Note: This is a really old story I posted on a Starcraft site's fanfiction section. It's old, and the site's been deleted. I'm putting this up for pity of a forgotten story. Also, i'm pretending that i'm not neglecting my account. Revised a bit, but not much.

Arcturus Mengsk sat at his desk, signing forms and reading reports. Mengsk had just overthrown the Confederacy and established the Terran Dominion.

Mengsk had also lost his best Commander. Jim Raynor had left after Mengsk betrayed Kerrigan at New Gettsyberg. He wanted nothing more than to punish Raynor for his actions, even though they were on account of Mengsk's own actions. Somewhere along the way, Arcturus Mengsk had lost his humanity.

The door of the rectangular office gently opened.

"Ahhh...Zero, how goes unit 414?"

The officer, Zero, looked at Mengsk with a hollow look in his eyes,"After we were sent to the Harks Installation, they were attacked by a Zerg Queen," the sorrowful officer paused,"they all had parasites eat them from the inside-out, it was too late for them when I got to the medical station."

"I am so sorry," said Mengsk in the same voice he would use to describe the weather.

Zero silently seethed with rage at Mengsk's uncaring."Well...sir, why did you call me then?"

"As you know, unit 414 has been one of the most successful special ops units we have ever had at our disposal...however after the recent incident, it seems only you, the captain, are still alive."

Zero waited impatiently. Mengsk usually got straight to the point. Unless it was news that he was supposed to pretend to care about.

"Are you going to discharge me, sir?"

Mengsk was taken aback."I expected more patience of you captain."

Zero glared the dictator in the eye, still seething.

"I have decided that since you have lost your squad, and squad #248's leader has left, to...spend time with his familiy, I am putting you as-

"NO!", screamed Zero aloud. Squad #248 was the worst Ghost unit in existence. They were the joke of the entire special ops regiment (and somehow, the Marine Academy's). They failed or retreated every mission. No wonder their squad leader had left.

"What did you say to me, Captain Siloh?"

"Sir, I must apoligize for my outburst, I should not question my superior."

Arcturus did not understand that Zero was still emotional about his team's deaths. Mengsk had lost his humanity long ago. First chance Zero had, he would leave the corrupt hold of the tyrant. Now, however, was a time of war, where noone was safe. That meant his greatest chance of survival was serving this evil son of a bitch.

Mengsk, satisfied, picked up a folder, paused, then picked up a different folder on the edge of his desk and handed it to the captain.

"Get out of my sight, and I hope to hear nothing but good reports from your unit!,"said Mengsk in an intimidating tone.

"Yes sir."

Squad #248 consisted of 6 people, now only 5 thanks to the captain's leave. None of the crew were impacted by the lost leader, seeing as their leader only gave orders and yelled if something went wrong. What was up with that?

The 5 of the crew were in dropship quarters, awaiting their new leader to board.

Zero entered the ship, quite reluctantly, and found the crew sitting idly by in a 7-man table.

Zero looked around at his new team. He had already read the reports and descriptions, and recognized them instantly.

Sara was working away at her computer pad. Sara had brown hair, blue eyes and was in her 30's. She was quick, cold, and talkative as a tree. She was a veteran sniper and most importantly, team tactician.

Brago was a muscular man in his late 30's. He was fairly dark-skinned, had black hair and brown eyes. Usually, a man so large would not be selected for special ops and mental training, being a Ghost was about stealth. However, he had proven he could move as quick as anyone in basic training by sneaking up on his drill sergeant (who'd been working in the special ops regiment since Mengsk was a child) and, once, scared him into nearly shooting Brago with a Gauss Rifle he was carrying. That had straightened out Brago, and the sergeant picked him and 30 other recruits out of 50 to move on to advanced training. Zero was not sure what his role in the squad was, though he guessed it was powerhouse.

Kenny was in his late 20's. He had light colored brown hair and matching eyes. Kenny was jumpy and full of cowardice at the sight of a Zergling. However, he knew how to stay cool and calm only in front of a computer. Of course, he was the team computation and hacking expert. Zero thought his description sounded rather cliche, and wondered why the hell they would include that cowardice statement until he noticed it was a note by the last leader.

Zak was only 18, red-haired with brown eyes. Zak was arrogant and laid-back. Usually the age limit for becoming a ghost was 20, but Zak had gotten in because he was as psionically gifted as a High Templar. He had come from Earth at age 6, and had joined the ghost program by 12 when his parents died. His psionic abilities led to self activation cloaking system. He was as quiet as a real ghost could ever be. He was gunning superior of the group(only ghost in unit that instead of a rifle, carried a machine-gun and pistol).

Nora was also young and gifted like Zak. She was 19 with blue hair and gentle green eyes(she had refused to die her hair to a less conspicuous color). After she had seen her parents devourered first-hand by a Ultralisk, she joined the Ghost program for revenge. Despite this however, Nora was cheerful, always lifting team spirits. She was team explosives expert.

Zero himself was black-haired, brown eyed, and in his young 30's. His psionic powers were helpful in masking his footsteps and sending telepathic orders to his squad. Zero had joined at age 20 and rapidly climbed rank to captain due to all his successful reports. Zero was serious, dedicated, and loyal. He was of course, the new team captain.

Zero looked around at his new squad. They didn't bicker and were at full attention.

So Zero had to ask himself, why did unit #248 have such a bad reputation?

"Well squad, I am your new team captain, you will address me only as Captain Siloh. You will follow all orders without question."

"Sir!", the team stood and saluted.

Zero just didn't understand, this squad was like a well oiled machine, what was their problem? This squad had the lowest and most insulting rank of the Special Ops ladder, a rank D.

Zero opened his folder and gasped. Missions were also rated from D to S. This mission was rank A. For his show of disrespect earlier, Mengsk had given him a assignment for skilled Rank A or S members. Zero vaguely recalled the folder Mengsk had dropped before.

Their first mission:

Capture James Raynor, alive or dead.

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Weak and ridiculous story filled with errors. This is not my recent writing, and it is extremely weak and I apologize. Ok, enjoy.