?"
Tsubakura palmed her face. "All of us know God is doing this just to fuck with us. The warp stone meteorites in Antarctica would suffice. The Tacitus knows enough of them for it to be useful."
"And if we encounter the Necrons?"
"It's not like they own Pariahs as of now."
"I guess we're going Skaven now? Putting warp stones anywhere we could?"
"I would rather be more refined in the use of warp stone than they do, but I guess that's the gist of it."
"Well, good luck for you. Peace through power."
"Peace through power. And please stop with the 'good luck to you' gag."
"The Prophet says that your fate could not be changed. That all we can do for you is pray and hope for the best."
"This is why I hate God, Seth. Come one or come many, they're all utter assholes." Tsubakura hung up after that. She looked up to the ceiling and gave the heavens above a middle finger. "Fuck you God."
Author's Note: Wheeeee~
Finally. Chapter 4 is done. Short, but who really cares?
This chapter explains how Tsubakura gets introduced to the GLA, via the Black Hands. Which is actually the Brotherhood of Nod!
This won't result in a GDI vs NOD situation, oh no no no. No. This is GDI and Nod vs Warhammer 40000.
The meteor which contained Tiberium veered off, so it didn't actually hit Earth in this RotR AU timeline. Instead it got replaced by some tonnes of warp stones in Antarctica though, which does pretty much the same thing. But it's connected to the warp.
Okay, I'll be frank. I got inspired by VexMaster's interpretation of the Khaydarin crystal, and I decided "Hey! Why not use that idea?" and combined it with Tiberium and warp stone, and DOJYAA~N. I can list what it can do if you want, but I really don't like spoiling things.
And with all that said, I bid you adieu!
++Battlefield Control Terminated++