Attempting to Fulfill the Plan: GDI Edition

[Ashmaker]

Culture Watch Wrap-up Awards 2053​

"Happy New Year and welcome back to the year's last Culture Watch with the Archives and History Department. Or, as I like to call it no matter how many times my boring coworkers tell me to stop: CWAHD. We watch what you watch! (And you're sure we okayed that tagline with InOps? I don't want to step on any toes, especially InOps. We clear? Good)."

"Starting with season's greetings, the Most Popular Christmas Movie has proven to be a truly eternal classic: It's a Wonderful Life dating all the way back to 1946. We're supposed to be unbiased in this agency, merely recording and preserving data, but I personally find it incredibly reassuring that the message of the inherent sanctity and value of human life has proven to be timeless. Indeed, perhaps it is even more relevant than ever before."

"In other recent news, while the category of Most Popular Educational Video has as usual remained the perpetually popular Tiberium and You: How to stay safe, we do have an honourable mention with the special category Most Exponentially Popular Educational Video and the Fastest Growing Search Term, drumroll please...: How Do I Become an Astronaut?, the first episode of the space-themed educational show Head's Up!, whose sudden popularity has lead to calls for Space Force to create an updated version to reflect the changes in how the GDI space program works. Expect more news on that in the future (unless Vice Admiral Carter somehow fails to nurture the hopes and dreams of a generation, that is. No, I will not be silent on this! You know I'm right.). Anyway, moving on to Literature (before someone cuts my microphone. Again.)."

"Our categories here have once predictable winner and one unexpected one, so for the sake of suspense we'll obviously discuss the former first. In our Most Popular Non-Fiction Literature we have a trusted boon companion of humanity in these troubled days, a dearly beloved tome of wisdom which every household is familiar with, translated into dozens of languages as a public service, drumroll please... The Layman's Illustrated Guide to Clothing Repair and Maintenance: Making the Most with the Least. The guide we all love to have yet wish we didn't need."

"The Most Popular Fiction Book was hotly contested, but in the end (drumroll please), The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe managed to pull ahead of the rest thanks to a large popularity in the Yellow Zones. Perhaps surprising to those who wouldn't expect a story set on a tropical island to be a hit in areas so hard hit by Tiberium, but that's only a surface reading. Besides having been translated into numerous languages for centuries, that a story of man's perseverance despite isolation, grief, and hardship would still be able to touch the hearts of people in a world beset by Tiberium makes perfect sense."

"Those are the highlights, if you wish to know more, including such topics as Most Popular Music Genre in the Red Zone and Most Popular Original Fiction, please watch the full program or access the written report on user statistics directly from the Archives and History Department. Happy New Year, stay safe, and never stop learning."

---

Spoiler: Author's Note

An omake from one of the less well-known departments whom we don't hear about because they don't cause problems and just stay busy with the work of keeping mankind's cultural heritage accessible to this generation and alive for future generations.

I have some other ideas for these guys, like a look at the most popular media in various GDI Departments and a look at new stuff being made once we get more Services up and running or when CarterQuest starts making documentaries about itself. I meant to finish this before @BOTcommander updated, but distractions and procrastination got in the way.

Trivia: I have the Most Popular Music Genre from the Red Zone pegged as throatsinging and the running gag of asking for a drumroll and receiving a different instrument is a reference to Beakman's World.

 

[yeastmobile]

Jason Looked out over the factory floor, the rolling stock factory had setback after setback all year, and it was starting to stress him out. The GDI needed those trains especially after what turned out to be happening in the tiberium department. Damn NOD. Pah, whatever he can worry about that later, right now he has to worry about procuring equipment, and hiring workers, and tiberium containment. But that's just another day at the office. He decided he could ignore all that for now and call his sister.

He sat down at his desk and rang Lexi, she answered within a few rings, "Hey sis how are things? Managing this factory is driving me insane."

"Oh they're wonderful! I got off my shift a few hours ago from mining with the MARV and decided to go to the local comissary. I got new clothing finally! And blueberries! Remember those? They just appeared on shelves here. I heard one of the local Aquaponics bays started growing them."

"Yeah its incredible to wear some new underwear while feeding myself grapes from the vine like a hedonist. I guess all the NOD stuff hasn't affected you much?"

"Nope, mining operations are disrupted a bit, but the Initiative needs tiberium to keep everything flowing, so the MARVs keep churning. Which reminds me, I saw you got a new hybrid from the photos you uploaded last night, you fancy blue zoner."

He chuckled, "Yeah well the roads are all fixed up around here I might as well since the trains arent available yet. Wait thats my fault I think, should I yell at me?"

She laughs at the joke, "God you doofus. Oh I gotta go, I'm at a game and its between a team of Forgotten and the Karachi Tigers. Keep me updated and cheers bro."

"Cheers sis I will."

 

[BoSPaladin]

Omake: Anime let's watch/Discussion thread (It's not my fault I had to travel halfway across the world and you guys don't follow containment procedures!)

YellowZon3r
Alright guys, got a doozy for you anime is back online. And the one that caught my eye? 'It's not my fault I had to travel halfway across the world and you guys don't follow containment procedures!'

Opening scene, zips and locks as someone seals their zone suit with a bunch of metallic 'arming up' sounds. Thunder rolls, we watch the puffy round figure in a close up, trudging under the weight of the heavy suit. There's the whoosh of a pressurised door. Liquid runs down the suit cleaning it of the microscopic motes of dust too small for the naked eye to see. Another door whooshes with a blast of air. The booming of footsteps against pristine clean tiles, everything sparkling and fresh.

The figure arrives at a locker. With a snap, and a hiss the helmet is removed, revealing a cute girl, running a hand through her short hair. Classic tomboy looks. Unzips the suit, steps out of it. Camera focused on her face, calm relaxed as she carefully seals up the zone suit up in a bag. Then carefully unseals a different bag with yet another whoosh of air.

All played very serious. Standard containment protocols. Then there's a flash and a camera sound, embarassed giggles and some laughter. The camera pans out to reveal a crowded hallway. People watching and staring. Many with phone camera's recording. All fully clothed. There's a ping and a woosh and the school doors open revealing kids in normal clothes walking in casually, a gust of wind even blows in leaves to make the point. Obviously a blue zone.

Camera pans out further. The 'security doors' are regular doors. The 'chemical shower' was just rain. the 'thunder' was just a train on the train track. Camera's whizzes back to school. Tomboy stood in just her undies casually. Cue some girl rushing up panicking, waving her arms around. Trying to cover the new girl. Trips lands on her, hands where they shouldn't be. Now and only now the new girl gets embarassed. Smash cut to title song.

Thoughts you guys?

Oinorda
Looks good!

Sandless pillar of salt
looks okay, I presume this is a Slice of Life genre

YellowZon3r Yeah, Slice of Life. I'll definitely be watching it. First episode was great. Definitely some smooth animation and nice Art.

Slice of life Comedy/Ecchi. Yellow zone girl goes to a blue zone, has a disastrous introduction at school. Gets into awkward positions with cultural misunderstandings. Tries to fit in while following her dreams of being an artist/fashion designer.

My only problem is, it sorta portrays Raina as a bit dumb.

Sidenote: Do you guys all really just not decontaminate?

FloatingWood
How much of that is an actual reflection of Yellow Zone life? I mean, deep into the tiberium contaminated areas? Sure, I can see that being daily life, but in the safer/less contaminated places?

Dr. Folinic
It's been awhile since I last saw an anime, brings back lots and lots of memories, and if I have to be honest, it looks pretty good but the MC needs to be tenser imho

AgathaH
Argh. Why do so many people show cultural differences as "dumb". Especially when these are things people do to not die.

Oinorda
#YellowZon3r Being a bit dumb is a complete necessity for this kind of story

YellowZon3r
#FloatingWood Varies depending on the zone. The richer yellow zones. Yeah, those with aid drops and locally produced zone suits. (normally outdated versions) Are basically standard issue. Or ones bordering red zones where it's paramount there's very definitely strong advice to wear a suit outside unless you want to wake up coughing chunks of crystalised lung up.

FloatingWood
Lack of understanding. There's an old cartoon, called The Tick, where the Sewer Urchin is just a really strange fellow. Until there's an episode in the sewers, where he turns out to be very competent indeed in the area he calls home.
Also,, sheesh, I didn't know it was that bad. Although, does that include the whole 'wear skivvies under the zone suit' thing? Because, well, I'm finding it very odd. And am left to wonder if it doesn't chafe, compared to wearing something more covering as an inner lining or something.

KryptosAdept:
Huh. I should get back to watching anime some time soon. Oh well, one more on my recs pile. lol

YellowZon3r
#Floatingwood Again, like I say it depends. Seems to me, judging by the uhh, frequent showers she takes when she gets home. Always the first thing she does without fail, that she's from a deep yellow zone. Perhaps even grew up in some Red Zone mining outpost.

So, she's being extra careful, and if she's washing straight away all the time, makes total sense just to wear underwear. I frequently go with just shorts and a vest under my suit. If I know there's not going to be a chance to change or it will be for a short duration. Then I might wear casual jeans and a tee.

Or if you can get latest gen tib suits with Filters and cooling? License to wear as much as you want basically.

FloatingWood
Huh.
Now, given we are talking about an anime that appears to be slice of life where the central plot point that our heroine has not adjusted to the fact that she is, in fact, no longer living in the deep Yellow Zone, I am presuming that she and her friends are never going to the/a place like the area she grew up where that sort of habit is extremely sensible. Would be a kinda useful reality check though.

YellowZon3r
Don't get me wrong. Some of it is definitely played up for the comedy/lewd angle. Over-exaggerated and so on. But from what I see there's nothing that's outright wrong in my experience. Perhaps just uncommon. At least as far as Raina is portrayed. But since it's set in a blue zone I couldn't tell you how accurate all that is. Hmm, maybe a pre-war bluezone I guess? Though, they don't mention it by name there was a recent 'conflict' which could. I dunno, be either the second or third tib war or the scrin invasion.

 

[BoSPaladin]

Talking in the discord about Granger flexing on parliament. Here's a speech/rap. From Doctor Granger, to parliament.

Riff on Danbulls rap on resident evil "One shot." (so that's the beat I'm going for)

"Let's get to work. Look I'm Doctor Granger.
A tiberium researcher, political stranger.
Free market party spitting insinuations.
That I can't handle the economy as I wait for the newest mutation.
We need refurbished factories, and new satellites.
Underfunded the military while nod's not too action-y, Flexing with toy stores for childrens delight.

There's tiberium creeping, growing all about the place.
Better call some harvesters before green crystals are on your face.

No hate, look i'm just calling out mistakes.
I hate the thought, of all you aging farts, fucking up and being kicked out your seat and on your arse.
So let me deal with the publics misery.
As I trade favours to enable democracy and liberty.
As I bump up the economy like it's a race.
Time for you to Brace, cause I'm the ace. Won't stop for now I aim for space!

Don't pay me Yet, cause this is free.
I want all you motherfucking fucks to see

Abiding within the confines of the law
Pick your jaws up off the floor.
Cause after I've done the tiberium will be mopped up better than the cleaners polish your posh office fucking door.

I'm saying spick and span.
Think I'm just a nerd but I'm the real fucking man.
No toxic masculinity. A gentle kind-hearted soul as I do what needs to be done maybe after this is all over you'll be able to holiday besides the sea!

You haters fucking doubted me all before,
But now the industry is fixed we're gearing up for War!

 

[DecaffeinatedOwl]

Omake, possibly canon noncompliant:

The Oath of the Marked


"Repeat after me, Brothers."

Expectant silence.

"I have laid down my left hand;"

Hesitantly, "I have laid down my left hand."

"On the Altar of Justice."

"On the altar of justice."

"In its place now is a shield;"

"In its place now is a shield;"

"To guard against the enemies of the Brotherhood."

"To guard against the enemies of the Brotherhood."

"I have laid down my right hand;"

"I have laid down my right hand!"

"On the Altar of Vengeance."

"On the Altar of Vengeance!"

"In its place now is a sword;"

"In its place now is a sword!"

"To strike down the enemies of the Messiah."

"To strike down the enemies of the Messiah!"

"I have laid down my body;"

"I have laid down my body."

"In service to the Brotherhood."

"In service to the Brotherhood!"

"I have laid down my soul;"

"I have laid down my soul."

"In service to the Messiah."

"In service to the Messiah!"

"As the Messiah lives in death;"

"As the Messiah lives in death!"

"We now live, though we have died."

"We now live, though we have died."

"Our body is a gift from the Brotherhood."

"Our body is a gift from the Brotherhood."

"In their name;"

"In their name;"

"We will guard against their Foes."

"We will guard against their Foes!"

"Our soul is a gift from the Messiah."

"Our soul is a gift from the Messiah."

"In His name!"

"In His name!"

"We will strike down His foes!"

"We will strike down His foes!"

"Good. We will be taking you all in for surgery, starting tomorrow. For now, until you are called, you are on leave so long as you remain within this base, and strictly observe the dietary restrictions as dictated earlier. It will be the last leave you will have in a long time; make good use of it.

Dismissed."

 

[BoSPaladin]

Omake: It's not my fault Episode reactions and general weeb discussions

YellowZon3r

Okay, latest episode. "It's not my fault my mom made me work as a cute waitress." We have the joys of Raina and Kahlee in maid outfits. Raina's mom works at/owns a small restaurant business. It's a 'pay it forwards' type deal. Mom cooks the food and does some babysitting of the arcology kids. Subsidised by GDI, it's like... I don't even know to describe it? Part way between people eat for free/people pay what they think it's worth?

Like, it's communal food, anyone can cook in the kitchens if they want. Just Raina's mom and a couple others cook for 40-100 people to feed people when they're home from work. And in exchange everyone pools together a bit of extra money. Paying what they can afford. So they're not paying for the food per se, more the convenience of having it cooked for them. Along with thanks to Raina's mom for babysitting.

Is that a thing in blue zones? Food (sort of) basically free?

OneFallingLeaf

Maid cafe episode? Y.A.B.E.
Getting back into topic, well that's the truth from my observation unfortunately thanks to how much previous GDI leadership poured everything down into Blue Zone while neglecting other zones. Bless Dr. Granger for actually caring about other zones from the start of his tenure.

YellowZon3r

We're seeing a bit more of Raina's home life. It seems pretty chill ngl. Mom seems a cutesy friendly chipper waitress. Sweetly asks Raina to help out since one staff is off feeling poorly. Raina tries to wiggle out since she has a friend with her. "Even better!" Cue maid outfits and the girls running around delivering food and entertaining kids. Meanwhile in the kitchen Mom is going full drill sargeant and cranking out food using a large section of the kitchen. Some guy wanders in by himself to make a sandwhich at an empty workstation. Mom glares and he's put to work slicing bread to go with soup.

Kinda felt sorry for him but then he sits with a ^_^ face while the maids are skipping around as he gets to eat an actual meal.

Molan

I mean the GDI even before the Third War and Granger really emphasized child welfare when the global population keeps on collapsing. So, being given that kind of money is not surprising since it does show appreciation of the work done even if you don't pay necessities anymore. It's also because in some shops there are lotteries to even get a consumer good in a randomized list so it also gives them a bit of luxury. I remember some shirts, appliances, and spare parts even were being sold in a lottery like system.

OneFallingLeaf

Another one to add into my watch list after Protectors of the Ark, got recommended it from some of my friends but I kinda forgot about it.

Never knew I need this kind of thing in my life, what has entered my brains?

YellowZon3r

No maid outfit for mom unfortunately. At first I thought there might be less for her. But no she's wearing regular clothes, it was just a joke apron with a bikini print. So close to greatness yet so far. Otoh, we see mom doing situps during Yoga and lady got abs.

OneFallingLeaf

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Crush my pelvis with those abs mommy~

YellowZon3r
#OneFallingLeaf

AAAAAAAAAAAAAABS

FTFY

OneFallingLeaf

Pure thoughts, pure thoughts. Is there any sneak peek for episode three? The more I learn about it the more I need to add this to my collection. Also, for how long the protagonist's family have settled in the blue zone? Couple of months?

#YellowZon3r

YellowZon3r

About that I think. At least a month. Imo, seems like they arrived in blue zone, settled in the arcology. Then it took a few weeks to assign Raina to her school. The anime isn't exact about dates. but it seems like it's still fairly early days for Raina and Kahlee's friendship.

Sidenote, there is a dad involved with mom. But he hasn't shown up on screen yet.

Molan
These shows don't really show up with dates and since schools around the world have two months of vacation spread out it can be hard to point it out. Though this is an early episode and the mom going on a date might get exciting.

OneFallingLeaf

Fair enough, if this gets the award of being Anime-of-the-season this time, I wouldn't be salty at all.

Like it focuses on the right things and even gives us a lot of perspective too. Since it's only a couple of years, give or take few months when blue and yellow zones are finally connected once again

Molan

#OneFallingLeaf
I mean next season is ramping up now btw. I don't know which one will get anime of the year because there are more contenders compared to the usual slim pickings we had for the last few years.

YellowZon3r

#OneFallingLeaf Technically speaking I'm behind on it out here. Add in localisations and needing to translate stuff and well... I think there's some fansubs from the Japan region since they've got the latest. But, well... it's fansubs. Voice acted localisations might take a while longer.

Though, next episode trailer I saw has them at an indoor swimming pool. I'd almost call it a waste of water but just from the promo pictures I can't be mad.

 

[Vehrec]

INOPS INTERIOR REPORT: BEYOND TOP SECRET
If you have mistakenly received this document, report directly to the INOPS information security office and cooperate with the investigation, you will not be punished.

Brotherhood of NOD membership Profile and biography.
KANE

The most recent information gained on the history of Kane has been mostly NOD legends and rumor, but a few grains of truth were brought to light by the Third Tiberium War as well as the past 50 years of effort to break the walls of silence around him. Based on Kane's actions, longevity, foreknowledge, advocacy for transhumanism, fascination with the Tacitus, and apparent goals of the Third Tiberium War, InOps is forced to conclude that the preponderance of circumstantial evidence is compatible with Kane being either an alien or a human uplifted by aliens in the distant past, or a human body or series of bodies containing an alien entity. However, while this is an important factor in understanding Kane's psychology, it is also vital to remember that at this point, it is immaterial to combatting the man. Publicly exposing Kane's inhumanity and alien foreknowledge would perhaps make him even more fearsome and formidable to the public, legitimizing his claims to special knowledge of Tiberium, and would require admitting his seeming immortality has real teeth.

It is impossible to know if Kane was exiled from some alien species, abandoned by them, uplifted and discarded, simply chanced across the Tacitus, or fled to Earth to escape criminal punishment in some interstellar empire. What is undeniable is that he had the Tacitus, and used it with a proficiency that goes beyond mere experience. The alien data core was immediately familiar to Kane, indicating that he had experience with this technology, and he had also acquired several other alien artifacts, including the nigh-unbelievable actual spaceship obtained by NOD in the Second War. Even more incredible, and interesting, is the transmission known as the "Big Blast" a 27 gigabyte transmission representing an apparent command upheaval in the Scrin invasion in their last hours on earth, an apparent tirade against the commander who collected his ships and escaped the earth via the single completed tower. The Big Blast is believed to be audio and visual data, and while it's contents are unclear due to encryption, it's effects are plain, a sudden, savage assault by the remaining Scrin forces on NOD. This may have been a clumsy attempt to lash out against Kane, as included in the blast is one clear segment of unambiguous earth data-12 seconds of footage of Kane within Temple Prime, filmed months earlier.

Kane's longevity bares close examination. Kane has appeared to different witnesses as being of different ages-some say he is in his early 30s, others in his late50s, and he cultivates a neutral appearance with his shaved head that gives few clues as to any actual grip the aging process might have on him. This makes it difficult to know if Kane is, instead of one person, a succession of clones, or a backed up personality restored to new physical forms, or even if the sightings of Kane are of the same body at all! Nonetheless, Kane has remained remarkably consistent in appearance, between 1995 and 2049, so he must be treated as functionally immune to aging. Kane's deaths-stabbed, crushed under the ruins of Temple Prime, and others, are poorly documented and we have no idea what limits his return from the dead-or even if any of these actually killed him and if he just slipped away or was later recessitated. Any assassination attempts must therefore be conducted to maximize the chances of recovering his corpse-an autopsy might reveal much, and more if it turns out he actually some kind of regenerating immortal. The reasons for such efforts can be simply explained as avoiding any memorial or deception campaign based around Kane's survival.

For as long as the Brotherhood has existed, Kane has lead it, but despite claims to the contrary, the brotherhood is not as wide-reaching as it sometimes claims to be. Prior to the collaspe of the soviet union, the Brotherhood seems to have been a modest, quiet, underground organization focused on pure research and spirituality. Their associations with terrorism seem to have been primarily an afterthought until the Tiberium metorite landed on earth, causing a radical shift in Kane's priorities. While before he may have been content to wait centuries for his plans, Tiberium accelerated his time tables greatly-and provided unprecedented wealth to realize his ambitions. This long taproot of research bear fruit rapidly in the form of the first stealth Tanks and Obelisk of Light. Kane was deeply, intimately involved in all the steps of expanding the Brotherhood from a tiny close-knit cabal into an organization capable of challenging the post-Soviet world order in just five years. He directed films, he made speeches, he reportedly worked 14 hour days and took little time for himself, and stamped his image permanently on the Brotherhood before his light was snuffed out by another light.

Kane then lay low for many years, but his ego would not allow him to slip into a mere background role. Kane seems to subscribe to 'great man history' and holds himself to be a Romantic Genius able to forsee and direct the advancement of humanity along lines he alone can perceive. He values his own emotions and intelligence above all others, keeping much of NOD's elites in the dark about his true intentions-not even telling the members of NOD to expect his 'return from death' following his quietly slipping out the back of his Temple in the night in our most recent major conflict. He cultivates intracrine struggle among the Brotherhood because he believes in a perverse Social Darwinism of struggle and ambition. Kane might possess great charisma and intelligence, but his character flaws are that he thinks they are even greater than they are. And more to the point-because GDI does not embrace his 'struggle' values or his focus on Romantic Genius, he consistently downplays how effective GDI can actually be, leading to him underestimating the chances of a reversal. Kane, above all else, is a chancer, a gambler-and his seeming immorality means he suffers less when he has suffered no less than three deaths at the hands of his own subordinates only to return and reverse those upsets.

 

[BoSPaladin]

Credit union. Omake.

"So what do you do?" And there it was. Couldn't tell the hot lady he was an InOps intelligence analyst, no sirree, that way led to getting shitcanned with a reassignment to some steel talon unit with a career deadened.

"Market analyst." James answered honestly. Or as honestly as he could. "What about you Katie?"

"Cool. I fix trucks." She answered simply. "Sorting out wreckers, sometimes scrapping them for spare parts."

"You're a mechanic then." "Well.... not 'officially'." Katie sighed. "No college education, world blew up when I was in highschool. Some odd jobs moving rubble, I learned to get by. State support helps too. Food budget, a roof over my head, electricity bills and some basic necessities. You uhh know?" She finished with a light blush.

James did indeed know, technically speaking with a large pool of surplus labour a significant fraction of the GDI populace was unemployed or under-employed, engaged in a variety of 'under the table' work when they could get it, otherwise reliant upon government aid packages. Treasury had forestalled a precipitious drop in wages by enacting strong worker protections, also preventing mass layoffs of technically overpaid workers. Combined with intense treasury investment and the fact that a significant number of ventures and business interests were state owned and ran. And they'd prevented a complete market collapse. Helping the matter somewhat was the reappearance of luxuries on the market, meaning those who had been able to work now had something to spend their savings on, helping prevent the Credit from devaluing and...

"Yeah, I get it." James nodded with a small smile.

"So, what does a market analyst do?" Katie asked curiously. Watch your transactions for suspicious purchases and the movement of sums of money. "Oh well I work with the NA credit union. I look for investment opportunities and pass them up the chain."

"Ahh. The new bank." Katie nodded.

"Credit. Union." James repeatedly evenly.

"What's the difference?"

"Well, a bank is normally formed by moneyed interests. Either the private market, that is, rich people. Or funded by the stock market, largely defunct, or government owned. There's other models, but the fundamental concept is that essentially, outside interests are using the bank as a business or source of revenue for their own benefit. A credit union on the other hand, is owned by it's banking customers who are, essentially the shareholders. Thus, the actions of the credit union are fundamentally to benefit them. We aim to do this by offering free banking accounts, without transaction fee's or monthly costs and aim to help our customers with saving money."

"So how do you make money?"

"Well, the same way any bank. Giving loans, investing in business opportunities. Which, is where my job comes in, I try and find what's profitable. Giving loans to our customers is a low interest form of revenue, because, they're intended to be, well, low cost for our customers. Not the most profitable course of action, but since our mission statement is to benefit our customers it's an easy way of benefiting them. We charge higher rates of interest to business concerns. But, the market being what it is. I need to find those businesses."

"So me fixing up trucks and so on...." Katie grinned.

"Ah, well. That would cause a clear conflict of interest if I was to review any such loan application for you personally. But I can arrange an appointment with a co-worker, they would be able to meet with you, anything beyond that is on the merits of yourself and your business. What's it like fixing up cars by the way? I can't even put up shelves."

"I got real good at patching bullet holes." Katie noted deadpan.

"Always a skill in high demand." James blinked.

"Thanks." Katie grinned. "So if you've got any vehicle needs patching up you give me a call. Or, if there's anything else you want to talk about."

James smiled for a moment then considered. "If you're patching up bullet holes do you... GDI is always hiring skilled engineers. Maybe get you that actual diploma? There's hefty incentives for technical applicants. If that's a concern." James pointed out.

"I got shot at enough as a civilian. I don't want to try looking for danger." Katie pouted.

"Fair enough." James nodded. He wasn't here to give out a recruitment pitch after all, good enough that he'd planted the idea in her head. Even as a civilian, if her business was a success, it would provide goods and services to the economy, pay back it's loan... Even if all she did was open a savings account then that provided another digital record. It wasn't even bad, watching people. At it's best it allowed for targeted advertisements to offer people things they wanted, letting the treasury know what people wanted, and kept an eye out for suspicious spending. All things banks had done historically anyway, this way, with the state funded bank, there would at least be oversight. Afterall, the treasuries grants had provided seed money for the bank, and it was true that the banking customers would be owners too, just.. partial owners, co-owners. They'd have the public services of the bank, and be seeing savings dividends.

Capacity for abuse was there of course. But then, GDI created tanks, bullets and bombs, any one of those could do plenty of damage too. Banks weren't inherently evil. They were a tool. And this one was simply to be a tool of the state. The state which served the people.

Dammit all. James Liked Katie. She was smart, funny and talkative. Smart, with a technical aptitude. She kept up with his explanations and talked a lot about her own work.

"Hey, speaking of dangerous... walk me home?" Katie asked.

Dangerous? Here- Ohh.... James realised catching her smile.

 

[Darkandus]

Excerpt from tabloid newsletter

EXTINCTION INEVITABLE?
Heroic government worker reveals existence of Extinction Timetables in the heart of the Government!

A whistleblower in the Treasury department of the World Government has made a shocking revelation. Picture evidence provided by the whistleblower who wishes to remain anonymous shows the office of the head of the Treasury, Dr James Granger, is plastered floor to ceiling with charts and speculative data indicating that the continued existence of life on Earth will end within the lifetimes of our children. When asked why they had come forward with the information, the employee revealed that they believe the general public 'doesn't understand the gravity of the situation.' They then went on to say that 'Tiberium abatement is like p*ssing in the wind. No matter how many projects are started, the Red Zones are going to engulf the world.'

This account tallies with murmured rumors that Tiberium is yet again undergoing a phase shift that will make all current efforts at fighting it futile. Sonics are currently utilized world wide to slow and halt the expansion of Tiberium by using resonant harmonies to disrupt its ability to grow. It has been in use since shortly before the second Tiberium war in the late 2030's. If Tiberium grows around this method of containment, it would make every project designed around the use of sonics in the last twenty years irrelevant. This information paints a damning picture of the future of the world when combined with GDI's most recent efforts in space, which have amounted to building an orbital factory and the rebirth of the Philadelphia space station which previously served as the head of the Government. Many have speculated that this indicates that the Global Elite are merely buying time to escape off world.

When we reached out to Dr Granger for a comment, he had the following to say. "Yes, the extinction charts are real. Information is key to effective decision making." When pressed on Tiberium and it's mutation, Dr Granger simply commented. "Almost certainly within the next 18 to 21 months, though it will likely be gradual." After his last comment he was quickly whisked away by handlers who were clearly displeased by his answers.

We have reached out to other government officials, but as of yet...

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Director Granger puts down his tablet computer, rubbing his forehead "Well Doctor. I have to say, this could have been handled better. Fortunately, despite the negative press in this one publication, we were able to get ahead of the story in most other media outlets, allowing us to cushion the blow. If anything, it seems to have galvanized support. The efforts made to stabilize the economy and living standards of the world, along with reaching out a hand to the Yellow Zones seems to have most convinced that those damning pictures of your wall were a twisted form of motivation for yourself. InOps has even informed me there are jokes floating around GDI online about how you meet other department heads while forcing them to see the charts in order to scare them into working harder. But I for one am not laughing. The whistleblower has been found and claims the tabloid twisted her words, she apparently really did want to warn people of what is at stake, but went about it in the worst possible way. Investigations into the Tabloid itself reveals that this entire debacle was simply the work of human greed. Incendiary reporting meant to drive traffic and ad revenue.

This could have went far worse Dr.

Refrain from impromptu Q&A sessions with the media from now on."

 

[BoSPaladin]

There are of course a variety of 'alt-history' novels and boardgames exploring the 'what-if' questions of what would the world look like if Nod won the third tiberium war instead of GDI. Mostly detailing dystopia's where rampant science experiments run loose and civilisation is collapsing, there are some scenario's which posit a world where with Nod in complete control, their most advanced technology, hoarded by the highest ranking warlords and members of Kanes inner circle is brought into wider production, and twinned with GDI's greater industrial output leading to a golden age for the world.

Most are thinly veiled fantasy's and pipedreams, revealing their author's political leanings or otherwise satire making fun of the former. However, sweeping the bookshelves and Electronic Market is "Little Blue Dot." An innocuous enough sounding name. It details a world in which, as indeed it did, GDI won the third Tiberium world. However, leaning heavily into the recent hawk split, and tensions within the free market party and individuals within the developmentalists. It diverges from our original timeline with the famed Doctor Granger not heading up the treasury. But Director Boyles replacement instead being his own handpicked protege.

Picked for reasons of nepotism and 'alleged' (alleged by the press) erotic favours between Boyle and his student. Which the novel takes great delight in describing in Lurid prose. Little Blue Dot details how an unprepared graduate chosen through corruption and blackmail almost ruins GDI in the wake of the war and botched rebuilding effort.

Said rebuilding effort is marred by further corruption, intense lobbying from corporate pressure groups, and yet more pages of filth ridden smut and exquisitely detailed crude blackmail material. The new government limps from crisis to crisis. Doubling down on xenophobic rhetoric the government sought to prop up their popularity through the complete destruction of Nod cells. This approach works for a time. With Heavily armed and armoured GDI columns rolling up Nod outposts and razing bases from orbit with the complete dominance enabled by the ion cannon network. This works, at the cost of a further Two Liquid tiberium detonations, whether deposits accidentally ignited, or the result of nod Bombs is unclear.

But the effects speak for themselves. Spreading tiberium at a vast rate, as former blue zones lie in ruins and more blue zones lie on the cusp of falling to the status of Yellow, this provokes rioting and protests. leading to the government enabling the use of further emergency powers during martial law. Their slipshod attempts at governance are finally ended with the order for the military to shoot on protestors and the ranking officers refusal of such orders. Leading to first an attempted purging of GDI's officer corps, but instead has the military arrest dangerously incompetent leaders.

From there, with GDI's democracy dubbed a 'failed experiment' military officials cement control over GDI. Returning it to something resembling it's original structure. Almost purely a military, varying generals and admirals have wide ranging authority, running the remaining blue zones akin to a collection of police states at best, and more closely resembling personal fiefdoms or dictatorships at worst.

Despite this, the Military Junta proves adepts at the challenges of leadership. And, using captured Nod combatants. Swiftly presses them into service as forced labour. Criminals soon share the same fate. And when that is insuffient. Captured Cybernetic tech is employed too.

Nonetheless, despite the harsh measures used. It is, eventually successful, in revamping GDI's industry and abatement efforts. Protecting the Blue zone populace, at the expense of much of the rest of the world.

The book has inspired much discussion. And a rabid following among Initiative first voters. However, it has also gained an unlikely fan following among many yellowzoners who point to it as an example of GDI as it could have been, enjoying it for it's supposed 'gritty realism'.