The Nictus Insurrection

Infiltrate a Nictus base and find out what's causing them so much trouble.

Our people watching the Council tell us that there has been a frenzy of activity, and even open conflict. Now that the Center has learned of their treachery, Arakhn and Requiem have stepped up their plans. I fear that they may have begin their bid for control of the Council. If they win, humanity will lose. We have to know if the Nictus have started their insurrection, or if we still have some time. The only way to know for sure will be to infiltrate a Council communications base, and see what they're saying internally

If Arakhn has begun to make her play for power, we have to know. We can't let her win, even if that means helping the Center to keep control. The Center is a threat to freedom here on Earth, but Nictus are a threat to all life in the galaxy.

The Council soldiers in here all look nervous, and you notice that there are no Vampyri, Warwolves, or Galaxy troops to be seen.

Objective: The records on this computer are most informative.

Council activity records

You recovered these computer records of Council activity from one of their bases. They show a grim picture indeed. From the troop movements and actions assigned in the records, it looks like multiple bases have joined the Nictus. Both Vandal and Nosferatu have sided with their old leader, taking their robots and vampyri to aid Requiem and Arakhn's bid for power. The Void Hunters haven't chosen a side, and from the cash transfers made to their leaders, it looks like they've chosen to to work for whoever will pay them. A few Galaxy troops and Warwolves have sided with the Center, but the vast majority of them are naturally aligned with their Nictus leaders. The Center's forces of soldiers and Ascendants are trying to prepare their defenses, but from what you can see it doesn't look like they'll have much of a chance.

Mission Complete: You captured Council transmission records, proving that the Nictus have begun their insurrection.

The information you recovered has confirmed it. Sides have been chosen, and the battle for control of the Council has begun. Both Vandal and Nosferatu have sided with Requiem, their old boss, unbalancing the sides even further. It's unlikely that even the Center's crack Ascendant troops will be able to stop the Nictus' plans.

Unless we do something about it.

Drive a wedge between the Council factions

The Nictus have begun their battle for control of the Council. With Vandal's machines and Nosferatu's monsters added to their own Galaxy and warwolf forces, Arakhn and Requiem are almost certain to win. We must deprive the Nictus of their allies in order to swing the fight around, and we've developed a plan to do just that. We recently discovered that Arakhn and Requiem had long-range plans to do away with both Vandal and Nosferatu once they'd established their hold over the Council. It's clear that neither Vandal nor Nosferatu are unaware of this. If we can plant this information where they're sure to find it, they'll change sides.

We're sending you into an Ascendant base currently under attack by Galaxy troops supported by Vandal's robots. Your mission will be to plant proof of the Nictus' treachery where Vandal is sure to find it. You also must make sure that the rebels capture the base, so that Vandal has a chance to find the evidence, so you'll need to weaken the bases defenses by defeating the base leader and his direct underlings.

Take these files, and be sure to plant them at the base.

Evidence of Betrayal

These files show that Requiem and Arakhn had already planned to kill Vandal once he was no longer useful to them and take control of his robots, or convert him into a Nictus like themselves.

We've gotten reports that Council robots have started switching sides in mid-battle. Vandal must have found the evidence you planted and made up his mind already. That leaves Nosferatu. If we can make him change sides, we might be able to stop the Nictus' rebellion and let the Center clean up the mess.

Defeat Council office invasion

We've just gotten a report that War Wolves and Galaxy soldiers have overrun an office building in Peregrine Island! The leader has stated that you have information they deem critical, and are threatening to massacre civilians and set off bombs unless you present it to them. Obviously, Requiem and Arakhn have realized that we planted the evidence of their plot against Vandal, and now they want to get the rest of the evidence before we can get it in front of Nosferatu. We can't let them have that evidence, but we also can't let them kill those people. The only choice is to stop them. If you can eliminate one of the major threats, other heroes and the police can handle the rest, and we can get back to defeating the Council.

There are three ways to handle this:

You could find and defuse the bombs. There should be 8 of them, located all around the city area.

You could rescue the hostages. We think that there are about 6 hostages who weren't able to evacuate in time.

Or you could defeat the War Wolf leaders. That should throw their packs into disarray, making them easier to defeat. There should be about 4 pack leaders scattered throughout the battlefield.

Any one of those should be enough. I'll leave the choice up to you.

The situation in the office building has been taken care of, thanks to you. Now, we must return our attention to breaking up the Nictus' alliances within the Council. If we can now get Nosferatu to change sides, the Nictus' coup will fail for certain.

Plant evidence of betrayal for Nosferatu

The time has come to deliver the evidence of the Nictus' planned betrayal to Nosferatu. That should make him switch sides as well, which will put an end to Arakhn and Requiem's plans. This may almost be over. We could be back to fighting the Council normally in a matter of days.

Once the evidence has been planted, we should see Nosferatu pull his Vampyri back quickly. You've done this before, so this should be no problem for you.

Take these files, and be sure to plant them at the base.

Evidence of Betrayal

These files show that Requiem and Arakhn had already planned to kill Nosferatu once he was no longer useful to them and take control of his Vampyri, or convert him into a Nictus like themselves.

You planted the evidence, but we haven't seen any change. Maybe Nosferatu didn't find it? Maybe Arakhn had an agent in place who found it first? I don't know. Something's gone wrong, and unless we fidn it and fix it, the Nictus could win with Nosferatu's help.

Change Nosferatu's mind by force

We found out why Nosferatu didn't change sides after you planted the evidence of the plot against him. He already knew about the plot. We received this:

Xamot Der

I thank you for your concern, but to tell the truth, I am somewhat interested in becoming a Nictus. Unlike Vandal, I do not see that as a kind of death, but as an interesting new state of being.

However, I am not locked into the idea. I would like to see just how good you Kheldians really are. Also, I could use a fight to test the limits of the work I've done on my own body. So, let us arrange a simple test: If you can defeat me and allow me to remain free, I will change sides in this struggle and assist the Center. Until you do, I shall support Requiem, and by extension Arakhn and the Nictus. I have enclosed a location I can be found at.

Bring allies.

You will need them.

-Nosferatu'

If we want to stop the Nictus insurrection, you're going to have to defeat an Arch-villain. Can you handle it?

Nosferatu is the first of the Vampyri, and is still the strongest. He's used all of his experimental techniques on himself first. On top of that, he has over half a century of experience and cunning on his side. Bring all the allies you can, he won't give any quarter.

A feeling of dread washes over you as you set foot in this darkest of places.

Objective: After the battle, Nosferatu had some things to tell you.

'A bit of warning, friend...'

After the battle, Nosferatu had a few words before you parted ways:

'The battle was well fought. I haven't had such a workout in a long time. I will keep my word. My Vampyri will change sides, and help to bring the Nictus down. Confidentially, I think it is probably best. I think of Requiem as a leader, but Arakhn has such power over him. I do not like seeing Requiem following another. From what little I remember of human emotion, I would think perhaps he's smitten with her. The hold Arakhn has over him, I find it disturbing.

Particularly with what I've learned about their long term plans. Let me tell you of a place where the Nictus keep some of their many secrets. I will leave investigating it up to you.

Now you must excuse me. I have a betrayal to plan.'

Nosferatu [Arch-Villain] Few truly appreciate the genius of Nosferatu's super soldier program, and none more so than himself. Nosferatu was so entranced by his ability to create the super strong Vampyri that he became one of them. He has since improved upon his original design by granting himself several new abilities. He can mesmerize his opponents, leaving them helpless. Some say he can even siphon off the life force of his foes.

Mission Complete: You defeated Nosferatu, convincing him to switch sides!

Nosferatu was true to his word. The Vampyri are switching sides, and the Nictus are on the defensive. The Center should be able to put down the rebellion on hiw own now. However, this gives us an opportunity to check out what Nosferatu told you about this 'place where the Nictus keep secrets'. Give us some time to make sure it's not a trap, and then let's see if we can discover what Nosferatu was hinting at.

Investigate the caves Nosferatu told you about

Arakhn and Requiem's rebellion is ending. Now that Vandal and Nosferatu have turned against them, the Nictus no longer have the forces to defeat the Center. Speaking of Nosferatu, the location he told you about doesn't seem to be a Council base. It wasn't anyplace we'd heard of. It seems to be some natural caverns out around Peregrin Island and nothing more. However, there are reports coming in from the Coast Guard of Council troops fighting Nictus in the area. Nosferatu may have been telling the truth, but the only way to find out is to investigate.

Nosferatu said that there were secrets in those caves, but not what kind of secrets, or who guarded them. If the Center's troops are moving on the same location then we can assume that Nosferatu also told him about these secrets, and that the Center thinks it's important enough to send forces out there. You must capture those secrets, and then keep them safe by defeating any opponents in those caverns who could reveal what we found.

These caves are dry and cool. Their ancient silence is broken by the sounds of gunfire.

Objective: You found an old map of the world

A map of a new Earth

This map of the world is over seventy years old, and printed in Italian. It shoes the entire world, with locations marked all over, forming a pattern. Each of these locations have notes written by them in Khelda, the native language of the Kheldians and Nictus. The notes contain estimations based on several factors: The estimated number of Shadow Seeds needed to ensure coverage of the region, an estimation of the population who could survive conversion into a Nictus, the rate at which Nictus can arrive through the shadow cysts, and the estimated window during which Earth's defenders would have a chance to stop them, all factor into the estimated time for total Nictus control of the Earth.

Mission Complete: You uncovered the secrets of the cave, and found the true plan behind the Nictus' rebellion.

Arakhn and Requiem's bid for control of the Council is over. The two of them have gone into hiding, their forces are on the run, and the Center is cementing his control over the Council again. The Nictus were stopped, and the Council as a whole has been weakened. Perhaps not the cleanest victory, but we did what was necessary for our people and the people of Earth.

We had never known exactly what Arakhn's master plan was, but now I think I understand. The Nictus needed the Council as a power base they could use to establish themselves all across the world. Now that that plan's been foiled, I wonder what they'll do next?

They'll no doubt bide their time for a while. You'll need to be more powerful than ever in order to take them on. Return when you're at least Security Level 45. We can only hope that you'll be ready then.