Tiberium

"Tiberium has changed all the rules. We are now certain that this substance is of extraterrestrial origin, even though we still do not know what the long-term effects of its presence on our planet will be. Dr Moebius’s research into the nature of Tiberium has only scratched the surface of the problem. We know that Tiberium is transforming our planet: it will soon be unable to sustain human life, or indeed any form of normal terrestrial life.

Thousands of species of flora and fauna, and even our ecosystem, are on the verge of extinction, or worse, of transforming into unknown species. The laws of evolution discovered by Darwin are changing. Mutations and aberrations are occurring on a global scale at a frequency and speed that defy all our understanding. The mysterious clue that allows us to trace the origins of our crisis stems in part from information recently gathered by GDI forces and the mysterious artefact known as Tacitus. This artefact, used by Kane during his experiments on Tiberium, is gradually revealing its secrets. Our new alliance with the leader of the Forgotten, Tratos, is providing us with fantastic new insights into this artefact and the mysteries of Tiberium. We hope that even more useful information on this subject will soon be available."

Analysis of Tiberian flora and fauna: ecological reports and possible consequences. Prepared for the 2030 Symposium on the general Tiberium crisis. By G. Boudreau, Doctor of Military Medicine

The name of this plant, “Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus”, derives from the River Tiber, near which the first meteorite containing this substance was found in the 1990s in Italy. Initially, the effects of Tiberium were considered harmless, but shortly after striking the ground, Tiberium began to act as a filter for the heaviest minerals and metals. Crystal formations clustered together and emerged on the surface, where they could be easily collected and processed to extract the various metals. Unfortunately, the terrible truth has since come to light: Tiberium is highly toxic and spreads very rapidly, like a kind of ecological Virus. Only extremely cold or dry climates seem to slow the spread of these Tiberium formations across our planet. This does not mean that it will not develop in these areas, but simply that the harshness of the climatic conditions seems to curb its expansion. Tiberium can take several forms, and each has its own way of spreading across our planet.

In 30 years, Tiberium has invaded 49 per cent of the planet, primarily: the Americas, Europe and Africa. The only part visible from the Earth’s surface is the crystal. However, the majority of the organism lies underground. The plant’s mechanism is simple: it draws on all the resources present in the soil and in other living organisms to form crystals.

As well as being harmful to plants, Tiberium is very dangerous to our health; indeed, thanks to experiments carried out in recent years, we have discovered that Tiberium affects the immune system, the lungs and the reproductive system. Scientists estimated that by 1994, three out of every five people would fall victim to the effects of Tiberium. But Tiberium still holds many surprises that will surely be uncovered before long. It is rumoured that the head of the NOD, Kane, carried out experiments on humans in order to create a race of super-soldiers...

Green Tiberium Crystals

Green formations are the most common type of Tiberium Crystals and have evolved in three ways. Meteor showers are the primary method of expansion. These meteor showers have become increasingly frequent and numerous, giving rise to fragments of Tiberium that cause significant collateral damage. The second method of growth is as follows: they alter the genetic code of nearby flora; this transforms into ‘full-bloom’ trees, and the flowers release Tiberium spores into the surrounding air. The final stage is a simple replication: over time, even the smallest fragment of Tiberium, even without a flowering tree, will spread to consume vast areas.

Blue Tiberium

Blue crystals are the second, and relatively new, form taken by Tiberium. Blue Tiberium undergoes two growth phases. The first is quite similar to the green variety, apart from its colour: crystalline growth on the ground. Just like green Tiberium, the blue variety extracts minerals from the soil, but in much greater quantities. These enormous concentrations have the disastrous consequence of making blue Tiberium highly volatile and explosive, and of making the collection of Tiberium Crystals extremely dangerous. Blue Tiberium reproduces, but more slowly than green Tiberium. A recent discovery has revealed a new form of blue Tiberium. This blue Tiberium appears to form much larger crystalline structures that dominate the landscape and are far more dangerous than green Tiberium. These structures are highly unstable, ready to explode and scatter their crystal reserves across the entire surrounding area. Entire troops have been wiped out as a result of a chain reaction. We do not know the exact function of these blue monoliths, but they may serve to distribute Tiberium.

Marine Tiberium

The third known form of Tiberium is a scourge to the seas and has been spreading across the planet’s surface for decades. We have noted the presence of blue and green Tiberium at sea, as well as a new form of algae colonies floating on the surface of almost all the oceans. Highly toxic in nature, these colonies remain attached to the seabed, making movement virtually impossible. This modified form of Tiberium does not appear to possess the beneficial properties of its terrestrial forms (i.e. the extraction of useful elements). Unfortunately, these colonies are tending to spread into our rivers. This process poses a threat to our drinking water supplies, and if we cannot halt this spread, it could happen faster than we realise.

Composition of Tiberium

Minerals: Phosphorus 42.5%, Iron 32.5%, Calcium 15.25%, Copper 5.75%, Silicon 2.5%, Unknown 1.5%... Gases: Methane 22 per cent, Sulphur 19 per cent, Naphthalene 12 per cent, Argon 10 per cent, Isobutane 6 per cent, Xylene 2 per cent, Unknown 29 per cent...

Life Forms: The Tacitus; The Tiberium Control Network