Ghost Story: the Ralph Wexler Chronicles
Part 1: Engage
This story is about a ghost. He didn't do any thing special. No bombs defused, no nukes set, no solo covert missions. Just a ghost trying to survive and make it back home, he won't. He will die a noble death it will be rather quick, maybe painless, I don't know if he felt it or not, but maybe he got lucky and didn't.
Ralph Wexler, just your run of the mill ghost trying to kill some Zerg. He had two kids, boy and girl. A beautiful wife who loved him dearly and a golden retriever named strider, his life was good, at least enough for him. He was stationed at outpost 56 one of the outpost's closer to the Zerg colonies, near the edge of the Terrain zone. He had begun his shift at 0100 hrs; he had gotten plenty of rest and relaxation. It was a good thing to; it was going to be a long night. He had two other men working with him that night, James Lexington: a marine, and Nick Strata: another ghost. None of them knew what was about to hit, how could they, the surveillance team had been killed hrs ago, and they weren't do back for at least another two. The three men sat there against the upper wall of the 145 by 100yrd complex they took turns getting up every five minutes to look out into the darkness. They knew that there was nothing there for at least 2 miles but it was dark so they couldn't see any thing past the search lights range, which was fairly short for such powerful beams of light. It was Nick's turn to look out. He Groaned and got up, "alright it is now 1:51 and there is nothing out there again" he said with sarcasm in his voice. "EEEEEE" they heard a screech coming from the black ness, then James said with a bit of fear in his voice "you don't think that the Zerg are…" he gulped. " No", said Ralph, we would have heard something from the recon team… right"? "Should we check it out?" said Nick. "Fire some shells out there, maybe it's just a critter" said Raplh. Chchchchchch! The sound of clawed hooves came from the darkness. "Oh! Screw this I'm Calling for back up!" said James and he ran to the main building to radio for help. "Ugh, call the other side will ya Ralph see if they heard anything," said Nick. Ralph turned on his walkie-talkie and buzzed the guys on the other side of the complex, KASHHH! "This is Wexler from east wall, were hearing noises here and aren't liking the sounds, over"! There was silence; he tried several more times but nothing. James came running back, breathing heavy. He said "guys, guys… I called in the headquarters and told what we were hearing, they told me the satellites are picking up some kind off small mass, and it could be a pack of Ling's". "Well that's not too bad, they can't jump high enough to get over the walls and this place is made of titanium. The claws wont do nothing but put more scratches in the side of this place." Replied Ralph to jimmy's rambling. Just then Ralph's walkie-talkie buzzed, "Open…the…gates". "Hello? who is this"? Said Ralph then a marine came out of the darkness holding the other walkie-talkie. "Open them…" the marine demanded. Then Jimmy said, "hey that's Chuck from recon, he look's hurt I'll go open the gate". "No!" said Nick, but it was too late. Jimmy had already opened the main gate. It was just a quarter open and the lings burst from the darkness, Ralph shot the main hinge so that the gate could not go any father. Chuck was infected. Kerrigan that bitch of a queen was controlling him. Chuck began to charge the main gate. "For the Swarm!" was the last of chucks words before he slammed straight into the gate blowing a hole big enough for the lings to get through. "Jimmy" yelled Ralph, "You have to get out of there. Jimmy looked out the window of the office he was in, he was stricken with fear. Countless Zerg burst through the hole in the gate. "No I don't wanna die!" Screamed jimmy over the walkie-talkie. "Your not gonna" said Ralph "just do what I say, now go into the hall way and make your way to the second floor." "Got it," replied Jimmy. Two zerg appeared from around the corner they screeched and charged at Jimmy. Ratta tat tat! He fired his gun and blew the Lings away. Jimmy ran up the stairs and opened the door to the second floor. The room he entered was a sort of lounge, had a TV, and a small Kitchen, some sofas and Chairs. The windows took up the whole out sidewall. He went over to them and saw Ralph and Nick looking for him. He waved, and they saw. "Okay Jimmy, can you still hear me?" said Ralph. "Loud and clear buddy" Jimmy said back. Then Ralph said "good, glad your still with us, now shatter the glass on the window and I'm Going to toss you two cable's, you need to attach them to your Suit and too the building then just shimmy across." "Easy for you to say, you don't have to do it," replied Jimmy with an Attitude. Jimmy then attached the cables that Ralph sent over and began to make his way over to them. Nick suddenly remembered the stair access was still open, he dashed over to lock it, there were clawing sounds coming from the other side, good thing Zerg don't have hands he thought to him self. Ralph Fired some rounds at the little buggers, who just could seem to grasp the concept that they can't reach. Jimmy was half way across when they heard a bad sound. Hydras, they came slithering out of the darkness, ready to drench every thing in acid. "Faster Jimmy, Hydras just pulled in!" yelled Ralph. "Screech, snarl" the hydras cocked back their heads, and spit away. Jimmy Scrambled to get across the wires. Acid singed the sides of his suit leaking in only inches away from his bear flesh, he looked at his feet, discovering that the wires were covered in acid and were being eating away. The cables began to snap, "pling, pluck, plong!" the wires broke with jimmy just 5 feet from the wall. He hung on for his life while the wires sent him slamming into the wall. "Climb, Jimmy, Climb" said Ralph, but Jimmy was dazed and his body was getting to heavy to hold, his arms were about to give. Count less Lings were at his feet jumping up trying to get a nibble of his flesh maybe drag his carcass down. Jimmy's vision was blurry all he heard in a muffled and distorted voice was, "Jimmy! Grab my hand". He reached out into what was now blackness for him. His grip loosened and he began to fall to the depths of carnage below. But his fall was interrupted, Ralph, held at his feet by Nick, Grabbed jimmy's hand. Jimmy only inches away from the Lings that Hunger for blood. Jimmy Blacked out. "Pull up, Pull up!" Said Ralph to Nick, and so he did. All three men sat up on a wall waiting for someone to save them. Hours passed, they could contact no one, the Zerg Lings lay at the base of the wall, waiting for the men to give up and die. The Hydras were melting the base all around. Jimmy was still out cold, "we are never getting out of here, are we Ralph?" said Nick, "Sure we will, help will come and we will get home safe and sound" replied Ralph, with a positive attitude. Then out in the distance they saw something they did not want to, a pack of guardians, came out of the blackness ready to eradicate what ever was left. "Guardians, never thought I'd see a real one" Said Nick, "well, didn't know we were so important to them," replied Ralph. "They move so slow, would thought they were quicker?" said Nick. Then a buzz came on over the walkie-talkie. "Chh… this is transport 20X8. Is any one there… I repeated this is 20X8 is any one there". "Yes," Ralph said with glee, "his is Ghost 666 Ralph Wexler, are we glad you're here". "Yhea, we picked up the swarm on the satellites and knew there was something wrong, be there in a sec" said the pilot. The drop ship went to thier location and sent down the ladder, the ship was followed by two wraiths; they took care of the hydras. As the guardians finished off the base in the distance Ralph looked back and couldn't shake a feeling of more to come for him.