Chapter 20

"Field Recon regarding Alien Technology"

Connection Opened

Received Transmission:
Source: Sirius 57 Alpha
Priority: Vermillion
Scramble Index: Foxtrot-Oscar-8

INTEL SECTION 93 REPORT

- Shadow team Alpha-22 deployed to enemy theatre of operations in Area 11, Vanguard Sector, coordinates Golf-9-Kilo-5. Mission: Collect radiological and full spectrum data on Visitor structure Type 8 with intent to discern primary functional capability. Arrived 0200 hours undetected, 320 meters from target. Deployed receptors and gathered data for ~19 hours before "Seeker" patrol ambushed team. Six of eight team members killedin escape. One subsequently died of injuries sustained during extraction.

- Initial analysis of gathered data shows that Type 8 structure acts as a "Gravity Stabilizer" to compensate for intense gravity fields generated by planetary bodies. This evidently allows alien spacecraft to make short-range teleportation jumps into the Earth's magnetic and gravitic field with maximum precision. Gravity Stabilizers typically appear only in well secured areas where alien operations are highly focused.

- Visitor craft observed utilizing the Gravity Stabilizer include the units designated as "Stormrider", "Planetary Assault Carrier", and "Devastator Warship". These craft appear to be entering the area of operations using the Gravity Stabilizer before heading to objectives in the surrounding regions.

Recommendation: Prioritize destruction of Gravity Stabilizer structures in combat zones. In neutral zones, disable via reactor sabotage in order to delay deployment of major enemy combat units.

Note: Structure Type 8 now designated as Gravity Stabilizer.

Connection Closed

- Intelligence Database: Field Report – Alien Gravity Stabilizer.

Berne, Switzerland, Y-7

September 9th, 2030

0600

Historians would likely point to the destruction of the alien Mothership as the conclusion to the Battle of Berne. However, the truth was, the fighting persisted for days after its destruction. Though without the Mothership, the alien forces seemed directionless, holding on to strongholds and key positions long after their strategic value waned. The fighting was less brutal, but it still cost lives and saw GDI fighting street by street. But with the battle for the city now being conducted primarily on the company level, it gave John time to rest and to handle the mess of re-establishing global communications.

John sat alone in the corner of an upscale restaurant GDI had commandeered as the primary HQ. With the Huron destroyed, John had moved his command staff here, where they continued to work tirelessly to secure the city, and to organize the flow of GDI forces still coming under John's command.

John sighed before taking a sip of his tea, reflecting over the scraps of news he had from around the world. The good news seemed to be that the aliens were already reeling. After the shock of their initial invasion had worn off, humanity's forces had swiftly retaliated, and the alien's forces were being quickly routed, and as a result, they had begun falling back to the beachheads within the worlds Red Zones. Furthermore, the alien attacks on Reykjavik, Tokyo, Washington D.C., and other major capitals had been repulsed with manageable damage. The bad news was, the aliens were fortifying the Red Zones and had begun construction of truly colossal mega structures, which could only be bad for mankind. Plus, General Adamek and the Steel Talons had been completely obliterated, along with Sydney, after Nod nuked the city. And now the Brotherhood had seemingly disappeared off the radar, and John didn't like having the fanatics running around unchecked.

Further complicating matters was the issue that GDI was currently running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Director-General Boyle may have been safe in Reykjavik, but unfortunately military High Command was still in disarray. While EUROCOM had managed to get the Blue Zones of B-1, B-3, B-5, and B-15 under control, there was no word from General Granger or even General Quam from PACCOM. That left John without much instruction of what to do, or what to do with all the ragtag forces he now had command over. In short; it was a cluster fuck.

"Excuse me, sir? Do you need anything?" An orderly asked timidly.

"Yeah, more tea. And something to eat. A sandwich will do fine." John replied without looking up from the computer screen.

"Of course, Commander."

John continued reading through the endless lines of text, hoping to find something relevant. Nod forces had destroyed a ZOCOM Reclamation facility in Africa? Troubling, but not John's concern. GDI forces rushed from B-8 to Australia? Too far away for him to worry about. Alien forces spotted near the ruins of Sarajevo? That peaked John's interest. It was close by and any chance to strike back against the invaders was worth it. He pulled up all the relevant information and started drawing up plans to mobilize his ad hoc force. It would be difficult without the Huron, but if he could acquire enough Dropships and Oxen, he could…

"Commander!"

John looked up as Athena came barging into the restaurant/HQ, her face lit up with excitement. She marched straight for John's booth, clutching a tablet in her hands.

"Colonel? What's going on?" John asked with tempered hope.

"General Granger on video call for you." Athena said as she handed the tablet to him.

John quickly grabbed the device and saw the grainy video feed of General Granger and Lieutenant Telfair in the command room back at the Pentagon. John couldn't help contain his relief as he greeted the pair.

"Its damn good to see you, sir."

"Good to see you too, Commander. I've heard you've done a hell of a job over in Europe, damn fine work." Granger replied.

"Thank you, sir." John beamed.

"I would love to get a situation report from you, but we have a pressing matter that requires immediate attention." Granger said, immediately turning serious. Before John could press him for questions, Telfair spoke up.

"Before the invasion began, we got word from JPL Deep-Space net about six objects approaching Earth at relativistic speed from the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune. As they neared the planet, Acting-Director Boyle ordered the Ion Cannon network to fire, causing the six craft to splinter into nearly thirty smaller craft. That's when the aliens attacked and our communications went down." Telfair summarized.

"We thought the Brotherhood's attacks were brutal, but these aliens have no remorse, no mercy. We've been busy just trying to hold our own, until now, until you. Your attack on Berne seems to have sent them reeling. Though exactly why, we still don't know." Granger added. "But I still wish we knew what the alien's agenda was beyond just wreaking havoc. Though one benefit of all this uncertainty; its driven Boyle into hiding." Granger said with a smile.

"Nice and secure in Reykjavik, exactly where you should be, General." Telfair stated with amusement.

"Not a chance in Hell. We're going to use this chance to make some moves without bureaucratic red tape and being second guessed by Boyle."

John bit his tongue to avoid retorting. John respected Granger, and was thrilled at finally hearing from him, but what he and Lieutenant Telfair were saying sounded dangerously close to insubordination. John merely nodded and continued to listen to the General speak.

"With the invaders retreating into the Red Zones, they have begun construction of massive super structures. We have no idea if these are some kind of Tiberium refineries, or missile silos, or some kind of super weapon. But I don't really want to wait around and find out. That's why I want you to recon one of these towers and figure out as much as you can. These towers, or whatever the hell they are, must be brought down. I have ordered nearly the entire GDI armed forces to destroy these towers, but I need you to recon the one in Italy. It's the closest to completion and the information you discover about themcould prove to be invaluable. I'm trusting you to be the tip of the spear, Commander."

"I understand, General. I'll get it done."

"Good. In the meantime, I'm having ZOCOM's commanding officer, General Gerhardt Krause, assume temporary command of your forces; he'll get them reorganized and ready to deploy into the Italian Red Zone. You will lead the recon force ahead of them."

"I can have a unit ready to go within a few hours."

"We need to get as much Intel as we can, but we can't afford a frontal engagement, not yet, not until we know what these things are. But you have some locals to help you."

"Locals? Do we have ZOCOM units in the area?" John asked.

Granger and Telfair glanced at each other, before the Lieutenant answered, "There is a Forgotten tribe in the area. We made contact and they agreed to help. They may be mutants, but they are still human, and they have no love for the aliens. Make contact with a man named Remus, he leads this tribe. The Forgotten will help you recon the tower."

John was stunned by the news. GDI had worked with the mutants in the past; John himself had fought alongside them during the Second War. But the Forgotten had been dormant for nearly a decade, content to live in their communities within the Red Zones. So, to call upon their help now was truly indicative of how desperate GDI had become in face of the aliens. Not to mention the name of this specific tribal leader sounded familiar, but John couldn't quite place it.

"I'll get a unit ready to deploy. I can have Colonel Miles go with them to act as a liaison between me and this Remus, while I stay behind to help General Krause organize our forces. However, with the Huron destroyed, I now lack a proper command and control center." John stated.

"Yes, I heard about the loss of the Huron. But I'm working on something now to replace it. However, there is a slight catch to this… alliance the Forgotten have proposed. They want you specifically to be there." Granger said.

"Me, sir? Why would the Forgotten ask for me?"

"We don't know, they wouldn't say. I don't like it, with things in such disarray at the moment, I can't afford to loose high ranking officers. But it is also imperative we find out what these towers are. So I need you to lead this recon team and meet with the mutants. Now get to R-1. Time may not be on our side, Commander. The fate of this war may rest upon your shoulders."

… … …

Rome, Italy, R-1

September 9th, 2047

1730

Five M113 APCs moved through the alien hellscape that had once been the nation of Italy. Tiberium had long since transformed the once lush countryside into something completely alien. Massive Tiberium glaciers had created vast chasms and cliffs. Ion storms raged endlessly, blotting out the sun in a thick layer of dark clouds. Yet everything was illuminated by the green glow of Tiberium fields. There was nothing within the Red Zone that resembled Earth; it was as if they had teleported to an alien world.

John watched the tortured land through various cameras mounted on the exterior of his command APC. Without the Huron, he was now forced to operate from the cramped conditions of the M113. While the box like vehicles were well over ninety years old, they had proven to be uniquely suited for operating in Red Zones. Thus, ZOCOM had heavily upgraded them and used them over the more traditional Amphibious and Guardians APCs. Of the five M113s being used for this operation, four carried the haggard platoons of Rubicon Company, the unit John had selected for this reconnaissance mission. They were hardened veterans, and would be perfect not just to deal with the aliens, but to keep the Forgotten in line. While the mutants may have offered to help, John didn't fully trust them.

Outside the M113, the vast Tiberium chasms began to narrow, forming into a point which created a small peninsula within the waste land. The meeting point was just up ahead, so John began panning the cameras and sensors around to look for the Forgotten. Instead, his mouth fell agape as he saw the sheer size of the alien tower. It was massive, beyond description, and not just in height. The base of the tower was miles wide, covering the entirety of what had once been the city of Rome. The tower also stretched into the sky, far above the cloud layer, making it taller than any human built structure. John couldn't see just how tall the thing really was, but reports indicated it nearly touched Earth's mesosphere.

"Sweet mother of God." An officer gasped.

"Focus people. Where are those Shiners?" John asked, breaking himself from his own stupor.

"They should be just up ahead… yes, I see them. A Technical parked just in front of us. Strange, no other contacts."

"I doubt their chieftain is alone. Pull over here, but keep an eye out for other mutants. Have a single squad accompany me." John ordered.

"Yes, sir." The small command staff said in unison.

The ramp lowered to let the harsh environment into the APC. Everyone was wearing their Tiberium protection suits, carefully checked and sealed. After John departed the vehicle, the ramp closed and began dousing the interior with a thin mist of decontaminates to try and keep Tiberium out of the APC. Outside, John patted his pistol for comfort, then walked towards the Technical with a four-man squad a step behind him. A single figure stepped out of the Technical and trotted towards John. The mutant was huge, well above six feet tall and composed of well toned muscle. Adding to his frame were the Tiberium protrusions across his body that identified him as a mutant. The two parties met in the space between the vehicles, and John held out his hand in greeting, which the mutant took in his meaty hands.

"Commander John Lancaster, GDI 7th Infantry Division."

"You don't remember me, do you?" The mutant asked.

John studied the man for a moment, before shaking his head.

"I see. I am Remus, leader of this tribe. You and I once fought together, under my leader Umagon. You were but a warrior then, now you are a leader." Remus clarified.

"I apologize for not recognizing you, Chief Remus. Though I am honored to fight alongside an old ally." John responded diplomatically.

"Tiberium cursed our bodies, but it did give some of us the gift. I have such gift, and I know you lie, Commander."

John was at a loss for words. He had heard about some mutants claiming to be able to see the future, but never paid it any attention. But the intensity within Remus' eyes said that he believed it, and he was able to see through John's careful façade.

"I don't mean any disrespect."

"You do not like my kind. Fair enough, I don't like you either."

"Then why help?"

"Because I have seen the fate of this world. It ends in darkness and death, and you are the one who delivers us to extinction. But I also see another future, one still shrouded with uncertainty, but there is life. Again, you are there, the savior to bring us back from the precipice. There is a fifty/fifty chance that you will save the world, or destroy it. I say those are fairly good odds, given our current situation."

John didn't reply as he was having a hard time determining if Remus was serious or joking. But with the stoic expression on the mutant's face, John could only surmise he was serious about the whole vision thing.

"I…see. Well, I can assure you I have no intention of destroying the world. My job is to save it, and I will need your peoples' help to do that." John finally responded.

"Sometimes the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, Commander. But I said I would help you, and I am a man of my word. My people have already done some scouting, so let's get down to strategy."

Remus waved his large arm, and mutants suddenly emerged from seemingly nowhere. The squad of riflemen behind John tensed, but he gestured at them to stand down. He had to admit, he didn't anticipate the Forgotten to used salvage stealth tech. They gathered close to Remus and John as they began to hash out a plan to get close to the alien tower.

… … …

Burke breathed in the stale recycled air of her Tiberium suit, envious of the mutants who could breathe freely in the open air. She and her squad were currently accompanying a group of Forgotten pathfinders, winding their way through a forest of calcified Blossom trees. Various flora and fauna now resided in the outskirts of the old city. The group was careful to avoid disturbing Tiberian Fiends and Floaters, as they made their way towards the tower. Burke found it difficult not to glance up and gawk at the mega structure, still in awe and fear of the thing. They still had no idea what it was for, but that was what Burke and her men were here to figure out.

Surprisingly, the group had yet to encounter any alien forces, not even an outer patrol. But they could see dozens of ships flying around the tower, and no doubt there would be ground troops there as well. The humans and mutants remained silent as they trekked through the alien wilderness, inching ever closer to the tower. A flock of Dust Hoppers suddenly flying off nearly caused Burke to jump in fright, and she had to force herself to calm down. Months of grueling fighting and walking through a Red Zone had shaken her nerves, but she still had a job to do.

"We are nearing the object we discovered. The invaders guard it well, so we think it is important." The lead pathfinder whispered.

"How well guarded?" Burke asked.

"Defence towers and foot troops. Plus, light vehicles pass by on patrols; it is the most lightly guarded of the three objects. We think the aliens had not predicted an assault from this side, concentrating their forces on the other side of the tower." The pathfinder explained.

"We still need to get closer so we can let our EVA unit scan the thing."

"There is a small outcropping that overlooks the object. It is dangerously close to the aliens, but if we are careful, we should be able to avoid detection."

"Then let's keep moving."

The group continued through the alien landscape, walking deeper into the shadow of the mega structure. Burke ordered the group to move more carefully, and to use what cover they could. Alien flyers began to grow more numerous the closer they got, and all it would take was for a single Stormrider to spot them and end the mission. Thankfully, the group was never spotted, and besides a Floater that lazily crossed their path, the group made it to the outcropping with no delays or complications.

Burke and the Forgotten pathfinders quickly got into position, laying prone on the edge of the outcropping overlooking the alien object. The rest of Burke's squad took up positions behind them, vigilant for any aliens who may wander by. Burke pulled out a device that appeared like a normal camcorder, but actually held a suite of sophisticated scanning gear that would allow EVA to study the object. Burke held the scanner steady as multiple-spectrum lasers danced over the object.

"Any guesses on what it is?" Burke asked as EVA gathered the data.

"Some kind of energy shield? A power source? We do not know, but the aliens defend it, so it must have value." The pathfinder responded.

"I'm gonna be real pissed if we find out its just some kind of alien porta-potty."

Burke and the mutants fell silent as they waited for the device to finish scanning. After a few tense, but uneventful minutes, the device beeped.

"Command, this is Maverick 2, confirm receipt of data package? Over."

"Copy Maverick 2, we have the data package. Remain on site while we review it."

"Wilco, Command. Maverick 2, out."

Burke sighed as she placed the scanner back in its case. She brought up her rifle to watch out for the aliens as they skittered about, however she found her attention shifting to the tower, still unable to fathom its size. Now that they were closer, she could see the tower was comprised of rings of chitinous plates that almost seemed alive as they moved and writhed. Electricity constantly surged around the tower, as alien drones swarmed around, conducting some unknown task. The tower stretched past the dark clouds out of her sight, extending to the heavens like some biblical Tower of Babel.

"Contacts!"

Burke ripped herself away from the tower and brought up her rifle. Her squad was already firing at the alien hostiles rushing their position and she added her fire without thought. But as she blasted an alien apart in a shower of alien gore and green blood, her brain registered the new threat they were facing. Dozens upon dozens of aliens were charging at them, screaming and growling like crazed beasts. Blackened claws glittered in the emerald glow of Tiberium, but the claws extended from human arms. They had grey skin, and most were covered in tattered rags while others were completely nude. Some ran on all fours like animals, but most ran on two legs hunched over from the weight of the alien creature that replaced the head. Burke didn't have much time to study the alien figure protruding from the necks of these people, but they exploded in a satisfying shower of gore when shot.

The GDI riflemen and mutant pathfinders stood with their backs to the outcropping, firing at the seemingly endless horde of alien Cultists. Burke risked a glance behind her as she reloaded, and felt her stomach drop as she noticed more aliens moving towards them from below.

"Command, this is Maverick 2! We have been compromised! I repeat: we have been compromised! We need immediate evac!" Burke shouted as she fired.

"Hold your position, Maverick 2. We are on the way."

"Negative, Command! We're getting overrun!"

"Friendly Forgotten troops are two mikes out. Hold position, Maverick 2."

"Motherfucker!" Burke spat.

The Cultists seemed endless as they tried to climb over their own dead. One managed to get through and took a swing at one of the pathfinders, but the powerful mutant merely swatted the frail alien down and stomped on its chest, making a sickening squelch sound. But Burke knew it wouldn't be long before the alien reinforcements arrived, and she and the others would be slaughtered in a hail of plasma. Burke gritted her teeth and kept firing, determined that she would not die in this hellhole.

As it finally looked like there might be an end to the Cultists, a bright flash of light signaled the arrival of more aliens through teleportation. But instead of a squad of Shock Troopers, it was a single alien. It appeared similar to a Shock Trooper, but it was smaller and its head was not as bulbous. The new creature didn't attack with plasma or energy lances. In fact, it didn't move at all. That detail disturbed Burke, but she was forced to focus on the Cultists still charging their position.

"No! Get out! Get out of my head!"

Burke whirled around to see West dropping his rifle and clutching his head with both hands. The kid was screaming, growing more incoherent as he tried clawing at his own head. If it wasn't for the protective helmet, Burke figured he'd be ripping bits of his own skin off.

"West, keep shooting!" Haley barked.

"Get out! No! Kill! Kill! For the Overlords!"

West suddenly lunged at Haley, knocking them both to the ground. Haley yelled out in surprise as he struggled to get West off of him. But West kept him pinned and began beating on Haley's visor, trying to break it.

"West!" Burke shouted, moving over to help.

"Sergeant! Its that thing! Its controlling him!" Ramirez called out.

"How do you… forget it. Focus fire!"

Burke and Ramirez poured into the strange alien. The creature sputtered and writhed as it was torn apart by the hail of bullets. Green blood splattered everywhere before the alien fell in a broken heap. As soon as the alien died, West immediately fell backwards off Haley, gripping his head again and moaning in pain. Burke slammed a new magazine into her rifle, but the firefight had ended. The alien mind controller and the grotesque human-alien hybrid Cultists were dead. The group had a moment of respite, but one they all knew would not last long.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Haley screamed.

"What? What happened? I…I don't remember." West replied groggily.

"You don't remember trying to rip my fucking face off!?"

"What!? No! Why would I-"

"Haley, shut up. West, you okay?" Burke asked.

"Uhm…yes?"

"You were being…controlled. By that alien." Ramirez explained.

"And how did you know that?" Burke questioned.

"Seemed kinda obvious. Thing was standing there staring at West, then he went crazy. You think mind control is beyond these thing's capability?"

"Fair point. Alright, more bugs are going to be on us soon so I'm going to radio command. West, don't listen to any more alien voices. Haley and Ramirez, keep an eye on him."

"Got it, Sar'nt."

"He so much as starts mumbling about alien overlords again, I'll shoot his ass." Haley growled.

"Alien overlords?" West asked, confused.

"Cassius, you and your boys provide overwatch. Those bugs get close, you start shooting." Burke directed her order to the mutant pathfinders.

"Understood." Came the simple reply.

Burke walked away from the group, just to take a breath and calm her trembling hands. Losing both West and Haley would have been devastating, and Burke wasn't sure she would have recovered from that. To distract herself, she pulled out her radio and yelled into the transceiver.

"Command, Maverick 2. Enemy contacts eliminated, but be advised, enemy has mind control capabilities."

The radio was silent for a long moment, before Commander Lancaster finally responded. "Uh, Maverick 2, please say again your last. Did you say 'mind control'?"

"Affirmative, Command. What's the ETA on those reinforcements? We have more hostiles converging on our positions."

"Main column is five mikes out. But a Forgotten recon squad will be at your location any second now."

"Copy all, Command. Maverick 2, out."

Burke took a deep breath as she replaced the radio. She turned to walk back to the group just as plasma bolts began to impact their position.

"Contacts!"

The Forgotten pathfinders were firing down on the aliens as they charged their position. The amount of plasma and energy fire became too much, forcing both humans and mutants into cover. Fortunately, a Forgotten Technical sped towards them, heavy machine gun firing wildly as the gunner tried to keep the gun steady. The Technical came to an abrupt halt, and four mutant warriors hopped out. With the added fire, Burke and the others were able to fire back, and the aliens began taking a heavy toll.

The enemy didn't care.

More aliens appeared via portals, supported by Gun Walkers. Burke saw one of the pathfinders go down with a gaping smoking hole where his chest once was. The Technical exploded in a shower of debris, the gunner along with it. More and more aliens appeared, quickly overwhelming the GDI and Forgotten troops. All seemed lost when the sudden bark of multiple heavy machine guns caused Burke to turn around, and grin wildly as she saw the M113s roll in with more Forgotten Technicals and Diablo light tanks. GDI riflemen charged out from the APCs, followed by more mutant warriors. Diablo tanks exchanged fire with the Gun Walkers, showering the battlefield with alien gore.

"Hold the line men! More reinforcements are inbound!" Commander Lancaster barked from inside the command APC.

Burke cursed as she fired a burst at a Ravager. Surely the Commander didn't plan on charging the alien tower with a single company and a couple mutants? But Burke's question was answered, when she heard a tremendous clap of thunder from the sky.

… … …

John felt like he was inside of a sauna, as the interior of the APC began heating up from continuous blasts of plasma hitting the outside. The machine gun operator never stopped firing, threatening to burn through the gun's barrel. But John didn't have time to yell at the man for fire discipline, he was too worried about the slow exchange between General Granger, Colonel Miles, and General Krause.

"EVA has confirmed that those devices are 'phase shield emitters'. The science behind it is far beyond me, but from what I've gathered, these towers are…not real? Telfair, explain it again." Granger grumbled, sounding annoyed.

"Essentially, the towers have been phased out, half teleported between our world and somewhere else. It renders them invulnerable to all attacks, as technically the towers aren't here. Those emitters act as anchors: destroy those, and the towers become vulnerable."

"All the more reason why I need my troops." John cut in. "I can't destroy these things with just a single company and some damn shiners."

"I am engaged with the invader's defences along the Zone border. They are putting up stiff resistance, so I can't send anything your way." Krause explained.

"What about that special asset you promised me?"

"We are making best possible speed, sir. But we are still half an hour to forty minutes out." Athena said apologetically.

"So, no reinforcements, and no special air support. Am I to destroy the aliens with harsh words?" John asked, more heatedly than he intended.

"Like I said, we are trying to break through to get to you. But the aliens have fortified the Zone borders and the Brotherhood is launching attacks at our rear. Its like the crazy bastards are trying to help the aliens."

John gritted his teeth in anger. Of course the damned Brotherhood would try something. It wasn't enough they blew up Sydney, now they were trying to help the invaders?

"General Krause, can your forces deal without orbital support for a short time?" General Granger asked.

"I suppose. But it would delay our breakthrough to Lancaster."

"Commander, I'll redeploy those assets to you. Use them to take out those phase emitters and bring down the tower."

"Copy that, sir. Thank you."

Granger nodded, which signaled an end to the video conference. Almost immediately, John's EVA indicated he now had access to the orbital assets, and John couldn't help but feel relieved at what he saw. A full two platoons of Zone Troopers, a Rod from God kinetic weapon satellite, and more importantly, an Ion Canon. John planned to save the super weapon for the tower, but it wouldn't even scratch the paint until he took out those phase emitters.

Looking at the tactical screen, he could see his forces were just barely holding the line against the aliens. His foot troops, including the mutants, had hunkered down and were trading fire with the alien swarm attempting to break through. While the alien infantry seemed unable to advance, their vehicles – if one could really call them that – were tearing apart the Forgotten's rusted armored units with ease. It was time John called down the thunder.

"You have good news?" Remus asked from behind.

"Get your warriors ready to push: we're going to destroy that emitter as soon as reinforcements arrive."

"Your forces were able to break through the alien lines?"

"Not exactly." John said with a grin before turning back to the screen. "EVA, target grid Bravo Foxtrot seven eight four. Fire full barrage. Then deploy all drop pods on the same grid."

"Affirmative, Commander."

On the tactical screen, a red beam of light appeared on the battlefield, but to those actually out there, they couldn't see it. The targeting laser came from the weapon satellite in orbit, and in a few seconds, solid metal rods would rain down with terrible destructive power.

John waited with baited breath as a new wave of aliens arrived, supported by their hovering Seeker tanks. Before the newcomers could even fire a single volley, the first rod slammed into the earth. The ground erupted into a massive plume of dirt and shattered Tiberium. A shockwave went out from the epicenter, sending aliens flying like tossed toys. A split second later, a relentless hail of hypervelocity slugs slammed into the earth. The alien force was decimated, the ground churned apart, and a few of the alien defensive structure obliterated. Before anyone could process the devastation, drop pods crashed into the cratered ground, bursting open to reveal dozens of heavily armored Zone Troopers and Zone Raiders.

Portals opened up to spew out more aliens, now almostcompletely comprised of Shock Troopers and Devourer tanks. But the aliens were blasted apart in a fusillade of railguns and sonic grenades. The remainder of Rubicon Company and their Forgotten allies surged forward to join the fray, but John noticed even more aliens being mobilized against them. Time was running out.

"Major Ri, deploy some rocket teams to destroy that emitter. Break. Lieutenant Wilkins, push through these bugs, we need to get to the second emitter."

"Copy that! 3rd Platoon, on me!" Major Ri responded.

"Wilco, Command." The Zone Trooper leader said at the same time.

"Enemy flyers approach, we can't face such a force, even with your tin men." Remus stated.

"Colonel Miles should be here soon with additional back up. We need to take out this tower before they finish getting it online."

"Perhaps we should pull back? Wait for your Colonel."

"You said I have a fifty-fifty chance of saving the world right? Trust me."

"There's also the chance you lead us to extinction, so I'll hold my trust."

John scoffed at the mutant and focused on the tactical display. Remus had a point though: once those alien warships got into range, it would be over. John had no fighters or any AA to defend his troops. He did, however, have another salvo of orbital slugs and an AI capable of calculating speed and trajectories of alien ships.

"EVA, calculate the most likely path of those alien ships, designate Sierra one through seven. Fire all remaining slugs from the Rods of God to impact those targets."

"Affirmative, Commander. Trajectory plotted, adjusting weapon satellite. Coordinates locked. Firing."

John again watched the screen nervously, tracking the alien ships as they flew along the predicted course. A single Devastator began to divert off the projected line, but it did so a second too late. The first slug slammed into a PAC, ripping apart the carrier in a single blast, indicating the enemy hadn't raised their shields yet. More slugs rained down, missing the ships, but the occasional one would find its target. The alien ships exploded in spectacular fashion, and flaming debris cascaded down onto the alien troops. The small flotilla had been thoroughly destroyed, but John knew that he had only bought them a little time, as more ships would soon be sent.

"Warning: orbital weapons platform Delta-one-one is depleted. Satellite is offline." EVA reported.

"An impressive display. But that merely delayed the enemy. We should use this time to pull back, regroup." Remus suggested.

"No, we will keep pushing. Our troops are nearly upon the second emitter. If we take them all down, then we can pull back and I'll use the Ion Canon." John countered.

John heard the large mutant grunt from behind, signaling an end to the conversation. John refocused the tactical display and directed it at Major Ri and his heavy weapons team. Three rocket troopers and a single Zone Trooper were lined up a few yards away from the first emitter, ready to fire on the strange alien device. One of the RTs fired a single rocket that exploded against the exterior shell of the clam like structure. A strange light began to bleed out from the blast hole, but it otherwise seemed intact. A second rocket fired, breaking open the shell and causing the light to spew out in blinding rays. The Zone Trooper took aim and fired his railgun, straight into the heart of the device. The device exploded in an anticlimactic fashion, merely blowing apart from the force of the slug, and the strange light simply disappeared like a candle being blown out.

"Command, Dragon 1, Target Alpha has been destroyed." Major Ri reported.

"Copy that, good work. Rejoin the others."

The screen became awash with static, blinding John's view of the battle. The lights and instruments within the APC flickered on and off, eliciting curses from the other officers. John stood up to bark orders, but the systems returned to normal within seconds, causing everyone to glance at each other in confusion. Screams erupted from the radio, and John whirled around to see what had happened, only to go pale and fall into his chair. The aliens had opened a portal, which he guessed must have caused the freak electrical disturbance. The shimmering ball of swirling energy was massive, but the aliens did not send an equally sized force through, they sent a single unit. It towered over the battlefield, standing on six spindly legs. Tentacles dangled from underneath the beetle like creature, but no other weapons were visible, save for the sharp mandibles that protruded from the creature's head. John had never seen anything like it: it was far larger than the alien tripods, and he had no idea if it was a living creature or some sort of vehicle. John simply watched in stunned silence as the thing began walking towards his forces, who threw everything they had at the thing. Railguns, sonic grenades, rockets, bullets, and curses were all thrown at the Hexapod, and all bounced off harmlessly. The Hexapod returned by vomiting a hail of plasma discs which disintegrated dozens of GDI soldiers and Forgotten warriors with ease.

"Fall back!" John roared. "All units: retreat!"

John's order seemed unnecessary as everyone began to run away as fast as they could. The Hexapod lazily chased after them, firing plasma discs at their retreating forms. The dangling tentacles shot out to grab soldiers that were unable to run fast enough, dragging them up inside the creature, undoubtedly to face a horrible fate. The survivors clambered into the APCs and tried to speed away, but the boxy M113s simply could not outrun the Hexapod. John witnessed one APC simply vanish as it was consumed by a volley of plasma.

"Make room in here! We need to cram as many people as we can! Remus, get your people out of here."

"It is too late." Remus said, pointing at a display screen.

John looked over to see a single Devastator was heading straight for the command APC. There was no hope of escape; in seconds John would be killed and his men slaughtered. Almost inexplicably, John felt a surge of anger: he survived being blasted out of the sky by a Mothership, had defeated both Nod and the invaders when the battle had seemed lost, and this was how he would die? In a Red Zone, trapped in a metal box? This was the legacy of John Lancaster?

"Guess you bet wrong." John said, immediately regretting his choice of last words.

"I guess so." Remus replied.

The Devastator came within firing range, but never delivered the death blow. Instead, the ship erupted into flames as dozens of missiles impacted against the hull. The ship took a nose dive into the ground, just as a squadron of GD-22s flew past. John rushed back to the tactical screen, only to see the battlefield had become shrouded in darkness as a large object hung above them. Faster than John could blink, the alien Hexapod began spewing blood and flames as a giant railgun slug punched through it, followed by another, than a third. The Hexapod collapsed to the ground with tremendous force. John turned the external camera to see his savior and nearly shouted with immense relief. Even Remus seemed sufficiently shocked by what they saw.

The Arcus Experimental Mobile Fortress was a top-secret project that, to John's knowledge, existed only on paper. It was twice the size of an Orca Command Vehicle, and had the firepower of a Solomon-class battleship. It was mobile command, weapons platform, and super weapon all rolled into one, and it was raining death upon the aliens. Railgun slugs eviscerated enemy ships, while rockets pods and 120mm cannons decimated anything on the ground.

"GDS Arcus to Commander Lancaster: did you call for rescue?" Athena asked jovially.

"Forget the witty banter, Colonel. Focus your fire on those emitters!" John barked testily.

In lieu of reply, the Arcus shifted the two large underslung railguns and fired on the second phase emitter. The device was erased from existence by the strike, and the aliens seemed to be thrown into an angered frenzy by its destruction. Dozens of warships raced to converge on the Arcus, while ground forces began to swarm around the final emitter, putting up a shield of metal and flesh.

"Colonel, deploy some transports down to us. Throw everything you've got into that last emitter so I can call down the Ion Canon."

"Copy that, sir."

Athena did just as John told her: she unleashed everything the Arcus had. The railguns fired, tearing through the aliens swarming around the emitter, then she followed up by a salvo of rockets that blasted apart anything that hadn't been liquefied by the railguns. The banks of 120mms finished the display with a literal rain of shells. The third phase shield emitter was destroyed, and EVA was quick to report that the tower was now vulnerable.

"EVA, fire the Ion Canon!"

"Should we not get to safety first?" Remus asked, fearing creeping into his voice.

"Fifty-fifty chance, right?"

John smiled as a genuine look of fear passed over the mutant's face. The bright lance of the Ion Canon impacted into the tower and exploded in a ball of flame that illuminated the darkened landscape. The colossal tower began to crumble, alien metal raining all across the Italian countryside. A great wall of dust swept over everything, rendering everyone blind, and anyone not inside an APC was shredded by debris. The command APC rocked as the tower fell to the Earth in a mighty heap.

The Tower of Babel had fallen.

… … …

Author's note: The Arcus is a campaign only unit from Tiberian Twilight, seen at the end of the Nod campaign. This is perhaps my favorite unit design from that mess of a game, so I really wanted to incorporate it here. There are only two more units from Twilight that I intend to bring into the story, and those won't be seen until the final chapter.

Much like chapter 19, this one wasn't as combat intensive compared to the game level. The main reason is I am saving the big action sequences for the last two chapters, so chapter 21 will also be a bit light on combat as well.

Until next time.