Chapter One: One Last Task
There was dead silence in the car.
Dugalle looked out the window at the city passing him by. It had changed a great deal in the last forty years. The buildings had become taller and sleeker. The observation drones had become less obvious, and the restaurants had gotten better.
Then he looked across from him at the younger man. Alexei Stukov was also looking out the window. A cigarette was in his mouth, smoking. A bad habit. One of many.
"…Gerard, you look less than enthusiastic to be here." said Alexei. "Isn't retirement treating you well?"
"I am not retired yet, Alexei." said Dugalle with a sigh.
"More's the pity for the both of us." reflected Alexei. "Still, I suppose someone has to do all the paperwork." He drew out his cigarette and looked up at the ceiling. Dugalle could sense he was ill at ease about something. Dugalle himself was ill at ease about many things.
Times were changing. With the old enemies defeated the Directorate was without an outside threat. They could no longer justify certain necessary actions.
"What is it?" asked Alexei.
"It is nothing. Just rumors." said Dugalle.
"What sort?" asked Alexei.
He knew what sort. "Rumors of discontent." said Dugalle. "The common people are becoming ill at ease with the Directorate."
Alexei smirked and opened the window a crack. They were passing a historic monument. One which showed Dugalle and Alexei standing triumphant over the bodies of aliens. "Well, sheep will bah, I suppose."
"It is nothing to disregard." said Dugalle. "History teaches us that when the people are discontent, it takes only a single shot to bring down nations.
"We must find some kind of outlet for their frustrations."
"Well that was your career, wasn't it?" asked Alexei.
"To an extent." said Dugalle, not liking his old friends cyniscism. "Establishing humanity an empire among the stars entertained the masses. But I would be ashamed if I thought that was the only reason I sent good men and women to their deaths.
"One should never start a war without a worthy cause."
Alexei laughed. "Gerard, please. You act as if I were a schoolboy learning his lessons. There is no such thing as a just war. Only a just pretext."
"I remember a time when you were almost a schoolboy." noted Dugalle.
"Well, I've kept my roguish good looks from that time. If nothing else." laughed Alexei.
Dugalle peered at his old friend. He couldn't see as well as he used to, so it was harder to analyze his expression. But he could sense Alexei was hiding something. "Do you know what this is all about Alexei?"
Alexei met his gaze. Then, after a moment, he looked away. "…Yes, I suppose I did. I was involved in the planning stages, after all."
"Then why was I not informed?" asked Dugalle.
"The usual reasons of course. You didn't need to know." said Alexei. "The Directorate didn't want to get people excited. Ah, here we are."
They were not so close to the mansion that they had to stop their conversation. But Dugalle let the matter pass as they drove up a sloping highway to a great mansion. The front door was on a raised staircase, and there were armed guards waiting there.
A man walked down the steps to meet them. He was a bear of a man, with a curly blonde beard and bright eyes. As Dugalle stepped out of the car, he clasped his hand. "Minister Idreas, it has been some time."
"Indeed it has, Dugalle. You've arrived in perfect time." said Idreas. "Dinner is nearly ready, and the others are already here. Tonight you and Alexei will dine with me, and then we can discuss matters."
"I would prefer to get straight to the point if we could." said Dugalle. "Helena is expecting another child, and I would like to be there when she is born." Dugalle was somewhat surprised at his own virility, though he did not mean to comment on the subject.
"I insist." said Idreas. "These aren't matters one ought to take without a full stomach."
Dugalle looked to Alexei, who shrugged, then back. "If you insist, Minister."
'The others' were old friends. A thin, clean-shaven man of about forty was sitting across from Dugalle on the dining room table. And then there were a variety of others. Dugalle nodded to the man. "Captain Nelson, I see you've been called in as well."
"Well, in the service of ones' country one must always be prepared." said Nelson. "Do you know any more about this?"
"You can ask Alexei." said Dugalle. "Though I doubt he'll tell you anything more until the meeting." Idreas was often held up by business of the state. Even so, Dugalle privately suspected he wanted to be fashionably late.
"You know me too well, Gerard." said Alexei. "I do enjoy keeping people in suspense."
Then Dugalle saw someone he didn't recognize. The youngest of those here. He was twenty four at most. He had shoulderlength blonde hair, and his face was an expressionless mask. His hands were clasped together, and he was peering at everyone present.
"And who is this fine gentleman?" asked Dugalle.
"Ah, right." said Nelson. He stood and walked over to the man. "Gentlemen, this is Captain William Mark of the Directorate Observational forces. Mark, this is Gerard Dugalle and Alexei Stukov."
"A pleasure to meet you." said Mark. "I've studied your campaigns, Admiral Dugalle."
"Not too closely, I hope." said Dugalle with a slight smile. "An old man doesn't like people pointing out his mistakes until at least a few centuries later."
"Quite closely." replied Mark. "You were a bit conservative with your men's lives at several points. In negotiations, you make use of the Velvet Glove where the Iron Fist might serve better and-"
"I apologize, Dugalle." said Nelson quickly. "Mark doesn't have much in the way of a sense of humor."
"I do not take offense." said Dugalle, surprised and a little annoyed. "It is the responsibility of every man to form his own views. Just so long as he doesn't express those views of his that are contrary to the party."
"I have no views contrary to that of the party." said Mark. "I am an avatar of my position."
There was dead silence. Stukov took a smoke of his cigarette. "Careful, Dugalle. I am unsure if this one is joking."
There was a nervous chuckle. Mark did not join in. He had very serious green eyes. Dugalle felt as though he was judging everyone here.
At that moment, Idreas returned. He sat down quickly, straightening his suit. "Gentlemen, I'm sorry to be late. There were a number of affairs that came up. Pacifying dissidents, smoothing over a few disputes. You know the drill."
"Do you require my services?" asked Mark.
"No, no need for that, William." said Idreas. "Come, let's eat."
The food was good. Very good. Idreas had some of the best cooks in the world on his payroll, and it showed. As they eat, Dugalle felt a little uncomfortable. He had not taken the field in some time.
"So, Dugalle, I've heard you're expecting a fourth child." said Idreas. "Congratulations are in order."
"Thank you Idreas." said Dugalle. "Alexei is to be her godfather. As is natural."
"Strange." said Mark under his breath.
"What was that, Mark?" asked Idreas.
"It is nothing." said Mark. "An inconsistency. Nothing more."
Silence again. Mark seemed to have a talent for killing the mood. "…I am told that there are plans to build a new mass transit system that connects all of Rhodes V." said Dugalle. "Perhaps you could shed some light on the matter, Idreas?"
"Yes." said Idreas quickly. "Well, one of the great benefits of a centralized system of government is efficiency. The Directorate is creating a rail system that will stretch across the entire planet. It will stimulate the economy and provide a great many jobs."
"And what of the cyborgs who still live there in hiding?" asked Mark.
Idreas shifted. "…Naturally, they will be healed. If possible."
The subject of cyborgs was still a controversial one. The days of purges were long since gone. With the advent of better medical technology, cybernetics were not as popular. But they still existed in the black market.
"And if not possible?" asked Mark.
So he was in favor of purges. Dugalle had always been against them. The purity of the human form was essential to maintaining the purity of the human spirit. But the genocides of the UPL were a barbarous period that did far more harm than good. The UED should not go back to such days.
"We are making use of the Velvet glove at the moment, William." said Idreas. "Better to let a few aberrations exist than trigger a rebellion."
Mark nodded. "…That is your decision, of course."
"My, you are a veritable source of cheer and goodwill, aren't you Mark?" asked Alexei.
More nervous laughter.
"The tenets of the Directorate emphesize the divinity of man. To corrupt the human form with mere machines is monstrous." said Mark. "I merely wish to see them followed."
"Very admirable." said Alexei. "I wonder if you actually believe it."
Mark's expression hardened as he looked to Alexei. There was a silent challenge between them. "I could very well say the same about you, Vice Admiral."
This was getting out of hand. Dinner was finished, and an argument would be disastrous. Dugalle looked to Idreas. "If I might, Idreas, I should like to know why we've all been called here. As far as I can tell only Alexei has the slightest concept of this mission you called us here for."
"Not quite a mission." said Idreas. "More, a campaign."
A campaign? Dugalle tapped his fingers on the desk. He wished he hadn't quit smoking in that moment. "Against who? There are no more rogue colonies to conquer. The alien races we have encountered have been crushed into submission."
"Well that is a very complicated matter." said Idreas. "Made more complicated by the fact that most of the information we are drawing on is top secret. Alexei, if you would be so kind as to elaborate."
"Of course, Idreas." said Alexei.
Servants came to take the trays away, while Alexei moved up to the front. As he did, Dugalle felt a twinge of resentment. He remembered a time when he had been privy to all these things well in advance. More and more he felt like a figurehead. While Alexei did the steering.
Alexei pressed a button on a remote, and the wall slid aside to reveal a screen. Turning on the screen reveal a star sector. Dugalle scanned over it, trying to place it.
"Gentlemen, can any of you tell me what this is?" said Alexei.
"A sector of space. The the name will come to me…" said Dugalle.
"The Koprolu Sector. It is a faraway area of space." said Mark. "It is also along the projected path of the colonization fleets. Those sent before the ATLAS system malfunctioned.
"Establishing a foothold in that region would be difficult and not worth the effort. May I assume that someone has contacted us? Perhaps the descendants of the original colonists?"
Alexei looked up in surprise. "…This one is sharp, Idreas.
"Yes, Mark. There are colonists in that region. It seems that a great many lost sheep ended up in the Koprolu Sector. Conveniently enough, all of them crash landed on habitable worlds. And even stranger, they thrived and established empires of their own."
"Why was this never made public?" asked Nelson.
"It wasn't necessarry to do so." said Stukov. "Until the last few decades, Koprolu Sector was far too far away to send a fleet. And the UED judged that it wouldn't be worth the effort of subduing the region."
"Then why is it worth the effort now?" asked Dugalle.
"That requires a bit of background, Dugalle." said Alexei. "You see there are three core governments in the Korprolu Sector. The Kel'morian Combine, a loose coalition of guilds and corporations. The Confederacy of Man, the largest and the strongest. And the Umojan Protectorate, the smallest. They survive by playing the two against each other.
"There was recently a conflict between the Confederacy and the Kel'morian Combine. These were called the Guild Wars. It ended with the Kel'morian government selling out their citizens. It was in exchange for a place in the Confederacy's ruling aristocracy, the "Old Families" as they were called. Thus the Kel'morian Government is immensely unpopular.
"Of course the cost of the war, as well as the Confederacy's treatment of its people, led to a number of rebellions. Most notably a massive one on Korhal that succeeded in driving it off the planet. It was quelled only by a nuclear bombardment that killed most of the population. This scared the rebels underground. However, as a result, the Confederacy became immensely unpopular.
"Is anyone seeing a theme?"
"Neither of the major governments has popular support." said Nelson. "And the Umojan Protectore has no true strength of its own." Dugalle had only realized it. He'd fallen behind.
"Exactly, Nelson." said Alexei. "If the Confederacy were to be destroyed tomorrow there would be only applause. And with our immense technological advantage, it would be a simple matter."
"Alexei, you have illustrated that we could take control of the Koprolu Sector." said Dugalle. "However, I do not see why we should want to."
"Surely bringing the light of humanity to these barbarians is reason enough?" asked Alexei.
"For propaganda purposes, perhaps." said Dugalle. "But you need more than propaganda to justify a war."
"Dugalle is right. It would be a lot of trouble to supply our troops in the Koprolu Sector." said Nelson. "If anything went wrong, the fleet could be cut off."
"Indeed." said Alexei. "And those reasons are precisely why we haven't done anything about the Koprolu Sector. We've merely been observing and looking for opportunities.
"Well, we received one a few weeks ago."
He pressed a button. What then appeared on the screen was an alien. Something out of a nightmare. It's body was covered in spines, and it had two scythes in place of arms. It was rearing against a blackened sky over a pile of skulls.
"What is that?" asked Dugalle.
"It is a zerg." said Alexei. "A creature which is part of a hive mind. A race that invaded the terran colonies only a little while ago. Of course, the Confederacy has been doing everything it can to cover up their existence. And while it does that, it has been gathering information."
"To what end?" asked Nelson.
"Why to control the zerg of course." said Alexei. "Research indicates that the zerg are led by a hive mind, hereafter referred to as the Overmind. It is a sentient creature. It has created many lesser hive minds called cerebrates, to organize the broods.
"Our drones indicate that the zerg have truly massive broods. It is likely that the Confederacy will fall to them unless their experiments bear fruit."
"What is the source of all this?" asked Nelson.
Alexei pressed another button. A dignified, blonde man, younger than most appeared. He wore a uniform that was impeccably neat. "A Confederate Commander, known as Alan Schezar. He has become disillusioned with the Confederacy's incompetent and ruthless leadership. He, and a cadre of Confederate Officers, have been working on experiments of their own.
"And they have been feeding us information for some time. Their knowledge is quite extensive. Schezar tells us that he hopes to enslave a zerg cerebrate."
"What does he want?" asked Dugalle, not keeping the distaste out of his voice. An enemy Dugalle could destroy. But a traitor was a snake he had to tolerate.
"As far as I can tell? A government he can work with." said Alexei. "He and his officers are disgusted by Confederate inaction. They wish for a more enlightened government to take their place."
"Fine words." said Dugalle. "But he remains a traitor."
"In his defense, Dugalle, the Confederate Government is more or less a kleptocracy." said Alexei. "The only thing it cares about is money. And there is nothing it is not willing to do to get it.
"It seems to me that if there is a point where it is acceptable to abandon ones' country, Schezar is at it."
"So what, precisely, is the plan?" asked Nelson.
"Schezar is planning to take complete control of the Confederate Military." said Idreas. "Once he does that, his plan is to put his full efforts into stopping the zerg. This will leave most of the anti-Confederate factions with a relatively free hand.
"We need only dispatch a token fleet, headed by you, Dugalle. We can organize the rebels under our banner. With a bit of UED discipline, it should be a simple matter to conquer the Confederacy. The ideal place to strike would be Tarsonis."
Alexei nodded. "With most of the military under Schezar, and the rest disorganized, we need only kick in the door. The whole rotting house will fall in."
"If everything goes as planned." noted Nelson. "And nothing ever goes as planned."
"And what would you suggest, Nelson?" asked Alexei.
"I suggest we take enough troops to seize control of Tarsonis on our own." said Nelson.
"There is one other factor Alexei does not know about." said Idreas suddenly.
Dugalle looked up. "What is it?"
Idreas removed some photographs from his file and slid them across the table. "These only just came in."
Dugalle saw a strange, scarab like ship. It and several others were firing beams of the purest light into a planet. "Another alien race?"
"Yes. They have been named the protoss." said Idreas. "We know almost nothing about them. However, they appear to be enemies of the zerg. They glassed the planet of Chau Sara during an evacuation of terran civilians.
"Their next target will be on another planet, Mar Sara."
"All this information must be out of date by the time any kind of fleet reaches the Koprolu Sector." noted Nelson. "By the time we arrive in the situation may have changed drastically."
"I am inclined to agree, Captain Nelson." said Dugalle. "Any attack force we send must have sufficient firepower to gain victory. Even without popular support. Moreover, we will also need troops to garrison things.
"Defeating these zerg, it seems to me, should be our top priority."
"Actually, that brings me to our second objective." said Alexei. "We have been analyzing Schezar's data, and we have concluded he may well be able to enslave a cerebrate as he claims. However, his understanding of psionic domination is… primitive.
"We believe that we may be able to enslave the Zerg Overmind."
Dugalle liked this subject less and less by the moment. "To what end?"
"Well, to stave off the threat to earth, of course." said Idreas. "If the beast were to come here our territory could be threatened. And if we succeed in seizing control of the Overmind, we will possess a truly massive army."
"I do not like the idea of relying on such abominations." said Dugalle.
"Of course we would never use them against human enemies." said Idreas. "Unless in the gravest of situations. But they might prove useful against the likes of the protoss.
"Dugalle, you are the finest Admiral in the fleet. Will you accept this task?"
Dugalle considered his answer. "Give me a large enough fleet, and I can promise victory over the terran regime. Give me the means, and I can promise you the Overmind will be bent to the will of humanity.
"In regards to holding such far flung colonies, however, I can promise only that it will be a monumental task."
Idreas smiled. Then taking the bottle of wine, he poured in many cups of wine and passed them out. He raised his glass. "Monuments are built in honor of monumental tasks."
One final campaign. It seemed like the sort of thing that might end badly. But Dugalle had always been a proud man and to admit weakness was not his nature.
Dugalle took the glass and mirrored the motion. "…So they are. To the divine of human."
"To the divine human." echoed everyone else.
They drank, and the die was cast.
Author's Note:
Welcome, all of you to the latest installment of the Serenaverse. This will be somewhat unique among my stories so far, in that Brood War will be contained in all one fic. I decided on this because the nature of Brood War's narrative is different from base Starcraft. In the original campaign, each storyline exists independent of the others. Although they do interconnect, the core storylines stand on their own. You don't need to play the other chapters to understand the plot of that story. In Brood War, though, to understand you really have to have played the other two. The only exception is the UED campaign, which stands pretty well as its own arc.