Chapter 1: A Call to Arms
Dr. Breen gave a steely gaze towards the Combine officer standing before him. "You mean to tell me, for all the security standing on guard on its premises and the fact that we nearly emptied the Citadel's war machine to protect it, Nova Prospekt has fallen?!. The Combine officer nodded gravely "That is correct, Sir". Dr. Breen all of a sudden stood up and came around the desk, leveling his gaze with the officer. "That's all you have to say on the matter?, this man single-handedly took out our main unit production facility, leaving nothing but a large crater in his wake, and that is all you have to say?. This is not some training simulation where you are allowed to stumble and fall, the fate of Earth rests on your aptitude in battle, and you have nearly failed. So, I am forced to employ the use of....off-world resources", Dr. Breen finished.
The Combine officer made a move to protest but Dr. Breen held up a hand. "You have given me no other choice, give Dr. Mossman the order to open the combine portal. It is time for you to meet the Combine's newest general, and our newest addition to the ranks. Now go, other things require my immediate attention." The officer turned around and walked out slowly of the main entry hall. Dr. Breen hurried down the carpeted corridor to the large viewscreen and quickly pressed a few buttons, and put on the electronic headset that allowed the Combine Advisor to communicate with him telepathically, although due to distance between them this was only a one way device.
"Greetings, Gyun", Dr. Breen said to the large slug-like creature that appeared on the viewscreen. "Greetings", the thought formulated itself in Breen's mind. "I have some unfortunate news, our fortress at Nova Prospekt has fallen, this calls for an immediate recall of our previous strategy. We must release Adrian Shepherd and the forces he commands, it is the only way to come out of this conflict with Earth intact". "Is the situation on Earth really that dire?", Gyun asked. "Make the deductions yourself, Nova Prospekt has fallen, the Citadel has nearly emptied its ranks!--I" Dr. Breen was cut off, paralyzed by the Advisor.
"Do not worry, doctor. I have already sent Shepherd to the portal's relay. All you will need to do is have your science team open your end of the teleportation nexus, as for the forces he commands, well, they follow him. Make good use of these additional resources, doctor, unless you want Earth to become nothing more than a volitile wasteland...before its time. Gyun out".
Breen stared emptily at the now vacant viewscreen. It was no use arguing, but Gyun would see the error of his ways, even if it meant Earth's total destruction. He walked out of the room and into the teleportation chamber. Dr. Mossman was waiting there, her head slightly bent in shame. "Dr. Mossman, is everything ready for a secure transition?". "Yes, Dr. Breen. Eli has been assisting me with the process. “Eli has proved cooperative?”, Dr. Breen couldn’t hide his surprise in his excited tone. “Well, yes, the teleport the Combine sent him through has seemed to left him slightly dazed...but his cognitive skills seem to be intact, I don’t know how long the effects will last”. Good, take advantage of this unexpected assistance for as long as it does”, Dr. Breen suggested.
“How long until Shepherd and his forces will be brought through?”, he asked impatiently. “Its only a matter of moments, Eli set the four teleportation chargers at 150%”, Dr. Mossman commanded lightly. “Of course, Judith, beginning sequence”, his droning voice made Dr. Mossman flinch. Dr. Breen noticed her expression and said "Don't worry, Dr. Mossman, you will soon see this is for the best". "The portal is charging, I need to be alone now", Mossman's downtrodden tone told Breen to stand back and remain an observer for the time being.
The cavernous teleporter room consisted of a circular silo design extending almost infinitely down to the oblivious depths, as well the unreachable heavens. Dr. Breen stood mute on the catwalk, gazing up at the many others littered throughout the silo. A ringing sound pierced his ears, forcing him to gaze into the infinitely changing patterns of the dark green portal, now starting to take on vague shapes of seemingly humanoid proportions. A searing flash startled Dr. Breen, the second was longer, only to reveal a stern, expressionless face within the portal if only for a moment, there and gone in a moment's time like a shadowy assassin. When the vision dissipated, in its wake were five figures. The most contrasting figure wore a dark, silver suit with nothing except a large red reticle in the center of its face mask breaking the pattern. The other wiry figures standing behind him wore garments of similiar design, except theirs was of a pearlish white and the faint glows that came from the center of their face masks was a dull orange.
Dr. Breen stepped forward confidently, only for one of the white clad figures, obviously female, to unsheath a large, silverish blade with currents of electricity running across the shining steel. "Uh, Colonel Adrian Shepherd, I presume" Dr. Breen said awkwardly. The man in the silver suit nodded slowly. Encouraged , Dr. Breen stepped forward cautiously, extending his hand."I must congratulate you, Colonel, on what seems to be an efficient fighting force. It seems this extended off-world training did them well". Instead of shaking his hand , the Colonel merely saluted. "Ah, very well, lets continue into my office shall we, and discuss the terms of this....call to arms".
Dr. Breen gave a steely gaze towards the Combine officer standing before him. "You mean to tell me, for all the security standing on guard on its premises and the fact that we nearly emptied the Citadel's war machine to protect it, Nova Prospekt has fallen?!. The Combine officer nodded gravely "That is correct, Sir". Dr. Breen all of a sudden stood up and came around the desk, leveling his gaze with the officer. "That's all you have to say on the matter?, this man single-handedly took out our main unit production facility, leaving nothing but a large crater in his wake, and that is all you have to say?. This is not some training simulation where you are allowed to stumble and fall, the fate of Earth rests on your aptitude in battle, and you have nearly failed. So, I am forced to employ the use of....off-world resources", Dr. Breen finished.
The Combine officer made a move to protest but Dr. Breen held up a hand. "You have given me no other choice, give Dr. Mossman the order to open the combine portal. It is time for you to meet the Combine's newest general, and our newest addition to the ranks. Now go, other things require my immediate attention." The officer turned around and walked out slowly of the main entry hall. Dr. Breen hurried down the carpeted corridor to the large viewscreen and quickly pressed a few buttons, and put on the electronic headset that allowed the Combine Advisor to communicate with him telepathically, although due to distance between them this was only a one way device.
"Greetings, Gyun", Dr. Breen said to the large slug-like creature that appeared on the viewscreen. "Greetings", the thought formulated itself in Breen's mind. "I have some unfortunate news, our fortress at Nova Prospekt has fallen, this calls for an immediate recall of our previous strategy. We must release Adrian Shepherd and the forces he commands, it is the only way to come out of this conflict with Earth intact". "Is the situation on Earth really that dire?", Gyun asked. "Make the deductions yourself, Nova Prospekt has fallen, the Citadel has nearly emptied its ranks!--I" Dr. Breen was cut off, paralyzed by the Advisor.
"Do not worry, doctor. I have already sent Shepherd to the portal's relay. All you will need to do is have your science team open your end of the teleportation nexus, as for the forces he commands, well, they follow him. Make good use of these additional resources, doctor, unless you want Earth to become nothing more than a volitile wasteland...before its time. Gyun out".
Breen stared emptily at the now vacant viewscreen. It was no use arguing, but Gyun would see the error of his ways, even if it meant Earth's total destruction. He walked out of the room and into the teleportation chamber. Dr. Mossman was waiting there, her head slightly bent in shame. "Dr. Mossman, is everything ready for a secure transition?". "Yes, Dr. Breen. Eli has been assisting me with the process. “Eli has proved cooperative?”, Dr. Breen couldn’t hide his surprise in his excited tone. “Well, yes, the teleport the Combine sent him through has seemed to left him slightly dazed...but his cognitive skills seem to be intact, I don’t know how long the effects will last”. Good, take advantage of this unexpected assistance for as long as it does”, Dr. Breen suggested.
“How long until Shepherd and his forces will be brought through?”, he asked impatiently. “Its only a matter of moments, Eli set the four teleportation chargers at 150%”, Dr. Mossman commanded lightly. “Of course, Judith, beginning sequence”, his droning voice made Dr. Mossman flinch. Dr. Breen noticed her expression and said "Don't worry, Dr. Mossman, you will soon see this is for the best". "The portal is charging, I need to be alone now", Mossman's downtrodden tone told Breen to stand back and remain an observer for the time being.
The cavernous teleporter room consisted of a circular silo design extending almost infinitely down to the oblivious depths, as well the unreachable heavens. Dr. Breen stood mute on the catwalk, gazing up at the many others littered throughout the silo. A ringing sound pierced his ears, forcing him to gaze into the infinitely changing patterns of the dark green portal, now starting to take on vague shapes of seemingly humanoid proportions. A searing flash startled Dr. Breen, the second was longer, only to reveal a stern, expressionless face within the portal if only for a moment, there and gone in a moment's time like a shadowy assassin. When the vision dissipated, in its wake were five figures. The most contrasting figure wore a dark, silver suit with nothing except a large red reticle in the center of its face mask breaking the pattern. The other wiry figures standing behind him wore garments of similiar design, except theirs was of a pearlish white and the faint glows that came from the center of their face masks was a dull orange.
Dr. Breen stepped forward confidently, only for one of the white clad figures, obviously female, to unsheath a large, silverish blade with currents of electricity running across the shining steel. "Uh, Colonel Adrian Shepherd, I presume" Dr. Breen said awkwardly. The man in the silver suit nodded slowly. Encouraged , Dr. Breen stepped forward cautiously, extending his hand."I must congratulate you, Colonel, on what seems to be an efficient fighting force. It seems this extended off-world training did them well". Instead of shaking his hand , the Colonel merely saluted. "Ah, very well, lets continue into my office shall we, and discuss the terms of this....call to arms".
