V-35 Ox Transport

4th of November Year 2078

10:00 Hours

Location – Threshold 19, Italy

The Mediterranean wind was moving slowly over the newborn trees. The landscape forever changed after almost continues wars deep trenches were all over and the ruins of an old city still stood there, its buildings still in ruins and not moved for almost a century. But an evil shadow still rested upon the dead city, ‘Kane’s Tower’ was still in the same place for over 20 years, the evil presence of those who left through it still lingers on this desolate place. Now it was quiet almost too quiet. The roaring of engines soon come into sound and another small shadow came from a hill overlooking the tower. It was a VTOL Ox the symbol of the GDI clearly painted on is two engines. Inside is infantry compartment was a Zone Trooper Squad, four men it high-tech armor capable of withstanding anything that is thrown at them. However, in this squadron there was an intruder more or less. There was one colonel and two majors, but there was also a Lieutenant who just finished boot camp and was assigned to this squadron as a replacement of a former soldier who died by the hands of Nod Separatists. The others looked upon him as an intruder, he didn’t feel better anyhow, joining the army only when the war finished, all looked at him more of a traitor than a patriot, but despite all these said, he didn’t care his only objective is to serve Initiative as good as he can. In his lonely dark corner, never speaking only listening, analyzing and fighting.

“Colonel what’s this mission all about?” One of the troopers asked.

“Yeah, InOps was a little stingy on details.”

“Well guys we are going to the Alien Tower, we have been having reports of Nod activity and we are sent to scout the area around it and find traces of enemy activity.” The Colonel responded.

“And if we find?”

“If we find, we are authorized to call in an air-strike and level all that stands. Do you understand Major?”

“Yes, sir I do!” He said saluting. The Colonel looked at the ‘Rookie’ and saw him not saying anything, like always, but didn’t bother asking him.

“One minute to LZ.” The Pilot began.

“Alright, you heard him, get ready.” The Colonel said. The four men began to put there helmets and take the safety off there weapons. The Lieutenant had only a railgun at his disposal; another had attached Dual Surface to Air-Launchers, the other had a Chaingun and the Colonel had a Mini –Ion Cannon. The ramp opened at the back of the aircraft, the transport’s speed decreased. Then an explosion rocked the aircraft, it was hit by a SAM missile and was spinning out of control, the Lieutenant took a daring and jumped out of the burning transport. Another explosion came and the Ox was engulfed by the flames, out trooper was hit in the back by the blunt of the explosion and lost his conscious. He tumbled towards the earth not knowing what will come. A voice spoke to him saying simply: ‘Rise, your time hasn’t come yet.’ The young soldier snapped his eyes open looking at his holographic display. He recognized the diagnostic program and saw that his suit, despite what he’s been through, had only a few small problems which were not life-threatening. He rose on his two mechanical legs and looked around him. “Ouch, what a headache.” He complained. His scanner said that it was all clear no enemies around. A smoke cloud was seen over small hill, it was probably where the transport crashed. He started going towards it, loosing his weapon made him cautious as he went forward, reaching the hill he climbed it and when he was on top he saw the crashed Ox, not much was left of it he saw the troop bay still intact as he approached he saw three armors lying on the ground. The glass-helmets were shattered and shrapnel was stuck deep in the bodies of his fellow men. Walking to each of them and taking there dog tags. Taking the two rocked launchers and a rail gun in his hand keeping the small ion cannon on his back in case of emergency. He didn’t really know what to do the Colonel knew what he needed to do and was a little lost in here. The something made him snap.

“Anyone reading this. This is InOps Headquarters, anyone reading me.”

“This is Lieutenant Abel, I hear you InOps.” He said in his radio.

“Oh you gave us quite a shock, your transport disappeared of radar and we thought we lost you. What about Colonel Byrne and the rest of your team?” He looked again at his fallen team members and sighted.

“Negative. Is just me.” After a moment of silence the person on the radio asked.

“What happened, Lieutenant?”

“I am pretty sure we got shot down by SAM missiles. InOps I am pretty lost around here and I don’t know where to go from here.”

“We know Lieutenant we will send you some help in a minute. After it lands find the pod there you will find information about the next course of action.”

“Alright InOps wish me luck.”

“Good luck Lieutenant, InOps out.” Moreover, the radio feed ended. A boom was heard and he saw a pod descending towards the ground very fast. It struck a nearby building; he rushed forward and saw that it was a small pod not being able to carry more than a container. Approaching the small pod opened he looked curious, but there was only a small card which used to store data. ‘What are those goons at Central Command think they do, could have least send me some transport, but no just a stupid card. Oh what the hell it can’t be worse than what I’ve been through already.’ He took the card and inserted in one of the slots on his back, right beneath his helmet. A voice then began.

“Oh thank God.” He took his weapon and waved it around, but there was no one. “Right here big guy.” The voice said again.

“Who are you show yourself?” He demanded.

“Alright you wanted it.” A woman who appeared to be made only of blue light stood on his holographic display. “Are you happy?” She smiled.

“Who…What are you?” He asked.

“I am Eva or at least one of the many versions.”

“You are an E.V.A. Unit?”

“Yes, more of a prototype. I am not like my former versions. I can take my own decision, I’m not just a database, and I am alive, just that I don’t have a real body.”

“So why did they sent you here?” He asked the AI.

“Well first I need to be field tested and the second I am the only thing capable of guiding you on this mission, hope you don’t mind?”

“I don’t really mind, but how are you going to help me?”

“I have all the necessary information regarding your objective also I have a direct link with every satellite on this planet. So I am pretty damn important.”

“Ok you made your point. If you don’t mind where our first objective is is?”

“Well first we need to get at this location near the ‘Tower’.” A map appeared on his screen. “After that we will need to find as many information about what’s happening in this sector. Any questions?”

“Only one, do you know why the Nod’s interested in the structure after Kane left?”

“We don’t really know ourselves, but we believe that they may try and activate it.”

“Again?” He questioned.

“Yes, but we are here to stop them, first time we got lucky this time it could end with a Tiberium explosion and we barely got rid of that stuff so we have to stop them.”

“I understand, well let’s get going.”

Our soldier started to walk out of the immediate area and into the city ruins. He took each step with care and not trying to make more noise than was needed. However, something struck him; it was to quiet, no tracks, and no footsteps, nothing to indicate a Nod presence in the area.

“Eva, are you sure we are on the right way?”

“Yes I am very sure we should reach the base of the ‘Tower’ in half an hour.”

“I really hate long walks.” He complained. His sensors started to give a red alert and the AI snapped.

“Nod vehicles coming out way, we need to hide.” He didn’t need to be said twice, running towards a ruined building and hiding in the rubble. Now it was all or nothing. The engines started to get louder and they made a grand appearance. They were three Reckoner’s escorted by three Scorpion Mk. I tanks and four Flame Tanks. It was probably a cargo transport. After they were gone, Abel still waited a minute or two before coming out of his hiding. Looking down the road something made him flinch.

“Eva, where are they?”

“What do you mean?”

“They are gone and my sensors are not finding them.”

“Well they couldn’t have in another direction this is the only road that leads to the Tower.” The Lieutenant thought about it and then had an idea.

“Eva can you link with a few satellites I want a little scan of the area.”

“What are you thinking?” She asked.

“I have a little hunch.” She nodded and did what she was asked after a minute something appeared on his screen it was a map of the region.

“You have some dumb luck did you know that?”

“If only it was luck, what did you find?”

“I linked with a few specialized satellites to get a better picture, at the base of the tower there is a large Nod base is defended by Obelisk’s of the Light and SAM missile Hubs. If we are going to take out that base we need some heavy cover.”

“Call Central Command and give them the details.”

“You got it.” After a small pause, she began. “Abel, I have General Sandra Telfair on a secure channel, she wants to talk to you.” He only answered simply.

“Ok.” An image was now transmitted on his screen.

“Lieutenant. How are you today?”

“Pretty good General, despite what I’ve been through.” He gave a sigh.

“I am sorry for the rest of your squad, but we will mourn them later. Right now, we have much to tell you. A week ago, one of our TCN was captured by the Nod and disassembled. We didn’t know where it was sent, but it seems is here near the Scrin Tower, we believe they may try and bring back Tiberium on Earth and that’s unacceptable. Lieutenant you have new orders. A few transports are on route with reinforcements to help you with the next part of the mission. Your objective is to take out that base and recapture that Hub. Good luck Lieutenant.” And the transmission ended.

“Well, Eva it seems I am going to need your help on this one.” Then someone came in the radio.

“This is transport Sierra one to Lieutenant Abel, come in.”

“I hear you Sierra one, how are you boys?”

“Pretty good sir we are on approach E.T.A. one minute.”

“Ok man; get the toys down here safely.”

“We will Lieutenant we will.” And after a minute seven V-35 Ox Transports came they had two Guardian APC, two CC-6 Pitbulls and two MBT-6 Predator Tanks, another transport had an MCV under is belly, the other two had troop compartments. They descended and let go of there of there ‘gifts’. The other two transport carried two Sniper Teams and two Missile Squads. The transport took to the skies again and left the troops down to face what is to come.

“Lieutenant.” One of the Snipers said. He turned to the soldier. “Private Michael Conrad, sir we are here to help you.”

“Thanks for coming Mike. We need to get the MCV out of this location is too exposed we need to move out.”

“Alright sir. You heard him guys let’s roll.” They started to move, when the ground beneath them began to shake violently. The building, which were already in ruins started to crumble more. A frantic voice was heard through the radio.

“Abel, get you men out of there. The Tower is activating repeat the Tower is activating.” Then only static an orb of pure white began expanding, engulfing the tower and everything near it. After it subsided, nothing was left there, no more soldiers or vehicles, only dust.

E.V.A Unit version 5.0.1.2

4th of November Year 2078

12:00 Hours

Location – Unknown

A nail in the head that’s what he felt right now, Abel only a sharp pain that was making him scream his lungs off. Nevertheless, it subsided and something else he felt, something strange a presence which made him comfortable, he opened his eyes a little, but his vision was blurry he only distinguishes a two shadows which where probably looking at him. He only heard a voice: ‘Save as many as you can’. And his vision became black again. Then another voice spoke. “Lieutenant, wake up.” His eyes opened again to see Mike and two other soldiers looking at him. One of them put a light in his eyes.

“He’s coming back, Mike.”

“What a headache.” He groaned.

“Are you alright sir any dizziness or something hurting?” A woman said.

“No, I am ok. Just feeling a little strange.” He responded.

“Yeah we all felt the same when we woke up.” Another soldier responded.

“What happened?” He said as he tried to walk on his legs, still a little wobbly but managed.

“We don’t really know sir. After that light ‘bubble’ got us we lost our consciousness.” Mike answered.

“I was the first to wake up and then I tried to wake the other we are all accounted for.” Another soldier.

“Thanks for the information…” Abel hesitated.

“Corporal Pathe, sir.” He saluted and the Lieutenant saluted back.

“Sir you were the last to wake up, so to put you up to speed.” Mike said. “All of our equipment seems to be in order, all the vehicles are fine including the MCV, but there’s a problem. We haven’t been able to contact any GDI forces, is like we are someplace else.”

“Of course we are someplace else.” Abel said as he looked to the sky.

“Why do you say so?”

“The stars they seem to be out of place. I can’t recognize any constellation.” He responded. “Is safe to assume that what happened at the Tower in Italy sent us to another planet.” All the others stood with there mouths wide open at what he said. “This day is getting better and better.” He said with a sigh.

“Well even if we are on another planet we need to find some food and water and also get out of this forest.” Pathe said still calm, but with some hesitation in his voice.

“We will leave as soon as Snyder and Hunter come back. They have been gone for an hour.” Then some rustling came from some bushes. All present got ready with there weapons getting ready to fire, but a familiar face came into view.

“Wow easy guys, is us.” He said with his hands raised. The two men having camouflage suit and the respective outback type hat.

“What took you so long?”

“Sorry sir we had to be a little careful not to get detected.”

“Detected by whom I may ask? By aliens.” The woman soldier laughed.

“If it were aliens, Karen, I think you would be the first to go. But no Lieutenant it was the Nod.” That word made was like a brick thrown in there face.

“Are you sure, Hunter?” Mike asked.

“Very sure. At six miles in that direction.” He said pointing at the forest. “We stumbled upon a settlement it was large enough to house a few hundred people. We tried to take a closer look, but then we stopped and we saw it. An Avatar Warmech, but it wasn’t alone there were several Scorpion Tanks, Attack Bikes and Flame Tanks. Also the city was crawling with soldiers.”

“But it is impossible if this is another world what are the Nod doing here?” She asked.

“Unless…”

“Unless what, Pathe?”

“Unless this is the place where Kane and the rest of his devoted Brotherhood of Nod ‘ascended’.”

“That makes sense, so that means they have been around here for a year or so.” Mike said.

“Still that complicates things very much. Remember the entire Brotherhood followed Kane through the Tower. We are not equipped to face a force that vast and with no support, we are dead in the water.”

“No we are not.” The Lieutenant began. “Even if the Nod is here we can’t stay and hope for things to get better. We need to make them at least pay for there crimes. Hunter, Snyder is there anything else we need to know?”

“Yes sir. We also so some train tracks there and another things sir, we saw some cages there when we looked in the cages, we saw horses.”

“You saw what?” Karen asked.

“Horses?” Mike asked as well.

“Yes they were hold up in several cages, we didn’t take a good look at them, but there were a few dozens.”

“This is getting interesting.”

“Ok it doesn’t really matter where the horses came from; we need to focus how to get rid of the Nod forces. And we need to move all of you get your gear we are moving out.” The Lieutenant ordered.

“Yes, sir.” They all saluted. Gathering there equipment was easy after five minutes, they were ready to go. The Lieutenant because of is suit was unable to board any of the vehicles so he took point behind him followed the rest. The two tanks were in front in order to clear the way for the large MCV, followed by the Pitbulls and at the back of were the two APC’s. The convoy made is way towards there objective slowly trying not to bring to much attention to them, despite there size, the engines were still silent enough. I took about twenty minutes until the Lieutenant said in his radio.

“Alright guys stop now; we are nearing the exit of the forest.” All the vehicles stop in there tracks from the APC’s descended the infantry following the Lieutenant out of the dense forest. As they moved forward the moon light creped through the branches of the trees like making them a safe road for them to move on.

“Abel are you sure what we will do is the right call?” The A.I. asked him.

“I don’t really know myself Eva, but I have the feeling things will get more interesting.”

“Well I am here so I am going to help you no matter what, but don’t get yourself killed. OK?”

“Ok.” He looked around and only saw a small building more likely a cottage. “Strange it looks like a small house, but is too small for a human to live in it.”

“Maybe they are short aliens.” Mike joked and the other soldiers laughed a little.

“We will think about that later, we need to move out. Mike, tell the escorts and the MCV to wait in the forest until we will contact them.”

“Yes sir.” Then a small strange sound was heard all of them hold there weapons scouring the immediate area, but found nothing. The sound was heard again, this time Abel looked up and saw something unexpected, he saw a strange bird it was fairly large, despite the dim light is feathers were clearly visible there were red and is underbelly and tail were orange. The bird stared at the Lieutenant for a second until it flew in the night sky.

“Strange.” Was his only response. The soldiers moved forward cautiously scanning the immediate area to be able to eliminate or evade any enemy patrols, but it wasn’t the case the road was easy and uneventful. They reached a hill and took cover in under some trees. The position gave them clear vision of the nearby town and any enemy positions. Hunter and Mike were already scouring the are with there sniper rifles and Abel was doing the same thing, but with binoculars. There was a large building in the middle of the town.

“Well they have an Operation Center, two Hands’ of Nod, a Secret Shrine and two Power Plants.” Mike analyzed.

“Any defenses?” Karen asked. He looked again.

“Four Shredder Turrets guarding the four main roads into the city.”

“Any units active?”

“I see two Attack Bikes patrolling the streets. Also there are a few troops at the train station loading something on the train. All the other units including the Avatar seem to be offline and parked near the Power Plants. Let me switch to thermal. Ok now is interesting the building in the center has some troops in it as well some of the buildings near the Shredder Turrets.”

“Ok here is how we are going to do it. Mike and Snyder, you two take out as many soldiers as you can. The rest will enter the city in full force, try to kill as many Nod’s, but try not to kill yourselves and any of those horses. Wait for my signal and then go. Have you all got it?”

“Yes sir!” They yelled.

“Shhhh. An ‘ok’ could have been enough.” He said making a face palm.

“Sir what will be the signal like?” A soldier asked.

“It will be sound of the Power Plants exploding he smiled and went on his way leaving the soldiers with there mouth open. He was surely on his way and slowly approached as the building became more visible. He reached the bank of the river on the other side the objective and there was only one way he could cross it.

“Ok, Abel you can do this like in training.” He said somehow uneasy.

“Abel, don’t tell me you have never used your Jump Jets?” She asked.

“Of course I have, but only in training, never on the field.”

“Alright. If I had fingers they’ll be crossed.” She said and disappeared from his screen. Taking the launch position, the Lieutenant activated his Jet’s and took off. Making a small explosion as he went forward he started to descend right upon the buildings. Landing on his legs as fast as he could took the explosives and put them on the Power Plants and the nearby vehicles. Taking a safe distance, he said.

“Eva, light the candlelight’s.” He said. And two explosions in close succession were heard and seen. The energy stopped flowing and the defenses were broken it was time to act. Abel started running towards the train station, but it didn’t take long and he was given a warming welcome by the Nod troops.

“Brothers, look there!” One of the Nod soldiers yelled at the others.

“Kill him!” Another yelled.

“Oh crap.” Our Zone Trooper began to run and took cover behind some crates. “Eva, where are they?”

“There are right behind us near the building.” He armed his Railgun and was ready to rock. He gave away the cover and started shooting. Thin white lines were traced as the powerful armor piercing rounds made short work of the low armored infantry. After he finished, he continued down the road, but after turning a corner something stood in front of the road, which made Abel stop, and shaken a little in fear. Looking at him with red eyes and an emotionless face an Awakened. That was one of the things the Zone Troopers were afraid to speak the only things capable of killing a highly trained Trooper and one was looking at the Lieutenant right now. With eyes filled of hate, he said.

“Terminate!” The robotic voice said. And it started; first he tried his EMP cannon. But Abel was faster and managed to dodge the blast, but shortly after, bullet after bullet like in an endless rain came upon him as the contraption unleashed is weapon. This time he wasn’t so lucky, before he could cover two bullets hit his side and now he was bleeding, but not yet dead.

“Come on Abel, you are not going to die here.” He reassured himself and started to get on his feet. He saw the cyborg ready to take is kill. But in that second it was hit by a blast and then another one after missiles came and made the contraption go back to the hell that spawned him. He looked into the direction of the firing and saw the two Predator Tanks as there were coming his way. Flowed by the other vehicles and the soldiers.

“Took you all long enough.” He said sarcastically.

“Sorry sir. It took longer that expected to clear those buildings. Good news is that the only remaining troops are the station and I have put some boys on guard at the Operation Center so that they will not send for backup.”

“Good job, then Mike. But we still need to take on the soldiers from the station and fast. If not they could escape by train and alert other Nod forces and we really don’t want that.” Ignoring the pain, he was up on his two feet

“Alright sir. Let’s get going guys.” Whispering only for the Lieutenant, Eva began.

“Abel you should rest you have a pretty bad wound there.”

“I will Eva, but only after I have this thing done already.” They were nearing the station and were greeted by bullets from almost every direction. Cartages were falling down on the ground as the infantries battled the enemy was trying to get out using the train, but one of the Predator took a daring leap and position itself in front of the locomotive to stop them from escaping by train. The Nod infantry soon fell prey to the better-placed bullets by the GDI forces. Abel moved towards the cages and ripped there entrance door he did the same to several other ones. He moved away as from the dark cages come something unexpected. There were ponies, but not ordinary ones. There colors were very strange some green, blue or orange. Then something else they say they had different appendages like wings and horns. The ponies started to look strange at the soldiers. Wondering who were they and why did they help them? One of the ponies, a purple one came closer to the soldier and said slowly.

“Thank you.” This was to much for them an animal to speak.

“Freaking hell, it spoke.” Snyder said.

“Of course, I can speak we all can don’t we?” The unicorn said with a little annoyance.

“Ok so all horses around here can speak?” Karen asked.

“We are actually ponies and yes we can all speak. And now I ask you who are you and why did you help us?” There was some silence, but someone else bulged in. “Sir we have Venoms inbound e.t.a. thirty seconds.” One of Pitbull drivers said.

“Everybody take cover now.” Abel shouted to everyone. All the ponies started to run in fear towards the building taking shelter in it. The Patrol Crafts came and they started shooting with there machineguns in everything that was moving. But as soon as they came in range there were met by a barrage of missiles. But managed to launch a missile and because of his wound the Lieutenant was unable to evade the blast that was made. He was propelled forward by the force of the blast and closing his eyes, he lost his consciousness.

In the dungeon beneath a shimmering castle, the moon light shined through a small window upon the face of a pony waking her up. A bird came onto the window and entered the cell it only whispered a little to her master and she thanked her.

“Thank you my dear, this is great news indeed.” She looked on the window towards the moonlight and said. “So they have come as I dreamed. Maybe there is still hope for us.”

Next Chapter: Unicorn Dawn Estimated time remaining: 44 Minutes