Peter Tao

Character: Bayani Ison

Name: Peter Tao*Affiliation:* Global Defence Initiative (GDI)*Rank:* Lieutenant Commander*Role:* Commander of Phoenix Base*Friend / comrade:* Cdr. McNeil*Enemy:* General Vega and the Brotherhood of Nod*Location:* Phoenix Base, Arizona*Conflict:* Second Tiberian Dawn*Appearance:* Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
Status: Deceased, executed by Vega in 2030.Peter Tao is a GDI officer in charge of Phoenix Base, an outpost located in south-eastern Arizona. A long-time friend of Cdr. McNeil, he became one of Nod’s first major victims when the Second Tiberium War broke out.

Friend of Cdr. McNeil

According to information from the Command & Conquer Story Bible, Tao is slightly younger than Cdr. McNeil, but close enough in age for the two men to have attended the military academy at roughly the same time. They became friends. However, this information comes from a development document and should therefore be distinguished from the events directly depicted in the game.

Tao subsequently pursued his career within the GDI and was given command of Phoenix Base in Arizona.

The Attack on Phoenix Base

In 2030, Kane’s reappearance heralds the start of a new major offensive by the Brotherhood of Nod. Nod forces under General Vega launch a surprise attack on Phoenix Base from Texas.

Tao sends a distress call to GDI headquarters. The situation deteriorates rapidly: his troops are overwhelmed, whilst several of the base’s facilities, notably the Tiberium Refinery and the barracks, are destroyed.

General James Solomon immediately dispatches Cdr. McNeil and reinforcements to rescue Phoenix. By the time they arrive, however, it is already too late for Tao: almost all the local GDI forces have been wiped out and the Officer has been captured by Nod.

Captured by Vega

Following his capture, Tao is tortured to extract military intelligence. Vega then decides to turn his prisoner into a weapon of psychological warfare against Cdr. McNeil.

A transmission showing Tao in captivity is sent to the Kodiak, Cdr. McNeil’s command vessel. Vega addresses Cdr. McNeil, Chandra and Brink directly before proceeding to execute the Officer.

Tao is thus executed personally by General Vega. His death occurs at the very outset of the war and immediately serves to highlight the brutality of Nod’s offensive.

Phoenix after his death

Tao’s death does not mean the definitive loss of Phoenix. Reinforcements sent by Solomon finally arrive in the area and discover a single GDI Soldier who survived the initial assault.

The troops deployed by Cdr. McNeil, including infantry and Wolverines, repel the Nod forces and secure what remains of the base. The enemy presence in the surrounding area is then eliminated.

Tao is therefore unable to witness the GDI’s recapture of his post, but his call for help is one of the events that sets the Tiberian Sun campaign in motion.

Peter Tao is a minor character who appears only very briefly, but his death serves an important narrative function. It provides a personal link between Cdr. McNeil and the Vega offensive, as the two Officers were friends, and demonstrates, right from the start of the conflict, the brutal methods employed by the Nod General.