Tiberian Eclipse

Ch2: Good-byes and hellos

Carol looked over her set of suitcases carefully. In one were her clothes and some documenting equipment, in the other, the baby's cloths and some toys. She finished stuffing them and closed and buckled them shut. Her transport left at 0930, it was 0835, and she needed to get going in the next few minutes. She sat down for a minute to rest, then went out into the kitchen to see Richard looking over the last of his news paper and drinking the last of his stimulant drink. He folded his paper and got up.

"I have to get to the office now," he said.

They embraced, then he pulled away.

"Have a good trip, bye."

"Bye" she replied, then he went out the door, and was gone.

Carol sighed, then went back and brought the suitcases out and lined them up on the floor.

"Well, might as well wake her up now," she said, then went to get the baby



The Philadelphia II, 0900 hours SUT

General Michael McNeil walked briskly down too his office. He opened his door, and went over to his desk.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of his office.

"Come in," he said

A wiry lieutenant in his early twenties walked in with some files under his arm.

"Sir, the new combat vehicle plans are in."

"Very good lieutenant, you may leave," McNeil replied

The lieutenant laid the data files on the desk and walked out. McNeil picked up the files and looked them over. The new plans for the tanks consisted of much hard work in developing new types of weaponry. The new designs were the three newest additions to GDI's ground arsenal.

The new designs were of the P-90 Leviathan Frigate, the M1-A7 Gladiator Tank, and the Behemoth Mk1 Heavy Support Tank. All three designs were going to be used immediately to change production from obsolete weaponry. The GDI had recently scraped the production of Wolverines, and had cut down Titan production to 10% of its original in favor of the Tactical Class. GDI had yet to abandon conventional infantry warfare as they saw them as a valuable asset especially with the growing NBC protection that even kept out Tiberium poisoning.

He took a look at the specifications. The Leviathan Frigate was the new class of space-borne warships. It was half the size of the Kodiak II, but just as heavily armed and armored. Equipped with five railgun cannons as well as six particle cannons, it was a very powerful weapon. The Gladiator Tank, a tank with as much armored protection a Titan had, was the new class of hover units. With twin cannons, it packed twice the punch the Titans had, about as much as the old Mammoth Mark Is. The final new vehicle was the Behemoth Tank. With twice as much armor as the Mammoth Mark Is, it provided a lot of protection for the four soldiers on board. This tank was equipped with dual particle cannons and was perhaps the most powerful GDI unit ever built, even more powerful than the Mammoth Mark II. That design had been scrapped ever since the skirmish with Cabal and the Scrin about two years ago.

McNeil put the data files away and then took a nap.

Sydney, Australia, Office of the PAP Chairmen, 0900 Zulu



Umagon, having recently acquired her new position as Chairmen, sat in her office in the PAP government building. She was going over some of her own new production plans, these ones consisting of air units. The PAP currently was reorganizing its economic systems, and the construction of war machines was something that they could not afford right now. Construction of transports and air freighters was far more profitable.

"These are sufficient, begin production immediately. For some reason, I feel they will come in handy later."

"Yes madam Chairmen," the aide said and walked out with his new orders.

Umagon drank down the last of her tea, then began remembering past and present things. So far, the majority of the Forgotten had been cured, yet they still felt that they were still separate from others, and remained united under one faction. The world contained five factions at this time; GDI, Nod, the Forgotten, PAP, and the EGE (Elite Guards of Earth).

Along there were smaller neutral ones. The largest neutral country was India, which had broken off from GDI, after realizing what joining them meant sucking the few resources out of the country.

She sat back, and picked up her phone.

"Get me General Hojo," she said to the operator

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Moscow, Russia, Brotherhood of Nod CHQ, 0925 Zulu



Conner looked out on the main radar screen of the world.

Various Tiberium shipments were going here and there all around.

Sergeant Amerigo Venteanian, ran up to him.

"Sir, we have GDI Transport A897-21H, requesting an entry to pick up a passenger."

He waited a minute before answering.

" Clearance granted," he said

"Yes sir." Venteanian then walked back down the stairs to the COM console.

"GDI Transport A897-21H, you are cleared for landing at Moscow military airport on Airpad 42-A."

Conner looked to see the transport enter Nod airspace towards Moscow.

"Sir, Prof. Jonathan Marce, is requesting you down in R&D Sub-level 110," a sergeant said to him.

"Thank you sergeant, that will be all," Conner replied.

Conner stood there a minute before walking over to the elevator. The 50 underground levels were spanned by three elevators, each covering forty floors, and along with the fifty story upper building. He walked into the elevator car and the doors closed. He typed in a clearance number, slid a key-card threw the slot. Then, after the protective shield had lifted off the security floor buttons, he punched the -60 button, and off he went.



GDI Base, Location: New York, 0935 Zulu

On the airpad, Carol stood with a suitcase on either side, and the baby in a carrier crib. She looked up to see the GDI Transport roaring down too the pad. It touched down, and then after a few seconds the ramp came down and two GDI marines came out.

"Are you Dr. Carol Conner?" one of them asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Please come on board ma'am." They each took a suitcase and walked her up the ramp. They then escorted her to a seating room and left.

She felt the turbulence as they lifted off, and started on their trek east. The following two hour flight was as comfortable as possible. She received drinks when she asked, and even managed to keep the baby happy during the course of the flight. Finally, she felt the aircraft whining and slowing down.

The two marines appeared again, they took up her suitcases and led her back to the ramp which already being down. She walked down and saw Dr. Boudreau.

"Carol, it's good to see you, it's been a long time," she greeted, and leaned down and looked at Rebecca, "and what an adorable baby."

"Thanks. So what's the situation?"

Boudreau chuckled. "Always down to business huh? Let's get you into your quarters first."

They walked across the bridge toward the terminal. Carol looked out to the west and was amazed at the display. Phoenix Base was the largest Tiberium harvesting operation belonging to GDI. What she saw was the 10-sq. mi. dome that covered the concrete enforced wall of the Tiberium field. There were more then twenty harvesters that she could see, having unloaded they're cargo and heading back to the gate. The wall was ten feet thick, with a double gate and a magnetic field to ensure no Tiberium spores got out. The first gate would lower, allow the harvester or harvesters into the clean section. Then, the first gate would close, and the second gate would drop and allow them in. On the way out and in, the harvesters and the clean section were sterilized with a new antibacterial/antibiotic vapor. She looked back to where she was, and finally got to the terminal.



Moscow Complex

Richard walked down the hallway. There were three Stealth Soldiers waiting at the end. He stepped onto the round platform, and several scanners lifted and did a bio-scan. After they were finished, the door opened. He walked into a large chamber with several dozen other guards. At the center of the room was a circular tube six feet in diameter. He placed both hands on two panels and a laser scanned his handprint. After that, retina scanners checked both of his eyes. Finally, he entered a password and opened the vault. Inside was a green orb that was glowing softly. That could only mean one thing.



Philadelphia II, 1000 Zulu

McNeil was still dreaming sweet thoughts when all at once the Blue Alert button started blinking. Since there was no sound but the blinking, he didn't notice it. Then, it increased . The Green Alert button came on, and it made a small chirp. He woke up and looked at it.

"What the heck is going on up there?" he said over the COM.

General Langley's face appeared on the screen.

"Sir, it appears that we lost contact with Orion," Langley said.

"Orion? What the heck are you talking about?" Mac said, a bit out of it

"Well, Orion was reporting strange readings on the LRSS(Long Range Space Scanners) positioned on Mars, when they just cut off. No further communications were received."

"It might just be some technical failures, but keep trying, and get Cortez up," McNeil ordered.

"Will do." Langley said, then signed off.

Cortez's face then appeared.

"I heard what happened, so what do you think it is?" Cortez asked.

"I don't know, but I think it might have been a technical failure. But just incase, set the moon LRSS to search for Chronom alloy spacecraft."

"You don't think the Scrin will come back do you?" Cortez asked.

"I don't believe in coincidences any more than you General." Mac replied.

"Yes sir, Cortez out." His face disappeared, and McNeil sat back and sighed.

"God help us if they come again," he said in a low murmur.

End of Chapter 2

My internet modem crashed, and that also is part of why we took so long in getting this chapter up. Also, I didn't have enough time to edit it properly since I have to use the school's computer for that, so until my dad agrees on getting a new computer with GeForce 4 Titanium, I'm restricted to using the school's internet connection. But then, hey, what can a guy like me do?

Z98