Chapter 15
"GDI's orbital Ion Cannon battle stations have been offline ever since the attack on Goddard Space Center. Repairs have now been completed and the Ion Cannons are back in action. However, we are currently unable to strike certain targets due to Nod's deployment of a new countermeasure: Ion Cannon Disruptor Arrays. These structures have been erected in multiple locations.All field commanders should be aware of the existence of Ion Cannon disruption technology and be on the lookout for the disrupter array structures. Take out the disrupters with conventional weapons before you call in an Ion Cannon strike." Intel Database: Nod Ion Cannon Disruption Tech
Sarajevo, Y-1
August 14th, 2047
1251
Onboard the Huron
GDI FOB
John forced his eyes open, and immediately regretted the action. The bridge was full of black, acrid smoke. Alarms were blaring as the Huron shuddered and groaned. Slowly he got himself into a sitting position, where he could see other officers were likewise getting themselves up. Some were already on their feet, trying to put out the fires that threatened to engulf the bridge. John clutched the corner of the holographic table to pull himself fully up. Athena was already standing, though she was clutching a wound on her forehead.
"Colonel, report." John croaked out.
"Significant damage to the hull. Aft engine pod damaged and down to 10% power. We're barely flying." Athena reported.
"Someone get me a status update on our airwing."
"We have a single squadron of Firehawks. Two squadrons of mixed Raptor and King Raptors. They are currently in a defensive hold around the Huron." The air controller officer reported.
"What about those enemy bombers?"
"Enemy Vertigos have left the AO. Enemy Shades and MIGs are still engaging, but… they're not engaging us, sir. They're …"
"The Brotherhood seems to be fighting itself. From what little intel we have, it seems the Nod forces in Albania defeated the Steel Talons, and are now assaulting Temple Prime." Athena finished.
"Then this is the perfect opportunity. Have all remaining forces collapse on the western approach. We will advance through Phase Line Charlie and destroy the third generator." John hastily ordered.
His command was met with blank stares, though only Athena replied.
"Sir, our forces have been severely diminished. The FOB has been destroyed, and we have reports of units scattered throughout the city. Sir, the 7th Infantry Divisions is now combat ineffective."
The words felt like a stab to John's heart. His entire Division was rendered ineffective? No! How? They were so close to victory! He was so close to capturing Kane! He couldn't withdraw, they had to keep pushing. But with what? Athena was right, John had nothing left. All of his reserves and command units were destroyed in the FOB, with the survivors now loading up into Ox transports. His armour units were smashed, his infantry dead or scattered.
"I will not accept defeat! I didn't back in Washington, or Cairo. We didn't retreat in Croatia and we won't do it here! Rally what men we have left. We can still destroy that generator, then we can call in orbital strikes, maybe even an Ion Canon."
"Sir! We don't have the force left! Our men are scattered and need to be evacuated!" Athena protested.
"Those men and women knew the risks. They knew sacrifices needed to be made! I will kill Kane."
"You will kill every last man and woman under your command!"
John noted how the entire bridge crew was staring at him and Athena, like scared children seeing their parents fight. He turned to yell at them to get back to work, but the anger died in his throat. They weren't scared because of their commanding officers arguing, they were scared because they knew they had lost, and he was trying to order them back to their deaths.
John looked back down at the holographic display. While Nod forces were busy fighting each other, he doubted he could even use the confusion to his advantage. Nod forces, both rebel and loyalist, were eager to stop fighting if it meant killing GDI stragglers. John had no choice: he had to order the retreat. He had lost.
"Pilot, can we hit stratosphere?" John asked barely above a whisper.
"Negative, sir. We can barely maintain altitude."
"Very well. Order an immediate withdrawal of all forces. Move the Huron out of the AO at fastest possible speed. Colonel, inform the General of our situation."
"But, Commander. What about our troops still inside the city? We can't abandon them." Athena pleaded.
"We won't, Colonel. But we can't keep the Huron here. Sooner or later, those Nod fighters, rebel or loyalist, will turn against us. I'll order all ground troops behind enemy lines to rally on a position where we can pick them up. Once the Huron and our transport fleet has left, we can have our remaining squadrons escort in the necessary transports to get them out. They will, unfortunately, have to hold out for awhile." John said soberly.
"Aye, sir." Athena remarked.
Ox and Orca transports began to fly away from the battlefield. Reports indicating they were near bursting with the dead and wounded. The Huron also began to limp away, escorted by the battered fighters. John issued orders to what field commanders he had left, which was shockingly few. The most senior officer he contacted was Captain Xiao Ri of Rubicon Company. Everyone else was dead, or on a transport. Captain Ri did not sound pleased about being left behind, even if only temporarily. But he followed his orders and went to work rallying the survivors.
John felt defeated, exhausted, and down right furious. He would have to retreat with his tail between his leg. Kane would likely escape, even with the rebel's surprise assault. The war would continue, and more lives would be lost. He couldn't contain himself, he let out a guttural growl and slammed his fist on the table. No one paid him any attention though, as the crew was busy carrying out duties or tending to more serious wounds. Not even Athena looked at him; instead she worked on coordinating the retreat and later evacuation of those left on the ground.
John silently made himself a promise: that he would regroup, that he would take command of a new unit, and he would crush the Brotherhood of Nod once and for all. Even if it meant killing every last Nod fanatic in the world.
… … …
Temple Prime
Phase Line Charlie
Malich was in a daze; it felt as though the world was moving around him and he was stuck in place. One moment, they were defending the holy city from infidels. One moment, they were facing down the awesome war machines GDI had unleashed. Then…then bombers started raining down death upon everything. Then their Brothers, their comrades, marched into the city and opened fire on them! Now heretics were laying siege to the same defences that GDI once attempted to penetrate. Malich had to defend the Temple, but from his own Brothers and Sisters?
"Commander!" Radec's voice cut through Malich's malaise. "What are your orders?"
Malich shook himself from his stupor. He quickly scanned the map before him, noting where the heretics were now attacking. The traitors were hitting the eastern gate, probably assuming it was weak from the GDI assault. Enemy Centurions now bombarded his defences, and he lacked the Avatars to respond. The western side of the city was in complete chaos, and he still lacked viable Intel on what was happening, but from what reports he had, loyalist, heretic, and GDI forces were all engaged in a desperate free for all. Malich decided to ignore the west for now and focus on the heretics' eastern assault. Confident he had a handle on the situation, he began to issue orders.
"Deploy all remaining reserves from the Temple defence! Mobilize Beam Cannons to target down those Centurions. Make sure all of our automated defences update to target Killian's forces' IFF beacons as hostile."
Officers seemed to calm down as their commander took charge. Now given direction, they began to relay Malich's orders. On the field, his forces rallied from the carpet bombing and rallied back to the defence. Only now they were fighting their own Brothers. Scorpion tanks traded rounds with Killian' own Scorpions. Visually indistinguishable, the only thing staving off friendly fire were the IFF beacons all units and vehicles carried.
The light laser artillery vehicles, the Beam Cannons, rolled to the front where they unleashed lances of ruby light. The lasers impacted and deflected off the thick Centurion shields, unable to melt through the composite metal. The Centurions promptly retaliated with cannon fire, destroying the Beam Cannons or other emplacement defences.
Another boon in Malich's favor was that his infantry was primarily comprised of Black Hand foot troops. This again not only provided a clear distinction between loyalist and heretic forces, but gave him the edge with the more elite Black Hand. That wasn't to say Killian's forces were anything to scoff at though: she did not earn her reputation as Kane's right hand by commanding weak armies.
"Radec, do we have any Spectres left?" Maliched asked.
"Yes, sir. We have a single battery."
"Order them to target the enemy forces advancing up Raveshaw Road. Tango Victor ordnance authorized."
"But, Commander! We still have troops scattered in that region. Using Tiberium va-"
"I said target those forces!" Malich roared.
"Yes, sir!"
Malich quickly prayed for the loyalist's souls he was about to extinguish, as Radec relayed the order. Several Spectre SPGs fired the specialized rounds, which soared over the advancing heretic forces. The rounds exploded in mid-air, releasing a deadly and toxic cloud of Tiberium vapor. The men caught in the cloud were instantly killed, as the Tiberium quickly ate away at them. But the cloud ignited, exploding into a brilliant fireball that consumed flesh and metal. Centurions toppled to the ground, and tanks turned into raging pyres. What buildings still stood lining the road collapsed.
Malich did not relish in the destruction. It pained him not only to see the holy city be damaged, but to see men he may have once served with or commanded be slaughtered by his hands gave him a heavy heart. However, despite the devastating salvo, more heretic forces moved to take their place. As Malich ordered a second salvo of Tiberium vapor rounds, the Spectres ruptured into a fountain of metal and flames. Heretic Shades pulled up from their near suicidal dive, having completed their precision strike. Without the artillery, the enemy reinforcements were clear to siege the defences once again.
"We need to push back. We can't stay on the defensive forever." Malich growled.
"How, sir? Our forces to the west are still in disarray. And we lack the strength to push through the eastern offensive." Radec pointed out.
Malich expanded the holographic display to show beyond the city. Information was limited, but he was able to get a clear picture. The GDI staging ground was in ruins, and their damned OCV was gone. That gave Malich some relief, knowing the infidels had fled, but Killian's traitors had established their own staging points for their coup de main. One was located near a Tiberium field to the west, where GDI had already destroyed several civilian harvesting refineries. The other was centered to the east, in the ruins of Old Sarajevo. But what disturbed him the most, was the familiar beetle like shape of a MCV.
"Sister Uleski. Identify the commander of that MCV." Malich commanded one of his officers.
"Right away, sir!"
"The enemy attacks may be split, but their battlefield command is doubtless centered from that MCV." Radec stated.
"I concur. But who commands it? The Albanian supply base didn't have one. So did Killian deploy one of hers before hand? How long has she planed this treachery? Malich wondered.
"Commander, I identified the MCV. It…well…sir, its yours. It's the Tzadik." Ukeski reported.
Malich glared at the holographic image. The Tzadik? But how? He had left it back in South America, with Muerta. How could it…
"Get me a direct link to the Tzadik. Now!"
Malich's communications officer leapt to work, typing away furiously at his terminal. Malich merely stared at a blank video screen in impatience. After a moment, the screen came to life, and the sad but determined face of Commander Catrina "Muerta" Posada appeared.
"Karsten." Muerta greeted solemnly.
"Catrina. I hope you have a good explanation for this heresy." Malich growled.
"You must listen to me, Karsten! General Qatar has revealed the truth. I know what Kane is, and he can not be trusted. Please, Malich, listen to me. Kane is-"
"Kane is a benevolent and merciful man. But I am not."
"Karsten, you don't understand. Kane has been lying to you! To all of us!"
"And General Qatar hasn't lied to you? I may not believe Kane to be some all powerful God. But I do believe in the Brotherhood, and the Brotherhood of Nod needs Kane."
"That is why you must turn against him! Help us capture Kane and claim the Temple. General Qatar can lead Nod to true victory. Kane has polluted our minds with ideas of Ascension, divination, prophecy and God-hood. It's all lies! But the Brotherhood, the ideals of peace and freedom, of standing against GDI's fascism, that is true! Don't you see Karsten? Kane united us when Tiberium first came to this world, he rallied the oppressed against the imperialists. But ever since he has led us astray with his delusions!"
"Enough! How has Killian turned against us? You were devoted."
"I was, until she showed me the truth. Kane is lying to you. He… he isn't even human."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"I can't explain it now, only Killian can. Please Karsten, join us, help us save the Brotherhood."
Thoughts swirled through Malich's mind. He had never really bought into the beliefs of Ascension, or becoming higher beings through Tiberium. But he did believe in the promise of a better world, a world that would use Tiberium to end starvation, war, and tyranny. Muerta was right, Kane had failed Nod twice. But with him gone, the Brotherhood descended into civil war, into decades of infighting and slaughter. No, Kane was what held Nod together. If Killian took over, it would only cause other generals to go rouge, to bring back the dark age of warlords and infighting.
"I stand by Kane. And if you shall continue this heresy, then I shall kill you. Here and now."
Muerta didn't reply, she just shook her head. She seemed truly saddened she had been unable to persuade him. Malich ended the transmission, not interested in hearing her further. But this hinted at something more disturbing: how far did Killian's corruption go? Who else within the Brotherhood had she turned against Kane and the faithful?
"Commander." Radec cut in. "I believe I may have a solution. Our forces are unable to push through the enemy siege. But, we may be able to move a single tank group through the center, right down Saint's Boulevard."
Malich studied the current layout of the city. There was more debris and bomb craters than traversable paved roads. But Radec was right: all three sides were largely ignoring the center, meaning he probably could move a small force through before the heretics tried to seal it off. The question now was: would a single tank group be enough? Muerta had committed her forces to the siege, leaving behind just a token force of Centurions to defend the Tzadik. He should be able to easily destroy her, but he still would have felt better if he could move a full company.
"Alright." Malich began. "Form a strike team with six Scorpions, two Reckoners, and four Attack Bikes. That should be enough to deal with the Tzadik and her defenders. Make sure the infantry are loaded with anti vehicle weapons."
"Right away, sir." Radec said as he moved to carry out his orders.
It would take Radec a few minutes to organize a force, then longer after for said force to actually move out of the city. In the meantime, Malich returned his attention to organizing the defences. The heretic's attack appeared to have lost its momentum, as they now hid behind a wall of Centurions. The walkers were mostly taking the brunt of the laser and canon fire with their shields. It would seem General Qatar and Commander Muerta had either underestimated the damage GDI had done to the defences, or overestimated the effectiveness of their own forces. Either way, it took some pressure off Malich's forces, but it still presented him with few options. He simply would have to rely on Radec's tank group to turn the tide of this battle.
Radec quickly reported that the tank group – given the call sign Nemesis – was moving out now. Malich turned over command of the defences to Radec so he could personally oversee Nemesis' operation. Typically he would have trusted the Major to the task, but given the battle now hinged on Nemesis, he felt it prudent he take command.
The tank group managed to roll out from the defensive line, and down Saint's Boulevard without any trouble. The heretics made no move to stop them, meaning Nemesis left Sarajevo unmolested. That did not mean Muerta was not aware of the breakaway group, or that she wouldn't prepare her own defences.
Nemesis proceeded past the piles of rubble that marked the outer wall, then proceeded up the ramps out of the crater. Malich watched with bated breath, feeling his anxiety rising with every moment. The tank group drove past husks of GDI vehicles, and carefully navigating around bomb craters left by the heretic's carpet bombing. In just twenty minutes, they had made it from the city to the outskirts, and still they encountered no resistance. At this rate, Nemesis would be on top of the Tzadik in two more minutes, and there was no sign of enemy resistance.
A sudden thought struck Malich, like a lightning bolt to the face. He immediately yelled for Nemesis to stop on the spot, and the tank group came to a grinding halt just as they were about to reach weapons range of the Tzadik.
"Radec, I need two Venoms redeployed now. Make sure they have sensor pods loaded up." Malich said, whirling on the Major.
"Uh, of course. Yes, sir!" Radec stumbled, slightly shocked at the sudden outburst.
The air battle around Sarajevo had settled down a bit. With GDI having left the AO, and most of the heretic fighters having either been shot down or escaped, only loyalist Venoms and Cobras remained, providing air support to the dwindling defenders. Thus Radec was able to easily relocate the two Venoms Malich had requested.
The two attack craft raced over the city and towards Nemesis. Like Nemesis, they encountered no resistance. As they got close, Malich ordered the Venoms to activate their sensor pods. Malich's suspicion was confirmed as two Mobile Stealth Generators, five Scorpions, and twelve Marauders were revealed. Malich didn't even have time to process what he had seen before the enemy opened fire. Thankfully, Nemesis' commanding officer had also reacted quickly, scattering the tank group. Only a single Reckoner was destroyed in the opening volley. Nemesis then returned fire, their lasers easily turning the Marauders into slag. The heretic vehicles fired a second volley, this time disabling two of Nemesis' tanks. The Attack Bikes, meanwhile, had moved in closer to the heretic's position, and began reeking havoc with their missiles. The Venoms also added into the fray, chewing through the lightly armored Marauders with their autocannons.
Within minutes, Muerta's ambush had been defeated. Seventeen vehicles, including the MSGs, were destroyed, with only a single Reckoner and two Scorpions as casualties for Nemesis. Now the Tzadik lay exposed.
"Commander Malich. I'm moving my forces to surround the enemy MCV. We are ready to board it at your order, sir." Nemesis leader radioed in.
"Negative, Captain. Destroy it. Heretics shall be allowed no mercy." Malich said with barely contained anger.
"Your will be done, Commander."
Malich watched with equal sadness and glee as the Tzadik was pummeled by laser and rocket fire. The MCV attempted feebly to retreat, but its legs were destroyed, causing it to crash down to ground. Nemesis continued to beat the vehicle, until a laser breached the Tiberium power core, and caused the Tzadik to explode in a violent fireball. The once noble vehicle received it's funeral pyre, and Muerta got a taste of what awaited her in hell.
The heretic forces did not react to the death of their commander in the way Malich had expected. He assumed the enemy would break and run without proper command, but the enemy persisted. In fact, the enemy renewed their attack on the defences, even though it was suicide.
"It would seem this fight is not yet done." Malich sighed. "Order Nemesis to return via the enemy's rear. That way we can hit the enemy in a pincer, and begin-"
"Commander Malich!"
Malich looked up as Ajay came running into the room. His blonde hair was glued to his face by sweat, as it seemed the man had been running non-stop all day. Ajay took a moment to catch his breath, before he spoke.
"Kane wants to see you upstairs, ASAP."
"The traitors are still attacking. I can not leave the battle now." Malich protested.
"We're packing up, Brother. Kane isn't waiting around for GDI or Killian to send more reinforcements. Now go, don't keep the big man waiting."
Before Malich could say anything, Ajay ran off.
"Have Nemesis continue their attack on the enemy flank, but hold the rest of our forces back. I shall go to the Messiah." Malich commanded as he made his way out of the control room.
Malich ran towards the stairs that would take him up to the Messiah's chambers. He passed countless acolytes and yeomen running around carrying out various tasks. Containers of every shape and size laid around haphazardly, as people tried to rush them to elevators to be taken to the subterranean motor pools. It saddened Malich to see Temple Prime be emptied, to see it be abandoned. But they had rebuilt it once before, so perhaps one day they would come back to reclaim it.
That thought gave Malich some comfort, as he slowed his run to a fast walk. The great doors that led to Kane's chambers were held open, and the chaos of the hallways was present even within this inner sanctum. Being closer to the surface, Malich could now hear the distant sounds of conflict, which gave the chaos even greater gravitas. However, amongst all the commotion, Kane appeared completely calm. He directed people where to go or what to take, and occasionally handed something to someone from his desk. He was like a beacon of light in the sea of darkness.
"That goes. That goes. Destroy that and I will have your heart." Kane ordered stoically.
"Your eminence. I am here, as you summoned." Malich said, making his presence known.
Kane turned at the sound of Malich's voice. His calm demeanor was betrayed by the look of pure anger in his eyes.
"When my own army conspires against me, it is time to leave behind the insufferable race of animals who call themselves man. To escape this God forsaken rock." Kane stopped himself mid-tirade, and smiled at Malich. "But now… now it is time to celebrate. The bait is placed, the trap set, and GDI will dig its own grave. As you can see, Commander, preparations are already underway for phase three. We are only taking the essential icons needed to build a great temple, in the great beyond. By this time next week, you and I and the rest of the Inner Circle will begin our Ascension."
Temple Prime shook as a large explosion went off nearby. Several people glanced up in fear as pieces of the stained glass window shattered. But Kane remained unfazed, as he continued speaking.
"But our work on Earth is not yet done. Take your troops to Australia and recover what is left of Killian's forces. They will be needed in the final mission."
"But…your eminence! The city is still under siege. I can not simply-"
"I shall handle the city's defence. Go now, my son. And have faith! Deliverance is at hand."
Kane briskly walked off, giving no further explanation. Malich may not have been a particularly religious man, not by Nod's standards, but he did have faith in Kane and his guidance. Malich turned and left the grand hall, barking orders into his radio. He would carry out the Messiah's will, and he would be sure to have Killian's head for her treachery.
Malich made his way back through the Temple, not knowing that it would be for the final time.
… … …
Phase Line Charlie
1330
A Nod soldier stood up from his cover behind a fallen chunk of concrete. Whether he was a loyalist or rebel didn't mater to Burke, as she leveled her sights and fired a burst. The soldier fell to the ground, and Burke slid down the ruined wall into her own cover to reload her rifle. Next to her, Ramirez and Haley were firing short bursts, as West manned a machine gun set up in a shattered window still. The remnants of the GDI forces in Sarajevo had rallied in an apartment block in the second ring. Burke and her squad, along with the rest of their platoon, were situated on the roof on one of the apartment buildings, with the other platoons taking up positions in or on the other buildings. For the most part, they were being ignored as the Nod armies clashed with each other. But occasionally, loyalist or rebel forces would attempt to dig the GDI stragglers out. With only a single Predator and barely a company's worth of infantry, it wouldn't be long before one of the Nod factions succeeded.
The sudden flair of VTOL engines caused Burke to glance up. Rising above Temple Prime was six Nod Carryalls, escorted by four Cobras. The air convoy flew off in the same direction those bombers had come from. A flash of anger and disappointment flashed through her, as she guessed it must have been Kane escaping. She had sincerely hoped this would have been their last battle, that they would have captured Kane and ended the war. All Burke wanted was to go home to her wife, to put this damned war behind her. But alas, it was clear that wasn't to be.
"Reloading!" West called out.
"Copy! Covering!" Burke growled back.
She quickly slammed the magazine in her rifle and stood back up. Along with Ramirez and Haley, they targeted a squad of what Burke assumed was rebel spetznaz. The combined fire of over a dozen riflemen, plus the Predator's coaxial machine gun, swiftly cut down the spetznaz. A few managed to make it to cover, briefly returning fire before they were pinned by the GDI machine guns. Burke ducked down to reload just as West let loose a stream of lead from his weapon, demonstrating his gun was back in action.
As Burke reloaded, she spotted Lieutenant Hamilton yelling into his radio. Likely he was talking with Captain Ri, who was now the commanding officer of all GDI forces in Sarajevo. Not that amounted to much, since the GDI force was barely above company size. The last Burke had heard from command, they had been ordered to secure a landing zone for evacuation. But to Burke, it sounded like Commander Lancaster had tucked tail and ran.
Burke's thoughts then turned to her wife, and the fear of never seeing her again, never holding her again. She vowed as soon as she could, she would get out of the Army, and just spend every waking moment with her.
"CENTURION!"
Burke jolted up at the sudden warning. She quickly noted that even more rebel infantry had swarmed in, followed closely by the Nod walker. The Predator fired a shell, but it exploded harmlessly off the Centurion's massive shield. Before the tank crew could reload, the Centurion lowered the shield and raised its canon arm. The walker fired first, and the round pierced right through the turret, igniting the ammo stores and causing the Predator to exploded violently.
Machine gun and rifle fire began to pepper the Centurion as the GDI infantry tried desperately to take down the walker. Burke unloaded her own magazine, before realizing in cold horror that the Centurion was now aiming at her.
"Get down! Everyone get-"
The Centurion fired, its shell barely passing over the GDI soldiers' heads before exploding against the far side of the roof. The explosion sent Burke flying onto her back, along with several others. Burke groaned in pain as she tried to quickly get back up, but the attempt ended with her collapsing back down. As she laid there, she could barely make out people yelling through the radio over the screams of the dying and wounded.
"Fuck! 1st Platoon got hit!"
"That Centurion is aiming at us!"
"Javelins! Fire! Fire God damn it!"
Burke hauled herself back up, just in time to see four javelin rockets streaking down at the Centurion. The enemy walker raised its shield, but it was a pointless move as the rockets impacted in the top, instantly shredding apart the crew cabin. The walker collapsed with a mighty thud, even crushing a couple rebel Nod troops beneath it. However, the damage it caused was massive, as the Predator was still burning, and nearly half of 1st Platoon was incapacitated.
"Medic! I need a medic! LT has been hit!" Someone was calling out.
Burke cursed as she quickly checked that her squad was okay. Upon seeing her guys had nothing worse than scraps and bruises, she rushed over to Lieutenant Hamilton. Burke stopped short upon seeing Hamilton, or what was left of him. It seemed the Lieutenant had been closest to the blast, and thus half of his body was simply gone. Organs now spilled out onto the apartment roof, and the Lieutenant's face was laying in a pool of his own blood. The platoon medic came over, but upon seeing the Lieutenant, merely shook his head and ran off again.
"Sergeant Burke."
Burke looked up to see Sergeant Freeman standing beside her. He put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her hand from shaking, which she hadn't even noticed until just then.
"The LT was being called over for a meeting with the Captain. But… since the LT and Platoon Sergeant are both dead, that makes you next senior NCO." Freeman finished.
"Fuck. Yeah… yeah, okay. Keep everyone calm here. Get the wounded stabilized and ready to move in case we need to bail. And collect the dog tags of the dead; not much else we can do for them." Burke said.
Freeman just nodded, and Burke began to race down the stairs towards the ground floor. Despite the destruction of the Centurion, the sounds of fighting persisted. Burke reached the ground lobby, seeing even more dead and wounded. A few of the living soldiers barely even acknowledged her existence. She felt like she should say something, but couldn't find the words. Instead she peered down the street, seeing more rebel infantry coming up the street, now using the downed Centurion for cover. Seeing a brief break, Burke ran across the street to the opposite apartment, where Captain Ri was calling the platoon leaders. It seemed everyone else was already there, and already in the midst of arguing.
"We should fall back. Move out of the city, then we can be picked up in the outskirts." One lieutenant was saying.
"Maybe we could even secure the old FOB? I doubt either Nod faction would be there." A second officer chimed in.
"No, the rebels have secured our old staging points. Plus there is too much open ground outside the city. We'd be cut down in seconds." The Company's First Sergeant stated.
"I gave you our evac point. If you don't like it, you can stay here and ask Kane for a ride home!" Captain Ri barked, cutting through the chatter. "We will move to this VTOL pad here, in what appears to be a open air storage area. Now the obvious problem is: how do we get passed the defences? Even with Nod trying to kill themselves, it would be impossible. Thankfully that squad of SAS snipers we grouped up with found another route. This large tower here seems to serve as a security checkpoint or police station or something. Either way, it provides access through the wall."
"So, this is the plan." Captain Ri continued. "1st Platoon will split into two teams of two squads. Team one, led by Lieutenant Hamilton-"
"Excuse me, Captain." Burke interrupted.
Suddenly everyone turned on her, and she immediately regretted speaking up. Especially with the down right hostile glare Captain Ri gave her.
"Sergeant Burke, what the fuck are you doing here? Where is Lieutenant Hamilton!?"
"Dead, sir."
The anger instantly drained from Ri's face.
"Damn it. I guess that makes you in charge of 1st Platoon. Fuck. Okay, Sergeant Burke, congratulations, you are now Platoon Sergeant. Now then, Sergeant Burke will take Team One, along with our engineers, and assault the final Ion disruptor generator. Sergeant Freeman can take Team Two, and move up the tower to take out the SAM. In the mean time, I'll take the rest of the Company and secure the actual LZ."
"Captain, with all due respect, why the hell are we bothering with the generator? The attack is scrubbed, and we're barely holding on as is." Burke asked.
"Because that generator is blocking all long range transmissions. We didn't know it before because we were never under the disruption field for too long. But it turns out it scrambles our orbital comms network. So until we take it down, we can't signal to command for extraction. Now, are there any other problems, Sergeant?"
"No, sir!" Burke replied.
"Good. Then let's move out, Rubicon Company!"
The various platoon leaders went off to rally their units. Burke darted back across the street, noting the enemy had broken off their attack again. She passed word to the men of the platoon as she went by them. When Burke reached the roof, she quickly relayed the plan to Freeman, before they abandoned the roof, and their dead. It took less than ten minutes for the remnants of the GDI force to gather and move through the empty city streets. By the time another Nod force moved to reclaim the apartment block, they would find it devoid of any living GDI soldiers.
The Company quickly moved through the residential district towards the third wall. This section of the city held little strategic value, and that appeared to hold true for the rebels as no one was here. It allowed for the GDI troops to move uncontested, but Burke still wasn't taking chances, and kept scanning for snipers or ambushes. However, as they got closer to the wall, the more damaged the district became. Eventually the Company passed by the burnt out remains of school buses, filled with scorched skeletons. Likely it had been mistaken for a military target during the opening fire bombings GDI had run to soften up the defences. The images reminded her of the devastation Nod caused to D.C. and the other Blue Zone cities. She thought seeing Nod get a taste of their own medicine would be cathartic, instead it made her realize how truly pointless all this killing was. While the world may have been divided between GDI and Nod, at the end, everyone was the same, trying to simply live their lives in a dying world.
Burke's rueing was interrupted as Captain Ri called for the Company to halt. Burke immediately had the platoon take up defensive positions, as they waited for the Captain. Burke couldn't see what had caused them to stop, but they were now a stone's throw away from the tower. Without warning, several explosions went off, followed immediately by the Captain shouting,
"Attack!"
Burke and her platoon surge forward, storming through the alley between two apartment buildings. They came out to a wide street that divided the residential district from the wall, and quickly moved to take positions behind abandoned or destroyed cars. As Burke took cover behind a large van, she could see a large sandbag barricade constructed around the tower entrance. Only a single squad of Nod soldiers were defending the entrance, but they had an emplacement laser gun with them. Bright lances of red light cut across the street, searing metal and flesh alike. Bullets raced back and forth, but even though the GDI force easily outnumbered the Nod squad, they were well defended. Burke also noted several holes in the barricade, likely the result of an opening grenade salvo, but it seemed to have done little to dislodge the Nod troops.
Burke spotted Ramirez, Haley, and West near a transport truck. Deciding to regroup with her squad, and to get a better look at the enemy line, Burke fired a wild spray of bullets before running over to them. The pavement near her erupted with bullets impacts, but she made it without a scratch.
"Hey, Sarge. Do we have a way passed these assholes?" Ramirez asked as she slapped a new magazine in her DMR.
"Depending on what you can tell me." Burke responded as a laser bolt seared by over their heads.
"Enemy is dug in pretty good. The grenades didn't do much to open a hole. But I think I might have something. That laser gun needs a lot of juice and I think I can see the battery block. But I need time to line up the shot." Ramirez reported.
"Good eye, Specialist. West, Haley! Suppressing fire!"
Ramirez laid prone on the ground, aiming underneath the truck. At the same time, Burke, Haley, and West stood out of cover and fired on the enemy position. While the Nod troops were being hit from multiple angles, Burke didn't want to risk them targeting her or her men. The hailstorm worked as the enemy tried to shift their fire elsewhere, which allowed Ramirez all the time she needed. Ramirez fired a single shot, and a heartbeat later the laser gun battery exploded. The two men operating the gun were eviscerated, while the others scattered to avoid the shrapnel. With the laser gun disabled, Captain Ri ordered the Company to advance. The enemy survivors seemed confused on whether they should surrender or fight, but GDI answered the question for them by mowing them down.
The Company surged forward and secured the Nod position. GDI grenadiers quickly moved to fire grenades through the windows lining the tower's base. A split second after the fragmentation grenades went off, Rubicon Company stormed inside. The entire circular room was crowded with desks and thin cubicle walls. A vast stairwell spiraled up in the center, and directly adjacent Rubicon was the exit to the inner most part of Sarajevo. It seemed the Captain was right, and that the tower had served as some security or police station. But whatever Nod was using it for now, Burke didn't know, and there didn't seem to be anyone left alive to tell them, as the grenades ripped apart another squad who had taken cover inside.
"Alright, 1st Platoon, split off now and carry out your objectives. Once you're done, regroup on us. Hopefully the Commander will have those birds ready." Captain Ri stated.
Sergeant Freeman took his two squads and charged up the spiraled stairwell. The rest of the Company stacked up on the far door, with two Rangers who also survived the bombing taking point. They casually opened the door, and instantly cut down the third and final squad occupying the tower. Similar to the first squad, they had been manning a sandbag barricade, complete with another laser gun. One of the Rangers quickly grabbed the laser, and ripped it off the tripod while the second grabbed the battery, turning themselves into a heavy weapon team. The Captain led the Company towards their LZ, which appeared to be lightly guarded, as the majority of the Nod forces were busy fighting the rebels. However, as Burke led her squad and the engineers to the generator, she could see there were still some defenders.
There was no cover between the generator and the tower, so the only option Burke had was to rush the enemy and hope to catch them off guard. Burke and her Team rushed in with guns blazing, cutting down Nod troops who were distracted watching the battle unfold at the gate. Most went down in the wild spray, but a few jumped into cover and began firing back. Burke wanted to order her team to stop, find cover, but she couldn't, so she pressed them forward. A single engineer went down with a bullet to the head, while the rest of Team One wiped out the rest of the Nod troops.
The engineers didn't wait for Burke's order, they went to work setting up the C4 charges. The generators didn't have control rooms or access terminals. According to InOps, they were all operated from a point within Temple Prime. But enough explosives was more than capable of bringing down the Ion disruption field.
Burke's attention was drawn to the massive and imposing figure of Temple Prime. The sight sent a shot of anger through her veins. They should have been storming the Temple, dragging Kane out kicking and screaming. Instead they were running for their lives.
"Charges are set!" An engineer called out.
"Copy. Captain? Charges are set and we are falling back." Burke reported.
"Excellent. LZ is secure and Team Two is already on their way down."
Burke felt dangerously optimistic, as things seemed to be going well. Maybe they would get out of this alive. By the time Burke and her team got back, Freeman and his men were just behind them. The Captain and the rest of Rubicon were now digging in, and a blinking blue light indicated the Captain had called in the evac. All they had to do now was wait to be rescued. Burke had barely ordered for her men to take positions, when the engineers set off the charges. The third and final disruptor generator went up in a ball of flame, but in a somewhat anticlimactic fashion, there was no visual indication the disruption field was down.
"ETA is five minutes! We're almost home people!" Captain Ri called out enthusiastically.
Burke's thoughts again turned to her wife, of going home to her. Those dreams died upon hearing the sound of approaching vehicles.
… … …
Another Subterranean APC drove off into the dark maw of the tunnel, carrying with them supplies and personnel. The Temple was almost completely evacuated, and the final phase of his plan was in progress. Only the most trusted of the Inner Circle was left to be evacuated, where they would then go to ground and wait their arrival. It was all going just as he had planned it. Soon… soon he would be free. Kane smiled at the thought, but he had to temper himself, as there was still much left to do. As Kane continued to watch the next APC be loaded, one of his advisors ran over to him, a look of mixed fear and excitement.
"Your excellency. The final generator has fallen, Sarajevo is now exposed."
"And the GDI force?"
"They appear to be awaiting for air transports so they can be evacuated."
"I see. They have served their purpose. Kill them, I need to make sure Lancaster is angry enough to push the button."
The advisor nodded nervously before moving to carry out the Messiah's will. Kane once again felt the smile return to his face. All according to plan. Kane boarded the APC, ready to leave Sarajevo behind for good.
… … …
Sergeant Freeman took a laser bolt directly to the face, replacing it with a charred hole. Burke felt bile rise into her throat at the sight of Freeman's brain exposed to the open. But she swallowed it down and unleashed her fear and anger through her rifle. Not that it would do anything, as the bullets bounced harmlessly off the Attack Buggy. Three of the light vehicles, now equipped with lasers instead of machine guns, were encroached on the GDI survivors.
Squads of Black Hand followed behind the Buggies, flame throwers primed and ready. No time to think, just act, no time to feel, just shoot. There wasn't any need to issue orders, either from Burke or Captain Ri, as everyone knew they had one goal: survive. GDI soldiers tried to take down the Black Hand troops, focusing their fire to pierce the heavy body armor. Thankfully the forethought of the Rangers to grab the laser gun proved invaluable. As lasers from the Buggies hit the GDI survivors, a thick stream of light fired back, blasting away Black Hand troops. But with the last of the rockets gone, they had no way to properly deal with the Buggies.
More lasers cut across the GDI line, and more men and women screamed out in pain. Black Hand troops came within range and let loose tongues of searing hot flame. GDI soldiers abandoned cover that was now engulfed in flame, only to be cut down by laser bolts. A few weren't lucky enough to receive such a quick death, as they writhed around fire consumed them. The GDI survivors continued to collapse further into the VTOL pad, grouping up into a smaller and smaller cluster. It seemed clear that the survivors would be burnt alive, the final corpses to be added to GDI's failure.
The Buggies abruptly exploded, shards of metal flying in all directions. Rockets then began to rain down into the Black Hand formation, reducing the elite soldiers to bloody pieces. Three Orcas swooped in and began to hover above the survivors, chin mounted autocannons opening up and chewing apart the remaining Black Hand. Following behind was two Ox transports, which quickly touched down on the VTOL pad. The survivors barely waited for the ramps to lower before the filed on. Burke waved her squad and other GDI soldiers on before she finally climbed aboard herself. The transports lifted off as quickly arrived, leaving behind the war torn hellscape of Sarajevo.
Burke turned to look down the aisle, and noticed with shock at just how empty it was. Wounded were laid down on the floor, while others strapped into the seats. No one looked relieved, everyone was covered in soot and blood, and were probably too tired or shocked to care that they had finally been rescued.
But they had been rescued, and now they were heading back to friendly lines. The Battle of Sarajevo was over.
… … …
The Huron continued to limp back towards the base in Croatia. Most of the fighter jets had been forced to fly ahead, as they were running out of fuel. They were technically behind GDI lines now, so John doubted there would be any attack on the air convoy. John sat in his command chair, staring out of the front window. He couldn't bring himself to look at his injured officers or ruined bridge. It all just symbolized his failure.
"Commander, I just received confirmation that the last of our forces trapped in the city have been successfully evacuated." Athena reported.
A collective sigh of relief could be heard; it was the first real good news they had in a while.
"They sustained heavy casualties, however Captain Ri reports they were able to destroy the final generator." Athena finished.
John suddenly bolted from his seat, hope suddenly surging through him. If the generators were all down, that meant they could use the Ion Cannon. There was a chance to still kill Kane and end this damned war.
"Patch me through to Granger. Now!" John barked.
Within seconds the main view screen lit up with the image of the TacOps room back at the Pentagon. John was briefly surprised to see not just Granger, but Director-General Boyle there as well. Both men immediately turned to the view screen on their end.
"Commander, do you have an update?" Granger asked with barely contained optimism.
"Sir, all Ion Disruptor Generators are down. Sarajevo is open to strike." John said.
"Outstanding! Then fire the Ion Canon immediately." Boyle ordered with fiery determination.
"Absolutely not. We know that Kane has a liquid Tiberium weapon in that temple. An Ion Canon strike could detonate the weapon." Granger objected.
"We can not allow Kane to escape again. This strike will ensure his death."
"As well as the deaths of millions. Sandra, get Dr. Giraud on the horn. Perhaps the Doctor can talk you out of this."
"General, this is Nod controlled territory. My concern is not for the locals of this region, but for the GDI people. A single Ion strike could end this war."
"For God's sake man, don't make this about your political career!"
"Excuse me, General? Dr. Giraud has apparently been kidnapped by Nod." Lieutenant Telfair reported.
"Then the matter is settled." Boyle said triumphantly, before turning to face John. "Commander, I give you authorization to use the Ion Canon. End this war once and for all."
"Yes, sir!" John responded.
The video call ended, and John immediately rushed back to the holographic table. His EVA had already locked in the appropriate coordinates, and a flashing red button had appeared on the command console. John once again felt the intoxicating rush of power from having such a weapon at his command.
Then, much like his father had done fifty years ago, John pressed the button.
… … …
EVA unit LV-18-22 adjusted the communications satellite it was responsible for maintaining. A ground operator wanted to move the satellite so they could get a visual feed of the nearby Ion Canon platform. LV-18-22 then zoomed in the external camera – typically used for satellite maintenance or LEO traffic control – on the weapon platform. Blinding blue energy began to build within the weapon, as needle thin targeting lasers shone down to the Earth to ensure the target was accurate.
The Ion Canon then fired a powerful blast of energy. And in a moment almost too fast for even the AI to detect, the single largest explosion in human history ignited. A mushroom cloud of dust, fire, and Tiberium shot up into the stratosphere, and sent a shockwave across continental Europe and Africa. LV-18-22 had no emotions with which to react to such an incredible amount of destruction, but the millions of humans who would watch this recorded feed, now and in the future, would all watch it with mixed emotions. Mostly fear and anger. For a signal impossible for even the most advanced GDI computers to detect was relayed through the explosion.
This moment would be marked as the time when humanity as a species, would be changed forever.
... … …
Gabriel's Haven
1400
Aziah brought the rifle to his shoulder, and took careful aim at the small mutant bird known as a Dust Hopper. Inhaling deeply, he slowly exhaled, and then pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The bird flew away, unfazed by the imaginary bullet. Aziah lowered his rifle, which was actually just a large stick, and reloaded an imaginary magazine. His mother shook her head and laughed at his antics. They were in line for the water well, waiting to get today's ration. It was hot, and the wind kept whipping sand into his eyes, but Aziah did not complain; his dad told him good soldiers don't complain, and Aziah wanted to be a good soldier like his dad.
"Mommy did you see!? I could have got that Dust Hopper in one shot! If I had a real gun, I could go help daddy!"
"Yes, honey, I did see. But you are still far too young to be a soldier." His mother said with a small smile.
Aziah couldn't wait to grow up, all he wanted was to be a soldier just like his dad. To he strong and brave and defend his mommy and their village. Besides, soldiers were the coolest! They got to fight bad guys and travel the world and be heroes! Maybe one day, Aziah would be such a great soldier, that the Messiah himself would reward him. The Confessors always talked about abandoning material possessions, and being pure of soul to achieve Ascension. But Aziah just wanted to get a nice big house for his mom, and all the water in the world so they wouldn't have to wait in line or worry about Tiberium sickness.
"Look, sweetie, there are soldiers." His mother said.
Aziah looked up excitedly, and spotted the two black clad soldiers. The two seemed to be talking to each other as they patrolled the water well. Aziah stood up straighter and saluted the soldiers as they passed. One spotted the young boy and stopped, offering a salute in return. He knelt down in front of Aziah, who could see himself reflected in the visor.
"Why hello General! Out to inspect the troops?" The soldier asked teasingly.
"No!" Aziah giggled innocently. "I'm not a General! But I am going to be a soldier one day, just like you guys!"
"Ah, I see. Going to keep your mother safe?"
"Yes, sir! My daddy is a soldier like you! And I'm going to be the best soldier ever!" Aziah said excitedly.
"Do you want to know the what the secret is to being the best soldier?"
"Yeah!"
"Well, the best soldiers are the ones who are the most loyal to Kane, our Messiah and Savior of the world. Those who defend all of the faithful."
"Really? How can show that I'm super loyal?"
"Well, first you gotta to make sure to listen to your mother."
"And make sure to say your prayers to Kane every night." His mother added.
"Oh yes! I pray to the Messiah every night! And I'll start praying ten times a day!"
The adults all let out a chuckle, one that Aziah joined, not understanding they were laughing at his childish enthusiasm and innocence.
"You said your dad is a soldier? Where is he fighting?"
"In the capital! He is defending Kane himself!" Aziah said with great pride.
"Wow, your dad must be really brave and loyal to Kane to want to protect him. And you know that those who serve Kane will be rewarded, right?"
"Yup!"
"So, since you are going to be a brave and loyal protector of Kane too, maybe you'd like a reward?"
"Yes! I mean. Yes, please."
The soldier reached into a pouch and pulled out a chocolate bar. Aziah's eyes opened wide at such treasure. He had never had chocolate, but he had heard about it. One of the kids at school said he had had a piece once, and this was a whole bar!
"T-t-thank you!" Aziah said, almost in tears.
"You're welcome, but be sure to share a piece with your mom."
"Okay!"
Aziah excitedly and wordlessly showed her the gift and he could see the shock in her eyes. She waved a thank you at the soldiers, who waved back before moving on. Aziah clutched the chocolate bar for dear life as he followed his mom home after she finished getting their jug of water for the day. Because his dad was a soldier, Aziah and his mom got to live in one of the apartments, not the shacks that most people lived in. But as they walked passed the shacks, he anxiously glanced around for his friends. However, sensing this, his mother said,
"Don't go sharing that with your friends. I know you are excited, but there are…there are some people who would take your treat away."
"Oh. Okay mommy."
Aziah continued to follow his mom, as she visibly began to struggle with the heavy jug. Aziah would have offered, by the last time he tried he accidently spilled some water and that made mommy really mad. Instead he simply tried to help by holding one hand underneath, lifting as much as his tiny body could.
"Thank you, Aziah."
Aziah smiled, happy to help as much as he could. But he soon dropped his hand and pointed to the sky, forgetting about helping his mom in the excitement of the brilliant lights in the distance.
"Look mommy! Its pretty."
His mom dropped the water jug, and Aziah flinched as water spilt everywhere. He wanted to ask if she was okay, but he never did as the world fell apart around him.
… … …
A green haze hung over the land, blanketing everything in Tiberium dust. The sun was blotted out by thick clouds, casting everything in a gloomy emerald light. Large flood lights had been erected to help workers sift through the rubble, but it only added to the oppressive atmosphere that clung to everything.
Confessor Vasilyev clutched his gas mask tighter to his face, fearful of contracting Tiberium sickness. Perhaps it was hypocritical for him to praise of the glory of the green crystal one moment, and fear of its toxic effects the next. But this was not the work of the divine instrument that was Tiberium, this was the work of GDI! They were the ones to deliver this destruction upon the people of Nod. The suffering of the citizens of this village, and all of Eastern Europe was their doing.
Vasilyev walked amongst the workers, offering words of praise and encouragement as they did the dirty deed of exhuming the dead. A few times he found survivors and offered prayers or guiding words. Each time he did so with a smile, but nevertheless he felt his soul cry out in pain as he watched these people die. Most had but a few minutes left, before the Tiberium consumed them.
He came upon a woman, crystals already forming on her skin, her features ashen. The woman sat beside the corpse of her son, brushing his hair. She looked up at Vasilyev, there was no fear in her eyes, no anger, just… acceptance. Vasilyev smiled at the woman and moved to comfort her, but the woman merely laid down beside her dead son and closed her eyes. And then she was dead.
Thunder began to rumble in the distance; likely an Ion Storm was brewing from the sheer amount of Tiberium in the air. The workers would soon have to abandon their work to seek shelter, leaving the dead to be consumed by Tiberium.
Vasilyev turned to walk back to aid station, where they would take shelter from the storm. He again surveyed the death and destruction, the slow painful death caused by the fallout. GDI would pay dearly for this crime, for the deaths of so many innocent lives.
He prayed deeply for that vengeance to come soon.
… … …
Author's note: Now we have reached the end of the Battle of Sarajevo, and the end of Act 3. However, there is something I want to talk about briefly, and that is how strange the in game canon events of the Battle are.
At the end of GDI's version of the Battle of Sarajevo, GDI supposedly has taken control of Temple Prime, forcing Kane into an underground bunker. And they have even taken the Liquid T bomb. Yet Boyle decides to order the Ion Canon strike, seemingly as a publicity stunt. Wouldn't it be an even greater PR stunt to capture Kane alive? Boyle would be lauded as the leader who finally brought Kane to justice. To me makes much more sense that the Ion Canon is used in an act of desperation, over Boyle simply ordering it "just because."
Secondly, for Nod's version, we learn in Kane's Wrath that Alexa Kovac was the one who ordered the attack on Temple Prime. Kovac supposedly ordered LEGION to attack because she was jealous of Killian? If she wanted to discredit Killian and have her removed, surely there was an easier way to do it than attack Temple Prime while its being attacked by GDI. To me this never made much sense, so I have decided to change it, but we won't see that outcome until later.
But let me know what you think! I always love getting comments and reviews.
Until next time!