Tacitus
From Command and Conquer Wiki
The Tacitus is a spherical object with strange symbols covering its whole surface. It acted as a data matrix, with vast amounts of knowledge about Tiberium and scientific data within it. It is of alien origin and of unknown age, however, it is intimately linked to Kane's prophecy of Ascension. It is unique as a data source in that it was difficult to read when it was incomplete, but became easily accessible once it was completed.
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[edit] History
[edit] Kane's work
Kane found the Tacitus first, having acquired it from an alien ship. He realized that it was critically important, and while he could translate it himself, he enlisted the services of the mutant leader Tratos to help him with the translation. Other than Tratos, CABAL was the only entity other than Kane that knew how to translate the Tacitus. Kane used technology gleaned from the data matrix to research several important pieces of technology, such as the Banshee aircraft or the secrets of Tiberium, which allowed him to create a World Altering Missile. However, before he could use the missile, his temple was overrun by GDI forces, who discovered the Tacitus in the wreckage of Kane's Temple of Nod.
Another technology Kane developed was the liquid Tiberium utilization tech, which in addition to allowing the Brotherhood to develop an arsenal of new weaponry, allowed him to lure the Scrin to earth to acquire their teleportation Thresholds.
[edit] CABAL
After GDI procured the Tacitus, they had great difficulty translating it. However, they realized that it was the source behind the Tiberium missile, and possibly several other weapons. At the beginning of the Firestorm Crisis, it was their only lead to prevent the atmospheric contamination caused by Tiberium from reaching critical levels. To this end, they attempted to have it transferred from the Cairo Temple to a GDI research center and delivered to Tratos for decryption.
Before that could happen, CABAL had Tratos assassinated, and GDI was forced to capture CABAL for translation. CABAL informed them that a second piece of the Tacitus was needed to complete the translation. Once GDI recovered the second piece, CABAL turned on his former masters, intent on using the Tacitus for himself. By the time the Firestorm Crisis had been dealt with, Cabal had used the Tacitus to create a second doomsday weapon, the incredibly powerful Core Defender. GDI was able to recover the Tacitus after destroying both CABAL's core and the Core Defender.
GDI discovered that with the addition of the second piece of the Tacitus, no decryption or translation was necessary. With this data, GDI was able to use its sonic emitter technology to break down Tiberium, decontaminating Red Zones into Yellow Zones and eventually the Blue Zones. The emitters were also used to decontaminated the oceans, which were fouled with Tiberium Algae. Ironically, the sonic technology needs Tiberium-powered systems to work.
After the breakthroughs by Doctor Gabriella Boudreau, the processing of Tacitus data slowed significantly, especially when GDI began testing the device, which led to its destabilization. The scientist theorized that while it was in his possession, Kane removed an unknown quantity of data from the Tacitus, though the purpose of this data is unknown.
[edit] The Warning
Both Kane and GDI acquired information about the arrival of an advanced alien species on Earth, in the event of a liquid Tiberium explosion. GDI saw this as a warning, while Kane viewed it as instructions on how to "invite" a race of beings with great knowledge of Tiberium to Earth. Although he saw the Scrin as "visitors", Kane took the liberty to prepare specially designed missiles for use against them. The GDI modified the Ion Cannons, allowing them to engage non-terrestrial, high speed targets, possibly due to this information. When the Scrin themselves were detected approaching Earth, GDI's acting Director, Redmond Boyle interpreted this as an invasion, and opened fire on the Scrin. Decrypted Scrin transmissions and data files recovered from Scrin structures indicate that this may have been one of the reasons the aliens' invasion was so violent from the moment they landed.
The intelligence about the Scrin is incomplete, even though GDI has spent years studying the Tacitus. It is clear that whatever race designed the Tacitus was different from the invaders, but referred to them as "brother", "ascended", "enemy", and finally "Scrin". Although it seems unlikely the Tacitus was a direct product of the Scrin, it is fairly obvious that the makers were aware of them, or even related to them, perhaps a case of divergent evolution from a common ancestor.
The Tacitus was being researched in China, but GDI felt the need to transfer it to North America, where it could be better guarded. ZOCOM forces were entrusted with the convoy carrying the device, but were intercepted by LEGION-led Nod forces. While successful at capturing the device initially, due to Alexa Kovacs's interference LEGION was shut down, and Nod troops escorting the device lost their uplink to Nod command. This allowed GDI to take back the Tacitus and move it to North America.
[edit] LEGION
The Tacitus, safely contained within GDI's Cheyenne Mountain Complex became unstable, and GDI eventually stopped tests on the device for fear of its destruction and loss of invaluable information. Kane, infuriated at the GDI scientists toying with what they barely understood (Kane described the situation as "...like children playing with a nuclear weapon; they have no idea of what they have, no idea of it's power!"), ordered the reactivated LEGION to locate and activate the Marked of Kane, so that they could invade the Rocky Mountains and secure the Tacitus. With help from the Black Hand 2nd Armoured Regiment, and a smaller Nod Strike Force, The Marked succeeded in their mission.
While the device was still unstable, Kane was pleased with the success, as it allowed his plans for LEGION to bear fruit. He connected the device to the AI's receptacle, allowing it to tap into and absorb the knowledge contained within it.
[edit] Naming
Kane named the alien data matrix after Publius Cornelius Tacitus, a well known Roman historian known for his works, the Annals and Histories. This is similar to Kane's claim to have named Tiberium after the Roman Emperor Tiberius.
