The Choices of Mengsk:

Within the shadows of the Queen of Blades lair on Tarsonis, the Cerebrate awaited the his mistress' command. The Queen of Blades was not beautiful by any means, her skin was mottled and her hair was made of spiked tendrils. Her feet and hands were massive feral claws and from her back pertruded massive spines. Even so the nameless cerebrate held her in worshipful awe, for she had been his charge when the Overmind still lived. Right now she was pacing back and forth within the dimly lit center of an infested command center.

Finally she spoke: 'The psi disruptor is causing me some very serious problems.' she said finally 'Although I've regained control of my forces here, its taking more and more of my concentration just to keep them in line.' Typical really, Cerebrate should have known she wouldn't give him due credit.

At that moment a shadow stepped over the torn apart door and into the room. 'Aw, my hearts breaking for you Kerrigan,' said Jim Raynor in bitter sarcasm. 'now exactly why was it that you asked Fenix and I to bring Mengsk to you?' Raynor was a tall, thin man, with a crew cut and stubble. He was clad in a polar fleece jacket, and behind him entered a group of blue clad marines, flanking a black bearded man clad in a regal leather trench coat, who remained silent.

At the same time through another door entered a dragoon walker, its four massive golden legs audibly clashing against the metal floor. They were retracted to allow the Dragoon to walk within the close hallways of a terran command center. Alongside him were several tall zealots, bearing psi blades.

Kerrigan summoned up her honor guard and smiled faintly. 'Do you still suspect I'll kill him for abandoning me to the zerg? I've gotten over it Jim. We can't allow petty hatreds to jeopardize our plans for the UED.'

Arcturus Mengsk, very much the underdog in the situation, said nothing. Merely remained still, looking around him with idle disinterest. When his gaze fell on Kerrigan his mind flashed with absolute contempt and hatred, now unveiled in full power. Cerebrate knew that at one time he had been her master, and had sought to have her killed by the zergs hand. In a way, Arcturus Mengsk was responsible for his existence.

'Arcturus,' said Kerrigan in a false jovial tone. 'I presume you found your cold sleep chamber accommodating?'

Arcturus said nothing, merely continued examining his surroundings. Kerrigan was annoyed by the snub, though she didn't show it. The Cerebrate was attuned enough to his Queens nature to know that much. 'I missed you too. At any rate, I need your Psi Emitters Arcturus.'

Arcturus seemed to contemplate the matter, obviously trying to figure out why she wanted them. The Cerebrate tried to read his mind, but found that he was slippery. Although he did not have psionic power, his thoughts seemed to snake and shift, weighing matters then turning them over. Mengsk could deceive a telepath. As a point of fact he had.

Now Kerrigan's irritation began to show. 'With their power, I should be able to gather enough zerg broods to destroy the Psi Emitter and confront the UED.'

Once again, Arcturus said nothing. Kerrigan gritted her teeth. This had not been how she had been hoping this meeting to go. Mengsk knew she needed him, and was aware how things would go, so he was simply refusing to play her game and letting her talk at him. It was rather like what the Cerebrate had done his entire life, except it was passive aggressive instead of subservient.

Kerrigan and Mengsk held the silence as they stared each other down, waiting for the other to speak. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped noticeably in the room. Finally Kerrigan continued. 'If you help me destroy the Psi Emitter, I'll help you retake Korhal from the UED.'

Arcturus had no comment. And this was really the point where things became deadlocked. He had to respond in order for the conversation to advance. Yet he did not, and for a minute they were just standing there as they awaited his response. Finally Kerrigan snapped, a crackle of psionic energy audible. 'Perhaps I have not made myself sufficiently clear.' she stated 'The UED is the dominant force in the sector.' Arcturus nodded gravely. 'None of us possess the power to stand up to them on our own.' Once again Mengsk nodded. 'No one is going to come and rescue us.' Mengsk shook his head sadly in agreement. 'Unless we get ourselves out of this situation, on our own, we will probably all die!' Mengsk nodded sagely, the beginnings of a smile coming to his face. 'So we must work together!'

'No.' said Mengsk simply.

Kerrigan took a step back, as though struck. 'What do you mean no?'

'No!' said Mengsk, a laugh in his voice.

And suddenly Kerrigan's master scheme came to an abrupt and impassable screeching halt as it slammed into a singular road block. And the Cerebrate realized that Mengsk had the power here. Oh yes, he was surrounded by armed guards and far from help, but it didn't change the fact that he was the one in control of the situation. He had the self destructive power to stop Kerrigan's plans right here and now, and he was using it.

'Mengsk,' said Raynor in a cold tone. 'you might want to reconsider that statement. I'm pretty sure you want to live as much as we do.'

'Oh yes,' said Mengsk, breaking into the hysterical laughter of one who has gone mad. 'but I would much rather see you all dead!'

'Get over yourself Arcturus!' snarled Kerrigan. 'You are the last person who has a right to revenge in this room!' Did she realize she sounded just slightly petulant?

'You forget what you did to me then,' said Mengsk 'allow me to enlighten you. Some years ago, shortly before the Confederacy bombarded my homeworld into ashes, a team of ghosts infiltrated the Mengsk residence and butchered my entire family, including my little sister dot!

After what you did to Alpha Squadron, I didn't think I'd ever be able to have you killed.' He sounded positively jolly now. 'But I don't have to kill you. I don't have to do anything! And I still get to watch you die! I find this most appealing!'

Raynor drew out his pistol and pointed it at Mengsk, who laughed. 'By all means Raynor, shoot me dead right here and now. Destroy the only chance your murderous whore of a girlfriend has of devouring the whole universe!'

Kerrigan snapped and rushed forward, clutching Mengsk by the throat and slamming him up against the wall. 'You seem to have forgotten your situation Mengsk. I can destroy you with a thought.'

'Go right ahead,' said Mengsk, still smiling 'do it. Kill me and call it even. I'd gladly give my life to ensure your destruction.' The smile on his face was deranged, frankly psychotic and entirely uncharacteristic. Kerrigan threw him to the ground. 'Jim take his majesty back to his eight by eight cell, and let him rethink his position.

You aren't my only option Mengsk. Keep that in mind.'

Though Kerrigan remained controlled, she had let it slip for a moment. As Mengsk was dragged away, the Cerebrate reflected that things were about to spiral completely out of their control.

…

They stood around a meeting room in the Hyperion, complete with a round table. Kerrigan, Raynor, and Fenix stared at each other, each one waiting for the other to speak, while Duran was in the shadows, looking very annoyed.

It was Raynor who spoke first, 'Well since Mengsk is once again in his cell, and we are back to square one I can only assume your plan is a complete failure. Unless you really do have other options, darling?'

'We might actually,' said Kerrigan 'Raynor, do you think you and Fenix could destroy the Psi Disruptor with conventional forces?'

'Oh what a wonderful idea!' said Raynor in annoyance. 'Here, let me call up the army I brought to Char to rescue you with. Oh wait, you slaughtered it without mercy. Funny how killing lots of people can backfire spectacularly on ya.'

'Shut up.' said Kerrigan 'Just let me think…'

Fenix had been uncannily quiet and that was beginning to disturb her. Did he know what she had done to Aldaris? Of course not, he'd been out of contact for months. Even so, it was only a matter of time before he learned about it, and then the alliance she had put together would collapse entirely.

She turned her gaze away from the Dragoon, who remained silent. Kerrigan was on a time table, and Mengsk knew it. The smug bastard was probably congratulating himself on his victory right now. 'What about Duke?' asked Kerrigan suddenly 'Where is he?'

'From what I can gather he is currently commanding the resistance against the UED.' noted Raynor 'He stopped them from conquering Antiga Prime last I heard, and is keeping the fringe worlds independent.

Look, if we focus on defending the fringe colonies from the UED's encroachments, we might be able to get enough forces to launch a strike.'

'We don't have time.' said Kerrigan 'The UED is consolidating its gains. They probably have reinforcements en route from Earth even now. If we don't stop them quickly, they will build up their forces until we don't stand a chance. No, we have to destroy the Psi Disruptor, and we have to do it soon.

If we can get Duke to give us the Psi Emitters-'

'Not an option,' said Raynor simply. 'Duke didn't defect when Mengsk destroyed Tarsonis, and he didn't defect when the UED became the dominant power. Principles and pragmatism mean nothing to him. He is a Dominion man, through and through. He also hates our guts. Unless Mengsk orders him, the man will not cooperate.'

'There is another option,' said Duran, who had thus far been silent. 'Arcturus Mengsk is not alone. He has a son.'

There was silence as they looked up at him. 'And we haven't heard about this before because?' asked Raynor.

'Mengsk didn't want his only heir assassinated.' stated Duran 'During my time working for the UED I discovered that they launched an assassination attempt upon Umojan territory while Mengsk was on a diplomatic meeting. The targets were Arcturus and an heir, Valerian.'

'Great,' said Raynor 'and this helps us how?'

'Valerian has no communication with his Father,' realized Kerrigan 'well done Duran. This could be the break we need. Duke is not popular with the colonies. If he is going to hold together the Dominion remnants, he'll need to come up with some kind of glue beyond brute force. This Valerian will probably end up being put in a position of authority until Mengsk is recovered.'

'And what makes you think he'll be willing to work with us?' asked Raynor, crossing his arms. 'In case you've forgotten, the former Magistrate of Mar Sara took most of my army and broke with the Raiders. Fun fact, a majority of terrans think you are slightly worse than the UED.'

'In addition to the offer we made Arcturus, you mean?' asked Kerrigan 'We have his Father hostage, that should be more than sufficient motivation.'

'I'm not interested.' said Valerian Mengsk over the com.

'What?' said Kerrigan 'What do you mean you aren't interested?'

'Well because you have captured my Father,' said Valerian 'you are already in a position to negotiate with the Head of State of the Terran Dominion. Presumedly you are only offering me this deal because he decided it wasn't in the Dominions best interest. Also I think cutting a deal with the UED is slightly preferable to cutting a deal with a horde of alien locusts.'

Kerrigan said nothing. She merely remained silent, opening her mouth and closing it again, as Valerian waited patiently. Raynor was beginning to think his viewpoint on the UED was in something of a minority. Either way, he felt obligated to try and salvage the situation.

'…Kid, you do realize that everyone on this ship has reason to hate Mengsk right?' asked Raynor 'He abandoned Kerrigan to the zerg, and set in motion a chain of events that led to Fenix's homeworld being slaughtered by them. I'm sure Duke has already more than explained my grudge against him.

He's not exactly in the safest of hands right now.'

'Well then I'll be sure to make a statue in his honor, commemorating him as a martyr for the cause of humanity.' said Valerian briskly with a friendly smile. 'Is there anything else?'

'Okay kid, seriously.' said Raynor 'We're going to kill your dad.'

Valerian laughed. 'I respect my father, but we're not exactly what you can call family. And because I respect him, I will not override his decision to not provide the Dominions resources for you. Have a nice day, Ms Kerrigan. You have ten minutes to remove yourself from Dominion Space before I send a fleet.'

The communications channel blinked out.

There was dead silence as Fenix's optics flared in pointed sarcasm. 'Shut up!' roared Kerrigan suddenly.

'I said nothing.' replied Fenix.

Authors Note:

So yeah, this little fanfic comes from an idea I had, when I realized that all Arcturus Mengsk had to do to ensure the death of everyone he hated was refuse to cooperate. He'd have to be willing to destroy himself in the process, but it would be a sure fire way to annihilate them.

This scene also takes a certain amount of inspiration, by which I mean a lot, from Babylon 5, more specifically a famous scene where two characters who hate each other are trapped in an elevator with a fire raging outside, threatening to cook them alive. One of them suggests they work together, but the other replies that he would much rather watch the other character die and spends the entire episode refusing to help.

Eventually they are rescued by an outside force. Though whether that is going to happen to our heroes is up for debate.

The good news is that Duran's whole Hybrid plan will never get off the ground. Unless our protagonists find an alternate means of defeating the UED, of course.