Ajay

Actor: Josh Holloway

Name: Ajay*Affiliation:* Brotherhood of Nod*Role:* Intelligence Officer, military planner and tactical adviser*Superior:* Kane*Associates:* Nod Commander, Kilian Qatar*Origin:* Sarajevo region*Conflict:* Third Tiberian Dawn*Appearance:* Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Status: Unknown.Ajay is one of the Brotherhood of Nod’s leading intelligence officers during the Third Tiberium War. A brilliant tactician and military planning specialist, he advises the Commander of Nod directly throughout much of the 2047 campaign. Kane himself considers his loyalty to the Brotherhood of Nod to be beyond question.

From the streets of Sarajevo to the Brotherhood of Nod During his youth, he worked as a zone runner, which gave him a thorough knowledge of the dangerous territories contaminated by Tiberium.

He subsequently joined the Brotherhood and quickly distinguished himself as a particularly gifted intelligence officer and tactician. He devised the plans for numerous complex operations and was not content to work solely from headquarters: as a seasoned former Soldier, Ajay preferred to remain close to the front lines where his Brothers carried out his strategies.

When Kane launched his new offensive against the GDI in 2047, Ajay was assigned to the Commander of Nod and became one of his principal advisers.

In particular, he helped prepare the attack on the A-SAT control centre at the Goddard Space Centre. The destruction of this facility enables Nod to neutralise the GDI’s anti-missile defence network prior to the attack on the Philadelphia orbital station.

Ajay subsequently continues to accompany the Commander throughout the campaign and develops a relatively cordial relationship with him. Despite his role as a planner, he even admits to sometimes envying the Commander, who takes a direct part in the fighting.

Distrust of Kilian Qatar

Ajay, on the other hand, has a much more strained relationship with General Kilian Qatar, Kane’s second-in-command.

He acknowledges her abilities but is wary of her ambition and brutality. His suspicions grow when Qatar begins to question some of Kane’s decisions.

The situation reaches a climax during the defence of Temple Prime in Sarajevo.

After repelling a GDI offensive, the Temple’s defenders are suddenly attacked by other Nod forces. Ajay immediately suspects Qatar of being behind this betrayal and urges the Commander to destroy the renegades.

The truth, however, is quite different: the attack was orchestrated by Legions under the influence of Alexa Kovacs, with the aim of compromising Qatar.

Qatar’s trial

After Kane’s return, Ajay shares his suspicions about Qatar with him.

When she is captured, Kane asks Ajay to testify against her. But faced with the very real possibility that his testimony could lead to her execution, Ajay hesitates and ultimately admits that he is no longer certain of her guilt.

This does not save Qatar.

Kane has her executed and then reveals to Ajay that this situation was also a test of his own faith. Ajay passed it in the eyes of the Prophet, even though the episode shows that he is not entirely without scruples or doubts.

Doubts about Kane

Ajay’s loyalty nevertheless begins to waver towards the end of the war.

He does not understand why Kane seems willing to sacrifice so many Nod soldiers, particularly when the Brotherhood of Nod is fighting alongside the alien Scrin forces. For the first time, Ajay begins to wonder whether some of Kilian Qatar’s criticisms might, after all, have been justified.

This development is significant: Ajay begins the war as one of the loyalists whose loyalty Kane himself vouches for, but the events of 2047 eventually shake that trust.

His fate following the Third Tiberium War is not clearly established.

Personality

Ajay is, above all,intelligent, pragmatic and extremely competent in the field of military intelligence. His proximity to the combatants also sets him apart from a mere analyst: he has real experience on the ground and understands the difficulties faced by the Soldiers carrying out his plans.

His relationship with Qatar, however, reveals his main flaw. Ajay sometimes relies too readily on his instincts and thus unwittingly contributes to the downfall of a woman who was innocent of the treason of which she was accused.

On the other hand, his hesitation when called upon to testify shows that he retains a certain moral independence from Kane.