The sudden jump shimmered into clarity, replacing the dizzying colors of Shockpoint Space with the stark, brutalist architecture of a dying Earth. From the Ishimura's orbital vantage, Marcus gazed out at City 17, a sprawling, grey wound on the planet's surface, dominated by the colossal, foreboding silhouette of the Combine Citadel. Smog hung heavy, obscuring the horizon, a visual metaphor for the suffocation below.
"Well, well, well," Marcus murmured to himself, leaning back in his captain's chair, a slight, almost imperceptible tremor running through the deck from the recently disengaged Shockpoint Engine. "Let's get to work" He picked up a data slate, already displaying initial scans of Combine installations. "You'd think after conquering an entire species, they'd at least invest in some proper atmospheric scrubbers. And they call themselves the Universal Union."
His internal analysis clicked through data points: civilian population clusters, energy signatures indicating high Combine activity, subtle anomalies suggesting hidden pockets of resistance. There was a pervasive, almost palpable despair emanating from the surface, a stark contrast to the untamed wildness of Pandora or the fervent, if misguided, faith of Avarax.
He dispatched a swarm of stealth drones, tiny motes against the vastness of the city, designed to bypass Combine surveillance and gather real-time ground intel.
"The Combine are clearly rattled," Marcus observed, watching a feed showing a Metrocop squad moving with uncharacteristic haste. "The Nova Prospekt explosion... so that's our arrival date." He grinned. "It's always easier to infiltrate when everyone else is already losing their minds." His mission objectives, displayed subtly on his wrist-mounted system interface, shimmered: Gain the trust of the Human Resistance, Capture a Combine Citadel. The second would come later. The first, however, required a delicate touch.
"Isaac, report to the bridge," Marcus's voice echoed through Isaac's personal comm, cutting through the humming quiet of his temporary quarters on the Ishimura. A few minutes later, Isaac Clarke, stood before Marcus.
"Captain," Isaac greeted, his eyes already scanning the main viewport, taking in the alien cityscape below.
"Isaac," Marcus began, his tone direct, but with an underlying weariness that spoke of long days of strategizing. "Another world, another mess. This one's called Earth, but I suspect it would barely recognize itself." He gestured towards the main screen, which now displayed a detailed tactical overlay of City 17 and surrounding areas, highlighting known Combine strongholds and suspected Resistance hideouts.
"As you can see, the local management has... overstayed its welcome. And they're not precisely eager to negotiate," Marcus said, a hint of dry amusement in his voice. "Our primary objective here is to make friends with the local freedom fighters. Not precisely my usual tactic, but it'll make do this time." He leaned forward, his gaze locking with Isaac's. "You're perfect for this job, and maybe you'll meet your better as well."
"Freeman? The guy you always compare me too?"
"Yes, Isaac, you have a real talent for surviving in places where everything actively tries to kill you, you're almost as good as Freeman." Marcus's smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "This won't be like Pandora. The enemy here is organized, technologically advanced, and utterly ruthless. We need to be surgical, precise. You'll be our initial point of contact, operating with minimal overt support."
"What's the mission, Captain?" Isaac asked, his voice steady, accustomed to the bizarre.
Marcus tapped a location on the screen, highlighting a sprawling, dilapidated district on the outskirts of City 17. "There's a significant Resistance presence here, though scattered. Your mission is to establish undeniable proof of our existence, demonstrate our capabilities against the Combine, and, without overtly declaring war on them, convince the Resistance that we are their best hope. Make them believe we are a new, powerful ally, not just another oppressive regime with better toys."
He pushed a data chip across the table. "Detailed intel on Combine patrols, known Resistance hotspots, and our subtle methods of initial engagement. You'll have a small team of Tyrants for heavy lifting and discreet transport, and Ada Wong will be providing tactical support and… persuasion from orbit, should you need it." He let out a soft chuckle. "She's very good at making people see things our way."
Marcus finished, his gaze returning to the sprawling, oppressed city. "Go make us some friends, Isaac. And try not to get turned into a Synth in the process. I've grown rather fond of you."
"Rather fond of doing your work you mean."