Starcraft: Liberation
Kotone V
Chapter1
Requested soldiers for class X mission as per Gen. Alicia Cherenkov.
General Alicia Cherenkov
Home planet: Tarsonis
Age: 20
Class: Ghost mind assassin
Weapons: Dark Canister Rifle, Wrist machine guns.
Abilities: Cloaking, Mind warp, Mind shock, Mind crush, Mind Fry, super strength.
Combat proficiency: S+
Williams' comments: This chick is insane…so all our missions are a huge success, except Torfan, but that was Lewis. As a Ghost Alicia is pretty damn scary (can you say Psycho Bitch?)she kills in a very elegant manner, I've seen her take out a hoard of Zerglings with just her mind alone…that's that bullshit since she's not supposed ta be able to do that. So yeah she's great at combat, a tactical genius, has multi colored hair, and has the perfect body. I mean have you seen her in her Ghost suit? Holy shit I almost jizz my pants every time I see her in it, plus she's great at sex! Like this one time…
Alicia's comments: I let Williams fill this out so yeah…I learned from my mistake… (Da I am dating him , but luckily we keep our personal shit at private, like Nova and her boyfriend whom I've yet to meet.)
Lewis's illegal comments: what the hell? How'd I hack this? I wanted porn dammit... wait, this won't end well… Nova's boyfriend? Oh, this won't end well…. Not well at all.
Commander Darryl Williams AKA; Will
Home planet: Tarsonis then Shakuras
Age: 20
Class: Templar Marine
Weapons: Modified Gauss Rifle, Mk 43 shotgun, Personal Goliath, "Crow", Templar Warp Blades.
Abilities: Cloaking, advanced mechanics, super strength, nulls out pain.
Combat proficiency: S
Alicia's comments: I met Williams as a child and we've been together ever since (He went missing when he was ten, turns out he was given to the Protoss by some alien worshipping cult. The Protoss trained him to be a dark templar for some odd reason; he mentioned some weird crystal and a senile old protoss grandpapa). We joined the Terran Dominion Army when we were 15 so I've served with commander Williams for about 5 years now; despite our young ages we have blown through the ranks with our tendency to request the dangerous suicide missions along with Lt Lewis and Roberts. Although Williams is sarcastic, a smartass, a sex fiend, and an overall lazy person, he's a great leader when the time calls for one. His goliath troops quickly follow his lead without question; he's garnered more respect than most commanding officers with the enlisted soldiers. In combat Williams is a monster in or out of his Goliath, Crow. He's an expert mechanic and has modded his entire goliath squad. His presence will greatly improve the survival rate of the mission. (And before anyone says anything, just because we're friends doesn't mean he's abused any less than the rest of you)
Lt Andrew Lewis
Age: 21
Class: Assault Ghost
Weapons: L33t C2 canister rifle, Silenced laser pistol, c48 (he's not supposed to have this), Custom Vulture "Silence", nukes (absolutely not! Not after his fuck up on Torfan)
Abilities: Cloaking, nuking shit (Banned), Mass Lockdown (restricted), super strength, slight regeneration.
Combat proficiency: A-
Alicia's comments: Oh god….who requested this idiot?! I sure as hell didn't! As a Ghost he's at the top of his game, but as a soldier….well he's an idiot. The Torfan incident shattered any trust the counsel had placed in him, he was busted down in rank, stripped of his mass lockdown abilities and, his nuke clearing. (I lost a star because of him!)I understand he works best if Williams and Roberts are there to keep him in check, but I still don't trust him to not blow up the planet…but that's Alicia talking, as general Cherenkov I approve of his going with his ghost squad due to his remarkably high seek and eradicate skill…I'm not going to lie he is mostly respected for doing what he had to do to keep that planet from falling to the Zerg but I wish he'd at least asked to incinerate the planet. Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this…
James Roberts AKA; Jb
Age: 23
Class: Chaos Firebat
Weapons: Hades type napalm cannons, plasma ax, gauss rifle, Custom Siege Tank "Rhino"
Abilities: Hell mode, Ignition, demolitions expert, super strength.
Combat proficiency: A
Alicia's comments: I don't have much to say about him…I've never directly served with him before now, but Williams tells me he's a good soldier and I trust his judgment more or less. (I think he wanted Roberts around because Williams' ex- girlfriend, Carlita Givens is in his squad, he still deeply loves her.) He was also involved in the Torfan fiasco. Unfortunately for him this mission is a direct attack against his former friend Sara Kerrigan; the Zerg Queen of Blades. I hope he doesn't let his old flame take advantage of him… (I would, he looks like a wimpy bleeding heart to me)
CW01 Daniel Cooper AKA; Boomer
Age: 22
Class: Demolition Ghost
Weapons: no primary weapon. M38 Proximity mines, T2 linier shape charge, two bricks each of C-45 through C-47. c48(currently missing….wait a sec…LEWIS!) ,two spider mines, K-bar style fighting knife, one kukri and one machete.
Abilities: Biological lockdown, Phasing, IED, super strength.
Combat proficiency: S
Alicia's comments: Cooper? Ummm…well I worked with him once during the Torfan incident…I don't know him personally but from what I saw he's a very capable Ghost. I'll admit he's a little bomb crazy but how many of Williams' friends aren't infatuated with explosive items? He's the first and only ghost to master the phase ability, which almost impresses me. He's been friends with will since he joined and the two cause almost as much damage together as Lewis. He's currently assigned to November's Ghost squad. She tells me all her efforts to control his explosive nature, ends in failure
Lt. November Terra AKA; Nova
Age: 20
Class: Ghost
Alicia's comments: All of November's information is being withheld at her asking me nicely.
I met November when I was 11; she helped me get through Williams' disappearance and became one of my best friends. Unfortunately I lost contact with her after her family was murdered. I reunited with her when we were inducted into the Ghost program (Da I'm a Ghost too) she was a different person. Then she almost had her memory wiped, but that failed. So to fill the pain of her shattered childhood she became Nova the elite Ghost .We're still close and I trust her more than I do Williams…she doesn't try to look up my skirt while she's cloaked, or raid the junior officer shower room with Lewis and Cooper, get caught, and try to blame Roberts…. I've assigned her squad to keep an eye on Williams and his trigger happy comrades.
General Alicia Cherenkov.
Williams, Lewis, and Roberts stood in the massive hanger bay of the Terran Dominion battle cruiser Torfan 1 (how ironic).The three elite officers own custom vehicles stood out from their normal blue and white themed vessels .Williams Goliath, Crow stood proudly in front of its smaller brothers, Lewis's vulture, Silence was docked next to his small Ghost squadron's own vultures, Roberts' overly large Siege Tank, Rhino was currently being fitted with a new prototype particle cannon. Williams was leaning on a wall, his pilot suit half mast, Roberts was in his coveralls helping with the refitting of Rhino's cannon. Williams looked to the left sensing Lewis making his first appearance since they landed on the ship, well being Lewis it wasn't a surprise to see him step in the hanger bay in his boxers with a bottle of beer in his hand. He shook his head at his friend's stupidity and motioned for Roberts to come over there. Lewis looked at them a bit confused.
"What are you two doin in my…my room thing?" he asked obviously drunk as a fish.
"You retard this ain't your room it's the flickin hangar bay!" Yelled Williams, shaking Lewis.
Roberts simply watched as Lewis looked around.
"I wondered why it was cold in here…and why my hookers were gone. I need more b33r." the drunken Ghost shuffled back to his room flicking off the surprised onlookers.
"If you dun have any flicking b33r… leave me alone!" he ran into his door a few times before remembering he needed his key card. The very keycard he'd left in his ghost uniform. So he simply blew up the console with his mind.
"That'll teach ya to be…locked you bashturd." He said all but tripping into his room.
"Well at least he had boxers on this time…" said Williams walking away with Roberts in tow.
The hangar bay was bustling with activity, Alicia and Nova were off to the side conversing, most likely about the suicide mission they had yet again volunteered for, the ditzy reporter Harriet Monroe, was busy interviewing marines ,ghosts, and relatively anyone who would talk to her, and Cooper was tinkering with his vast amount of explosive "toys". Roberts scratched his head exasperatingly.
"So how did we get pegged for this again?"
Williams shrugged thinking back to last afternoon.
General Alicia Cherenkov's office was at the top of the ghost academy, the large colony it was attached to, Karun IV was relatively well protected by Alicia's own fleet. Normally it was impossible to tell how the young general was feeling but today was different, every telepath in the academy could feel that their teacher was pissed as all hell.
"Sooo… you expect me and Roberts to team up with Lewis of all people. Alicia is your commie brain not workin? Every time we're put on a mission together, we cause so much collateral damage Mengsk shits a Zerg covered brick. So I suggest you rethink your choice babe." Said Williams, leaning on the wall closest to Alicia. Alicia frowned at her boyfriend's refusal to join the mission.
"We can do this two ways, the first way I can give you collateral and you smile, nod, and get to work, or I can pull rank and have you scrub some random set of balls on a marine on the way TO the mission." The haughty Russian propped her legs up on her desk and grinned at the two officers.
"…that's so not fair. Fine what are you offering this time?"
She smiled having won and stood up and walked past Williams and went to her window overlooking the ghost training ground.
"Lieutenant Roberts."
"ma'am?"
"I'm approving your request for particle cannon for Rhino; you're welcome and go get your squad assembled immediately. Dismissed."
Roberts saluted and quickly left, he didn't have to be psychic to tell that her office was gonna get fucked up, emphasis on fucked.
"I read your mind already, so let's do this I needed a good work out." She ran a hand through her green, purple, and black hair taking out the bands to her spiky pigtails. She flashed a sultry smile at him and tackled him over the desk.
"Aw shit! ... Aw right!"
Seven hours went past before the two gave it a rest, only a call from Arcturus could interrupt the fun. Alicia cursed in Russian and smoothed her hair out and took the call.
"Hello sir, what can I do for you?"
The man smiled he may not be psychic but he could tell his general was with her lover.
"Nothing really I was just checking up on your progress in getting your elite to join the campaign."
She bit her lip and scratched her head.
"Well Roberts agreed and Lewis didn't show but now he's going regardless, and I think Commander Williams needs….more convincing."
Mengsk chuckled at the young officers; though he couldn't see Williams he figured he was close by probably tucked between her legs so he couldn't hear him.
"I understand just don't hurt him please."
"Her hurt me? Yeah that's a good one" said Williams' slightly muffled voice
She squeezed harder shutting him up.
"Umm anything else I can do for you sir?" she asked holding back a wave of ecstasy
"No that is all general. Goodbye commander." The old man chuckled before disconnecting.
No sooner had the emperor hung up, Alicia let out a squeal of… "Enjoyment"
"Ah, idiot! Are you trying to get us fired?!" she yelled pushing him over.
"Not really he obviously knew I was there, so quit your bitchin'"
Alicia said a few choice words in Russian, Williams retaliated in Protoss. The two got louder and closer with every insult, till they were a hairs-breath away; well the two were still horny so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what went on from then. Lt Lewis stumbled his way up to miss commie general's office and knocked. In normal Lewis style he was in his boxers and Zergling slippers, alcohol in hand.
"Hey…I'm I'm late but I came at leasht."
He stupidly opened the door to see his friend and his boss rolling around the office mostly naked.
"…..uh…maybe I need to stop drinkin thish shtuff…"
Williams quickly noticed Lewis and reached under Alicia's desk and grabbed his gauss rifle.
Lewis although drunk, was sober enough to remember bullets hurt… a lot. Unfortunately he was too drunk to make this realization reach his legs that is until the pissed commander fired a few clips at the inebriated Ghost. Lewis dove to the side and rolled to the other office.
"I need a new job." Mumbled Lewis.
He went to take a drink but frowned when he saw the bottle had taken one for the team.
"Yeah a new job seems like a good choice…"
Lewis looked down the hall noticing the commander leave Alicia's office, his flight suit a wrinkled mess.
"Oh commander, go pick up the reporter at the lift please. Leave her in Roberts' care; I'm sure he won't try to take advantage of her." Said an out-of-breath Alicia.
"Yes ma'am. Later .Lewis, grab some pants and come with me."
Lewis shrugged, not like he had anything better to do.
The officers recklessly barreled down the streets in their military vehicles dodging traffic on their way to the airport. The large goliath simply ran through the streets jumping over hover cars and civilian vultures, Lewis had to be the idiot and weave through incoming traffic.
After wasting time, they made it to the airport.
"Sooo this chick we're supposed to get… what's she look like?" asked Lewis cocking his canister rifle.
"Alicia said id instantly recognize her when I saw her…..oh god not her again."
Lewis looked in the direction Williams was looking. He caught sight of a short blonde woman with red framed glasses, her hair was pulled back in a frizzy ponytail, the woman twirled a strand of her hair around a finger as she waited. She was slightly pale but it only enhanced her natural beauty, as did the small mole underneath her left eye. Her electric pink tank top and overly short mini skirt stood out like a Protoss in a field of chickens. Her freckled face was scrunched up in frustration, her ruby lips puckered up like a spoiled child's. It was obvious she was fed up with waiting for her escort.
"Dude, please tell me that's the reporter." Panted Lewis grinning
Williams hit him in the nuts in response.
"Ahhhh! Sonofabitch my cajoles!" yelled Lewis folding like an old wallet
"Hey, Harriet! I'm here to pick you up!"
Harriet perked up at the sound of her name and glanced around, her face lit up when she caught sight of Williams. She picked her backpack up and ran to hug him; he had to bend down for her to be able to reach his neck
"Commander, it's good to see you again! Like how are you?"
"I'm the same, still alive at best. Harry, this guy here is Lieutenant Lewis, but ignore him, he's kinda useless."
Harriet nodded and followed Williams to his goliath timidly stepping over Lewis.
"Nice …panties"
Needless to say she stomped him in the balls.
"Fuck both of you!"
"What's wrong with my friends?"
Williams loaded up into his goliath; the walker stood up and lowered its massive hand to pick up Harriet.
"Hang on ok? Till I get you to base you're my responsibility."
The bubbly reporter hopped into the goliaths hand and sat down, but poked her head out between the fingers so she could still film and take pictures.
"Like, I'm ready."
Crow stood to its full height and started walking back towards the academy. Lewis dragged himself to silence and rode behind them.
Harriet eagerly took pictures of the city, Crow, and Silence all for her weekly reports back to her UNN bureau.
"Willy, like…what kind of mission are you going on…or am I not supposed to know until we get there?" asked Harriet looking at the cockpit with her cool blue eyes.
"…just know we have Zerg to eradicate and alotta bullets ta do so."
She nodded with a frown, she obviously remembered the last mission she went on with Williams and Nova's squad, and yeah she was unconscious half the time but from what she did remember it still scared her. She remembered being captured by the Zerg, meeting the queen of blades face to face, and her subsequent rescue by Williams.
"Don't worry; we'll take care of you again." He said after reading her mind.
"Oh, no it's not that I'm afraid for myself…its just..."
"You don't want to witness your friends having to kill and enjoy it."
Harriet nodded.
'Oh yeah he's like, a telepath, I forgot their little habit of finishing another's sentence.'
'Sorry if it bothers you Harry, I can't help it. William's voice flooded her mind; he was kinda loud but then again when is he not loud?
The two rode in silence for a bit while the reporter took more pictures.
The goliath stomped to a stop outside the ghost academy, where the general, Nova, and Cooper were waiting. Williams climbed out Crow and helped Harriet down. He saluted Alicia and was saluted in turn by Nova and Cooper.
"Ok I got Harriet; let's go get this over with."
Alicia smiled and walked off
"Well then I'll see you three on the carrier."
Nova frowned; she knew as well as anyone else her friend had an ulterior motive behind that smile
"I hate my life so much."
Harriet's frantic yelping of the commanders' name jarred Williams from his little flashback.
"Will the brief is about to start, like, aren't you going?"
"Flick that, I never go to those long wastes of time. You should go though."
The blonde puffed her face up like she tends to do when she's upset, and pouted
"But I don't wanna go by myself."
Will shrugged, not his problem.
"And I care why?" typical Williams, he threw a wrench at Roberts, getting his attention.
"Hey, cockbite! Go to the brief with Harriet, that's an order too by the way."
Roberts was about to protest but thought why fight a lost war and simply complied.
"….he's lieutenant James Roberts right?" asked Harriet pushing her small glasses on the bridge of her nose.
"Yeah, you'll be under his care this mission. What I'm doing this time is too dangerous to carry your carcass around in." he said patting her on the head.
She couldn't protest this time, she HAD been unconscious half the last mission, making Williams carry her in between fighting Zerg and dark templar hating Protoss.
"I understand I guess."
Roberts walked up to Harriet and shook her hand gently
"I'm lieutenant Roberts, just call me Jb though." He said
"Like, I'm Harriet Monroe. So like, let's go before the brief starts." she chirped.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the briefing room.
"Hey Roberts wrap it before you attack it!" yelled Williams grinning.
As he watched his friend get pulled away by the sultry blonde reporter an old wise sounding voice filled his mind.
"Boy, are you ready for the inevitable battle against the queen of blades?"
"Holy shit Oderon, I haven't heard your crusty ass speak in a week."
Oderon sighed; his human host obviously hasn't learned manners.
"I was meditating, gathering strength." The old Protoss said wearily
"Sounds to me like you failed old man."
The dark templar would have shaken his head if he still had one.
"Hardly, I was very successful; I've increased your psi output by leaps and bounds."
"And this means… what now?"
"Your warp blades are longer, and your cloaking, more efficient."
"Sweet…ok so uh I'm gonna stop talking now I've got shit to do."
"As do I young templar."
The old Protoss fell silent back into his meditation.
The 1 MC went off, letting the crew know planet fall was in an hour.
Williams grinned and started to walk off, but stopped having almost plowed into his squad's medic, Tiffany Reese. She squeaked a hurried apology and scurried off trying not to get distracted from whatever task she was attempting to finish without her ADD like attention span running out.
Cooper popped up out of nowhere next to Williams.
"T'sup Will?"
"Oh hey Coop you ready for the fun activities our general has for us?"
Cooper grinned and pointed to his wraith, which was so loaded with explosives he could've taken out a battle cruiser by running into it.
"I think I'm plenty ready."
"Yeah…so I'm gonna go now before you explode for no reason." Will said inching off.
"You know there's ALWAYS a reason to explode…"
Will ran into Harriet and Roberts on the way to his room.
"Hey Harriet we need to fit you for a ghost suit since your body is too dainty for power armor. Go see Nova later ok?"
She nodded and kept talking with Roberts. As he opened his room door he caught sight of Alicia smiling at him astride his bed. TheDark Templar made sure his room door was secured and went to town. The battle was about to start, so it seemed natural to enjoy the last moments of peace, right?
Chapter 2
Zerglings hate you…a lot.
"General Cherenkov! We are outside the Terran colony TyrisVII." Reported one of the computer techs on the bridge.
"Da. Thank you."
She gave the signal to begin the mission. Williams' Goliath Squad went online and stomped into their transport.
"Chaos Hounds, launching!" yelled Williams to the drop ship pilot, Yaki Sidberry.
"Crazy bastard always wanna go first…"
The ship tore out of the hanger accompanied by cooper's wraith squadron.
Lewis's squad was next. They loaded their vultures onto another drop ship piloted by Jason Mc Dowell
"Let's go!" yelled Lewis
Jason was gonna say something but the tell-tale cha-chink of a canister rifle loading shut him up.
Nova went next to Lewis and planted a firm kiss on him.
"Don't blow up the planet this time babe."
"I promise nothing."
She smiled and rolled her eyes. She hopped of the ship and waved at him.
Roberts's Squad was last to fully deploy, his siege tanks were huge.
"Rolling thunder, launching now!" his drop ship pilot nicknamed Augie, and his co pilot Shannon were arguing over something stupid again, not noticing Roberts order.
"Hey let's go!"
"HEY SHUT THE FLICK UP AND STAB YOURSELF IN THE EYE!" yelled Shannon too loud for her own good.
Augie shook his head and took off.
"Why me?"
Mission time: One hour after initial touchdown.
10 hours until nightfall
"Ma'am, all forces deployed successfully, although we did lose Mc Dowell, according to the lieutenant."
Alicia shrugged she hated that guy anyway.
"if hes alive we'll get him a new job"
Will's Goliath squad was dashing through the dilapidated city, firing on the army of Zerglings scurrying around.
"We're making our way to the target area now. ETA is 3 minutes." The army of marines accompanying the goliaths were clearing the abandoned structures, and the firebats were incinerating them soon after.
"Lewis, what's your status right now?"
Over Lewis's signal was nothing but static. Williams frowned and looked for his psi wavelength.
"Lewis, what's goin' on?"
"Uhhh well we were kinda, sorta swarmed with Mutalisks on the way down. But it's cool cause most of em are bleeding out their face…thing. Our drop ship is toast by the way, just letting you know."
"Oh, well in that case have fun." Said Williams not giving a rat's ass about the drop ship those are replaceable.
"Trust me, dude I'm lovin this."1
A science vessel pilot jarred Williams from his psychic conversation with Lewis.
"Commander there's… a slight problem." The cyborg scientist said.
"What is it?"
"I've picked up a Terran distress signal from a marine recruit academy 20 klicks from here. It is… inconvenient but I find it wise to check it out. Another thing is that the normal goliaths are too large to enter the Zerg hive, so it is impossible to get Crow's huge frame inside. You'll have to go on foot sir."
The Commander laughed and Crow dashed forward, this mission was about to get fun.
"Warrant!"
"Sir?"
"Go save our buddies in the academy I'll storm the hive."
"Roger, I'll blow it up once I'm done ok?" Cooper said with a smirk.
"Yeah can't have it get infested can we?"
Coopers squadron peeled off and headed in the academy's direction.
The Zerg hive 1
"Marines distract the Zerg and I'll infiltrate the hive. Hell hounds with me."
The hell hounds were Williams' personal marines; they were trained by Alicia and him personally. The commander and 8 marines filled out their goliaths and were quickly replaced by other pilots. The Zerg outside had just began to notice the humans and began to attack. The Terran retaliated with hot lead and napalm.
"Sergeant Reese, don't hurt Crow please." The commander said on his way into the hive, after seeing the hyper medic enter the cockpit.
"I won't I won't, don't worry." She said flashing her most "innocent" smile, and shooing him away.
The marines vanished into the void that was the Zerg hive. Williams cloaked out and walked past his troops.
"Smith you're in charge."
A large marine stepped forward and saluted.
"Roger that sir, let's move quickly and quietly boys."
The soldiers split from their leader and went deeper into the hive catacombs.
Williams dashed through the hive tunnels, propelled forward by his augmented limbs and natural stamina. Every now and then he'd decloak to recharge.
"Huh, for a Zerg hive it's kinda empty…"
"Yes, I too thought the very same thing."
Williams cloaked again as two hydralisks slithered by. One stopped in front of him and looked around, will looked down to see the hydralisk's scythe-like claw scrapping against his gauss rifle. He slid the gun slowly away and smiled.
"Sorry old man, but this is what I've been waitin for."
Oderon sighed; it was only a matter of time before he started trouble.
The hydralisk, screeched at its companion causing the other one to slither back with a look that almost said "what now?" as the two screeched at one another will jumped past the first hydralisk and ignited his Warp blade. The two Zerg had to register what the pssh noise was but once the realization hit they roared and went in attack mode, looking around for the unseen enemy.
"Let's get this party started!"
The commander ran at the Zerg as he decloaked so they could see the harbinger of their deaths. The hydralisk in front was reeling up to fire its spines but the warp blade slashed off its left arm, the monster roared in a bloodthirsty rage and swung its last blade at the commander. Will leaned to the side and grabbed the claw. The hydralisk cocked it head to the side and glared at the Terran. When it found out it couldn't pull away it simply tried to bite him, and would've succeeded had Williams not shoved the barrel of his gauss rifle in its maw."
"and this is why you need to think before you eat something."
He unloaded his entire clip into the back of the zerg's head, splattering brain, skull, carapace, and any other slimy matter present. The hydralisk slumped over on will; he frowned and tossed the carcass at the other surprised hydralisk. It batted its cohorts body into the wall and fired a hail of spines, most of which got lodged into the narrow tunnel they were in. The hydralisk realized its spines were useless and opted to go for a more personal approach. It lowered its body and ran at him, as it got close the beast slashed upward and rose to its full height. The lithe commander back flipped out the way and quickly dove over the hydralisk, who had thrust itself forward with its muscular tail. Will rolled, spun and fired his rifle at the Zerg but it had surprisingly seen this coming and had scuttled up the wall, so it could try and pounce on him. The Zerg launched itself of the tunnel roof screeching its victory. Too bad Will back peddled out of the way. The dark templar marine bounded off of a stalagmite and dove at the hydralisk; he slashed the monsters chest, drawing blood. It swung its claws down hard hitting nothing but rock, and in one swift motion, both claws were cleanly cut off. It roared and frantically looked for its assailant. Williams had cloaked out to finish the job. The commander used the hydralisk's own move against it dropping on top of it from above. The dark templar warp blade sliced through the carapace with ease splitting the hideous creature's skull, killing it instantly.
"That was unnecessary, young templar. But an impressive display nonetheless." Oderon commented with an air of accomplishment.
"Yeah but it was fun as all hell. I wonder how Lewis and the others are doin…"
(Lewis's Squad)
Mutalisk Den: five miles off course
The Ghost and his small squad were in the middle of a Mutalisk breeding ground, which was bad if you didn't know. Lewis fired his canister rifle at the Mutalisk that ventured too close, blowing it to bloody pieces.
"Sir! We destroyed the Mutalisk den but how are we gonna take out 8 Mutalisks with four guys?!"
Lewis rolled his eyes, why were his troops such pansies?
The ghost looked around and saw a newborn Mutalisk start to take off. The man grinned and ran at the Zerg; the monster squawked at him and took off. The lieutenant, augmented by his genetic surgery, jumped for the Mutalisk, his hand caught carapace and he was lifted into the air. It took a second for the other Mutalisks to see that one of their own was being assaulted, before going to "aid" it. As the flying menaces converged on him Lewis chuckled, these Zerg had no clue that they signed their own death warrant. He put his canister rifle under the baby Mutalisk he was hitching a ride with and pulled the trigger blowing it apart. He fell but grabbed another's wing, making it flip upside down. Lewis rode the momentum and swung to the next flying Zerg. His next target fired a glaive worm at him, but the Ghost spun to the left narrowly missing the deadly parasite. He caught onto his next victim and flipped onto its head-face-thing and fired, causing another blood rain. He luckily had jumped as soon as his canister exploded giving him some momentum. He tossed a canister at a Mutalisk as he flew by; he pegged it in the face and the canister beeped, resulting in another explosion. He sprung off the next one after slamming a block of c48 on its head, the pain of the bombs claws digging into its head pissed it off and it flew after him. Lewis landed on a Mutalisk and fired his canister rifle at the booby trapped Zerg. It dodged the canister; fortunately it hit its friend behind it blowing its wing off. It fell out of the sky screeching bloody murder. Lewis's ghosts were on it immediately reducing it to a mushy pulp. The zerg thought it had the ghost in its grasp, that is until he pulled out his laser pistol and back flipped off his mount. As he fell, he fired at the c48, obliterating four of the five zerg. The last one was flying straight at him from below, Lewis slammed his rifle across its mouth so it couldn't bite him and rolled onto its main body, after snatching his gun back.
"I wonder…" the ghost grabbed the Mutalisk's wings stopping it from flapping.
The two plummeted from the sky, increasing in speed.
"wow I didn't think you guys were this weak… thanks for the good time though!"
They impacted on the ground, well the Mutalisk did. Lewis spiraled off of it at the last second, cart wheeled through the air and landed skidding over to his squad, who were in shock at the dazzling display of power.
"And that…is how you pwn major ass."
The ghost holstered his guns and hopped on silence.
"hurry up or you get left."
"Holy shit…" his troops had newfound respect for the dominion's unsung hero.
(Cooper's Divine Wind Squadron)
Marine academy
Coopers squadron circled the compound a few times before he decided to go inside.
"Nova, this is Boomer, I'm going inside the academy now." He said on his headset.
"Roger that Boomer, don't get yourself blown up." her voiced chimed over the com.
Cooper put his wraith, Phoenix on auto pilot and flipped out as it passed by the main barricades. No sooner had he landed did he hear a ping. Two grenade pins flew past him; he quickly looked down and saw he'd landed on a tripwire that had blended with the surface.
"Oh fuck me…" the warrant said before blowing up.
Cooper walked out of the smoke rubbing his chin.
"I haven't used that move since Torfan…" the clever ghost had simply phased through the explosion, saving himself from immolation.
He ran through the gauntlet that was the academy courtyard dodging the tripwires and mines he could and phasing through the ones he couldn't. After nine explosive minutes, the warrant officer finally made it to a room where human thoughts were permeating. Cooper phased through the wall only to get hit instantly with a flash of light so bright it made his brain hurt.
"Shit!"
He felt himself get put in a well executed armbar and brought down, not to mention the barrel of a mk23 laser pistol shoved halfway down his throat.
"Who are you? And how'd you get past all my traps?" said a calm voice, it was clearly female.
"Mmmmf mmf mmmfmf!"
"What!" the voice yelled back.
Cooper phased the pistol through the side of his head and because he wasn't in a position to argue with her so he simply told her what she wanted.
"I'm warrant officer Daniel Cooper, leader of the Divine wind Wraith squadron. Uhhh this kinda hurts so can you let go?"
The woman laughed mockingly
"Yeah with a squad name like Kamikaze, you really think I'm gonna let you go?" she said this time placing the barrel gun to his forehead.
"…you're gonna make this hard aren't you?" he was impressed to see someone other than his friends got his little play on words.
"Yup, now answer the last part of my question, or I blow your flickin head clean the fuck off."
Cooper sighed; this pushy chick was sort of annoying but, not like it didn't kinda turn him on.
"Well to be honest I just did this." He said phasing through the woman.
She gasped when her hold on him vanished and she pointed her gun at him, as did the two marines and firebat present.
"Geeze lady I'm only here to rescue you guys, my fleet found your distress signal and sent me to extract you."
His vision had returned finally and he gave the lady the once over. She was short, but not comedically tiny. She had shoulder length jet black hair, it looked like she had it dyed red until recently, her hair was mostly black again save for a few locks. Her crystal blue eyes never left his as she tried to read the destructive ghost. Her bottom lip had a silver ring piercing in the center. He couldn't see much more through her medic power armor, times like these he wished he had X-ray vision.
"look Im part of the Dominion fleet, if I wasn't you'd all be dead by now."
"oh really? How so?"
Cooper held his wrist out revealing a homing beacon, blinking steadily inside the suit
"yeah see my squadron is circling this place as we speak, my beacon cuts off…"
"they nuke us, alright I get it." She lowered her weapon and holstered it, she motioned to the others to stand down as well.
"So wanna try this again miss…"
" Ensign Marlone Matisse, im the head medic of this academy. Well I was, now im the head medic of this shelter." she gave him a half-hearted salute.
"I see, how many injured?"
"too many."
She looked at him, sizing him up and frowned.
"hmm I guess I'll trust him for now. But as soon as he messes up once…bullet to the brainpan."
"man what'd I do to get you to hate me so much?"
"what?...oh yeah you're a ghost aren't you? Well listen to this."
"STAY THE FLICK OUT TA MY HEAD!"
"AHHHHHGH! that was loud." he said rubbing his temples.
"whatever "sir" anyway I have people to tend to, so make yourself useful and help out."
She motioned for him to follow. He shrugged and removed his ghost mask and followed the smart-mouthed medical officer.
"hey help me get out of this armor, I cant do delicate work with it on."
Cooper grinned internally and helped her slip out of the bulky armor. Yup she was just as gorgeous as he thought. She was about five foot even; her body from what she had exposed was toned to perfection. her skin was a delicate shade of tan, bringing out her eyes even more than first perceived. The light sheen of sweat made her glisten in the light. It was no surprise that she wasn't wearing too much under the armor; the building was running on emergency power so the air conditioning units were dead. She was wearing a spandex sports bra and had her medical tights cut short to finish her outfit in the most cooling way available without being naked. Her hands were small and had a little dirt on them but then again her whole body was a little dirty, she must've been going on like this for some time now. Even so, her blue fingernails stood out, the young woman was still ravishing even though she was a little grimy. On her waist was a tattoo of a raven and a phoenix locked in combat, a bad omen? He noticed she had a scar running across her little sharp nose, he wanted to ask about it but kept it to himself. She had a belly ring as well, making Cooper wonder what else she had pierced. Marlone was clearly Italian, he thought still ogling her. She snapped her fingers at him getting his attention.
"Hey, now's not the time to undress me with your eyes, we have flicked up cats and birds in there, so mind off my ass and on the patients. im half Italian and half German by the way. If your gonna guess at least get the whole thing correct, you're a ghost for pete's sake. "
"Uh, yeah sure."
"you think I'm smoking hot dirty ,wait till I clean up."
"That an invitation?"
"Ha-ha no I'm just teasing you. And remember the stay out of my head thing? That's still in play."
Cooper rolled his eyes and turned on his com.
"Nova, Boomer we need a few dropships here ok, we have casualties." He said into his com unit.
Instead of nova's voice the general spoke up first.
"sorry nova is occupied at the moment but I got your request and the dropships are on their way."
"thank you ma'am"
"yes yes don't worry about it."
"Ensign, the evac is on the way."
"ugh, don't call me that, Marlo or Marlone will do, sir"
"yeah, I don't like being called sir much either, so call me Boomer."
She shrugged in response; she was too busy wrapping a splint for an injured marine to answer him.
Cooper was not a medic. Period. The warrant officer was a demolitions god, so saving lives wasn't in his contract. But he figured he'd at least try.
"whats wrong with you three?" he asked
"Dawson's missin an arm and half his leg, Maddox has a suckin chest wound, and I shattered my wrist sir. Mmm-hmm." Said a marine with a heavy southern drawl.
Well this marine whom cooper started calling Slingblade, was well enough to blow some zerg away or at least help take some tension off of the exhausted Medic who looked like she would faint at any moment.
" how ya holdin up Maddox?"
"im fine sir but what about dawson he needs more help than I do."
The ghost frowned hes seen this before. The man had lost a huge amount of blood already and was slipping in and out of shock. Dawson didn't have long, to live and both men knew it. Dawson struggled to sit up and looked at cooper, his skin a pale shade of white.
"Sir…im… not gonna make it…just end the pain. Just end the pain."
Cooper hesitated, looking at marlo who'd begun to watch. She nodded and turned away to finish up on the last patient. Cooper saluted the firebat and snapped his mind painlessly. He covered him with a sheet, took his dog tags and moved on. He sat next to marlo who was finally done tending wounds after 24 plus hours of guard duty and playing doctor. She sighed and leaned on him and closed her eyes.
"I don't get paid enough for this."
"I hear ya…so about that scar…" he ventured.
"huh? Oh the one on my nose, well me and a Zergling had it out when I was young . I learned that day that Zerglings hate you…a lot. Don't get me wrong I killed the little bastard…I think… I don't remember much afterwards I kinda…fainted." she moved the hair out of her face and smiled.
"its really sensitive, so I don't let anyone touch it."
"really, how so?"
She shrugged and closed her eyes again.
"it just almost paralyzes me like, getting shocked."
"It hurts?"
"no it tickles, but don't test it or I'll gut you with my bare hands."
She fell asleep soon after. Cooper couldn't help but think this chick rocked .
His com crackled on, his squadron leader was calling him.
"dammit, sir do you read me? This is Kamikaze one. We're under heavy fire!"
Cooper leaned marlo on the wall and stood up.
"what the hell are you talking about?!"
"sir theres scourge everywhere we lost kamikaze 7 and kamikaze 9 is down shes holding off the Zerglings that are rushing her for now but…"
"Shit. Im on my way! Slingblade!"
"yes sir? Mmm-hmmm.."
"wake Marlone and start evacuating the injured to the roof. The dropships are en route."
"roger, mmm-hmmm."
Cooper phased through the wall and ran to the roof, he dove over the side and phased into his wraith.
"this just gets better and better…."
Roberts and Harriet's squad
Mountain range overlooking the barrens battlefield
Roberts Siege tank detail had an easy time compared to the other units, mostly because the zerg knew what a siege tank could do to their unarmored units. Roberts was in the lead followed by his smaller normal siege tanks.
Harriet was in the cockpit next to Roberts , she'd fidget often being a bit claustrophobic inside the small cockpit, the form-fitting ghost suit didn't help either. It had taken Alicia and Nova three hours to find a suit harriet's well- endowed frame could fit. The two ghosts couldn't help but feel…outclassed by the ditzy blonde. the guys on the other hand had no problems getting interviewed by her after her little outfit swap. harriet opted to wear the templar cloak Williams had given her on their last adventure after getting visually raped by the crew.
Now harriet sorta regretted not having a flight suit like Roberts, she simply sighed and continued to take pictures of the detail and the raging battles she could see outside on the barren plains.
Rhino would fire off a volley into the zerg creep every now and then to give the marines and firebats a small amount of cover fire. Harriet would flinch every time, she hated the loud boom of the proton cannon. Harriet adjusted her smaller, modified gauss rifle and slid next to Roberts. Despite the girl's timid nature she was actually hoping something happened.
"hey, like when are we gonna…you know, fight?"
Roberts glanced at her and chuckled.
"are you serious? you seriously wan to FIND zerg?"
One of robert's other pilots, by the name of Dizzy laughed. The old man had been in Roberts's siege tank detail since he joined
"Hoo-Wee! found yerself a right military woman fer yerself didn't ya Jb?"
Harriet giggled at the southerners enthusiastic remark and at Roberts's nervous reaction, complete with a feeble "shut up."
Alicias voice chirped up over the tac-com.
"Roberts I have a special mission for you. I was originally going to send the commander but I learned something that squashed that decision." she didn't sound cocky like she normally did, something wasn't good.
"whats wrong?"
The general hesitated, and after a moment continued speaking.
"theres a zerg…factory 3 klicks from you, it's belived to be the factory were all the captured terrans from Kandera II are being infested and transformed…"
Roberts immediately knew why she didn't want to send Williams. The commander's young daughter was one of the people who turned up missing after the zerg retreated from the planet. He wouldn't be able to kill his child even if she was infested…
"yeah I get it . Im on my way."
"ummm…. If at all possible save the ones you can and release the ones who are too far gone."
"roger…" the firebat climbed out the hatch and waved dizzy to pull up next to him.
The old man rode along side him and popped out his own hatch.
"your in charge im taking five firebats and im liberating a zerg factory."
Dizzy nodded and tossed him his firebat armor, and set the plasma tanks next to him.
"your stuff all ready ta go pardner, jes come back alive ya hear?"
Roberts flashed him a thumbs up sign and rhino turned off the beaten path to the zerg factory.
The ride was pretty rocky ,but within thirty minuets the infested terran research facility loomed into view. Harriet put her special camera into silent mode and snapped plenty of pictures.
"alright lets torch this place." said a random female firebat.
"uhh no, Carly we're here to save any surviving humans first…then we toast this place."
Carly rolled her eyes and pouted, she obviously just wanted to burn something.
"Ok two of you with me and the rest with corporal Givens. Harriet you stay close to me alright?"
She nodded and gripped her gun tightly.
The firebats all pilled out of the tank and instantly lit a cigerrete or a cigar in Roberts's case with the exception of Carly and Harriet.
"slammin." he said looking at the infested building.
The two teams split up and were surprisingly stealthy despite the bulky firebat tanks attached to their backs. Harriet gasped as she saw the first zerg guards at the main entrance. They were little children mutated into a strange mix of human and Zergling. All except one girl looked more zerg then human. The little asian girl whom still had the most human look glanced in their direction, and smirked. She was obviously the leader of the zerg children. She spoke to the twisted mutations and pointed in the opposite direction of Roberts's squad…she was pointing directly at Carly's position. The kids screeched and burrowed into the ground. A few moments later the sound of plasma cannons could be heard ,accompanied by screams of pain and agony.
"shit Givens respond…Becca! Dammit Carly!" Roberts said into his com.
"Jb look!" said Harriet pointing to the kids
Carly was being carried by two of the kids, she was in her skintight body suit meaning she was torn from her armor. Her eyes were rolled into the back of her head, at least she was unconscious. Her friend Becca however was not so lucky. While Carly was passed out Becca was pissed as all hell screaming death threats and whatnot. Instead of being carried she was dragged by three kids, she was also in her bodysuit but it was a little bloody from where the Zergling kids scratched her. The lead kid listened to her for a bit before hitting her in the face. Becca's head flew back and she went limp, knocked unconscious. Now Carly and Becca aren't the strongest women he knew but to knock them out in one blow… at their age? Roberts was curious where the other squad members were. But seeing the bloody children he formed his own answer.
harriet had recorded the whole spectacle and taken a few pictures. She looked at Roberts and frowned.
"what are we gonna do?"
Roberts shrugged and flicked his cigar away
"kill em"
"but that girl. She looks like Anisa…" Harriet had seen William's little girl and clearly this child was her. She was the spitting image of him and his deceased fiancé' well more or less she was Asian after all.
"dammit, I guess we can catch her and fry the rest. Maritz set your plasma tanks near the generator when me and the rest of the squad attack once we grab the kid you detonate the tanks and we'll pull back."
"sir"
Harriet was the first to fire on the zerg, determined to catch Anisa. The kid took the unconscious firebats inside the facility and didn't come back out. Anisa stood defiantly in front. Harriet put her rifle down and looked the girl in the eyes.
"Anisa… do you remember me?"
Anisa bared her fangs but didn't attack…yet. Her hydralisk-like tail whipped around.
"Anisa-Hyun- Williams, im taking you to your dad now weather you want to come or not."
Anisa stopped snarling, she obviously could remember her original life.
"but she told me daddy was coming to the swarm with me…" the little girl said.
"whoever told you that is full of it, your dads been like, worried sick about you."
The child looked like she was thinking and walked over to harriet.
"if your lying to me I'll rip your heart out and feed it back to ya."
Harriet was now able to get a good look at the girl. Her once silky shoulder length black hair was now sharp spines that fell in place like her hair used to. Her eyes, once black were yellow, her skin was rock hard yet soft, but such was the consistency of zerg carapace. Anisa had a small line of spines along her body leading into a hydralisk tail.
"well I got some good news and some crappy news." the little Asian said her tail wagging around .
"shoot."
"yeah those two chicks are bein taken to the hive larval grounds so they can make more half breeds like me. that's the bad news, good news is at least their rescuable." she smiled and scratched her head.
"aww dude… williams is gonna kill me" Roberts muttered.
"are there like any more humans In there?"
"nope we killed em all" she said hopping around excitedly
"oh umm right well lets go." harriet took her hand led her back to Roberts.
"maritz, blow this place!"
The firebat ran past Roberts and detonated his plasma tanks, engulfing the facility in a pillar of fire.
The small group made it back to Rhino and quickly made themselves scarce.
"shit sir we've got an ass load of zerg commin after us!" said maritz.
Roberts climbed out the hatch after grabbing his plasma ax.
"harriet, stay with maritz and don't leave rhino until you reach the rest of the detail. I'll catch up later."
Harriet was going to protest but Roberts had already climbed out the hatch.
"lets burn…" he said lighting his new cigar with his plasma cannon.
He jumped off the tank and punched a Zergling that was in mid air diving for the tank. The little creature plowed into a hydralisk and was tossed aside. Roberts's firebat armor was not made for the acrobatic styles of the commander or lewis. It was made to enhance Roberts's own weird physical strength. He punched a hydralisk in the face sending it reeling into a group of Zerglings. The hydralisk fired a spray of spines at the firebat , but Roberts simply incinerated them with his cannons , he swept his liquid death over the zerg assailants immolating the immediate zerg . He activated his inferno ability igniting his armor he ran through the swarm stomping Zerglings, he grabbed a hydralisk and broke its neck in one swift motion, he swung the large zerg around like a club squashing Zerglings and maiming hydralisks. The zerg he was using as a club was now on fire igniting whatever organic material it touched. Roberts had reach a temperature of three thousand degrees ,he had another two thousand before he reach his top. Roberts grabbed a hydralisk around the "waist" and suplexed it onto another hydralisk. The zerg had figured it was time to get away from this thing and attempted to go around him, too bad the area behind Roberts was engulfed in plasma induced flames.
"nowhere to go boys, lets keep this cook out goin!" he fired his cannons igniting a swath of zerg .
Their shrill cries of pain were like music to Roberts. a second later his cigar fell in two.
"oi! These things are expensive!"
"quit your whining ,im sure you can afford more."
The voice was familiar but it had a bestial tone to it. He pointed his cannon in the direction of the voice, it was in the middle of the swarm. All the zerg had stopped attacking and were standing around looking subdued, although they still glared at him. Roberts tossed his plasma ax at the first sign of movement in the crowd.
"wow is this how you say hello to old friends jb? Your manners are slipping."
Roberts recognized the voice at that moment.
"sarah…."
The Zerg Queen of blades stepped out of the swarm smiling like nothing was different. Roberts almost lowered his weapons, but kept his cannons level. Kerrigan tossed his plasma ax to the side, the blade had simply burned some of what remained of her ghost suit.
"so jb… how are you?"
Roberts lit another cigar and pointed his cannons at Kerrigan. He did his best not to gaze in her eyes.
"ive been better. So I guess your gonna try and infest me huh?"
Sara nodded nonchalantly, like they were talking about the weather.
"that was the plan, unless being king of the Zerg sounds boring…." she said walking closer.
"that's close enough Sara…" he interrupted brandishing his cannons. He cursed under his breath, his ignition had sputtered out at his lack of concentration.
She smiled and kept walking toward him, the Zerg quickly skittering out of her way.
" you wont shoot me Jb."
The firebat puffed a plume of smoke in her direction and closed his visor.
"if you were still the Sara Kerrigan I knew I wouldn't… but seeing you like this …"
He fired his cannons at her on full blast, the straight stream of super heated plasma rushed at the Queen of the Zerg. The zerg nearby were flash burned from existence. Kerrigan was smart enough to know Roberts's cannons were on a whole other level then the average firebats. Kerrigan flipped to the side and dashed at Roberts licking her lips. Roberts put his cannons away and drew his second plasma ax . He threw it at her sideways, the blade shot out at her quickly which she deftly dodged. Roberts had expected something like this and asked Williams to mod his ax for him. Well the ax and its attached chain left a slight vapor trail that The Zerg Queen noticed at the last second and ducked as the trail lit up in a crimson flame. Roberts pulled on the chain and drew his ax back.
"that was a neat trick, James." She said as she continued her advance, she dove at him her claws extended. Roberts held her claws off with his chain, still engulfed in his high temperature flames. Her face was inches from his, she smiled at him as she leaned her forehead on his visor.
"So you gonna open up and talk to me or am I gonna have to peel that neat little suit off your back?"
Roberts rolled his eyes and his visor slid open. He was still puffing on his cigar and looked her in the eyes.
"what does a zerg have to say to a terran?"
"oh don't be that way. You sound like an old man." she said casually like this was a normal occurrence.
Roberts puffed smoke at her like he used to when she said something he didn't agree with.
"if your not surrendering then I don't want to hear it!"
He pushed her off of him and swung his ax at her, the lithe leader of the zerg easily dodged his swing, she was a ghost in a previous life after all. She frowned, it seemed she was going to have to take him by force. She started to advance on him again but a frag grenade landed at her feet and she jumped back behind a hydralisk to avoid unnecessary damage.
"Jb hurry!"
Roberts recognized Harriet's voice instantly and fired his cannons at the dumbfounded Zerg making them scatter, Kerrigan at that point realized she still had them in a docile mood, and quickly riled them back up. Roberts was making his way back to Rhino as fast as a firebat could with his equipment. He had to cleave a Zergling or two on the way but with his brutish strength it was a minor annoyance. Harriet was laying down cover fire with a surprising amount of accuracy; she did learn something from her last adventure with the fleet apparently. She would pick off the closest zerg to Roberts best she could. The firebat jumped for the back of rhino as it peeled off to keep ahead of the swarm. He caught on and hauled himself up with little effort. Just as he was about to say thanks to Harriet and Maritz he caught sight of something he didn't need to see. He quickly stuffed Harriet into the hatch before Sara slammed into him taking him off the tank into the horde of zerg. Roberts punched her in the face a few times and threw her off him and tried to make it back to the tank but her army didn't want to allow that. Zerglings and hydralisks piled onto him regardless of how many were hacked in two, Roberts had since cooled off and if he reignited he'd risk killing himself along with the rhino. Even though he struggled he was being pulled into a nydus canal to the inside of the hive. Kerrigan just smiled before his vision was obscured by his captors dragging him into the darkness.
Chapter 3
"The Zerg can have sex?!"
Somewhere in the hive
Meanwhile Commander Williams was making his way through the zerg hive with almost no contact until recently when he saw the two firebats assigned to Roberts being lead into the heart of the hive. Carly was conscious again and not wanting to end up like her short tempered friend, kept quiet. Becca's eyelids were fluttering, still in a fit of unconsciousness obviously. Williams frowned, now he had to save them since he saw them, otherwise Oderon wouldn't shut up about abandoning them, plus when it came down to it he still deeply loved Carly and wouldn't hesitate to rescue her.
"Carly, its Darryl, im literally right behind you. Slow the kids down so I can save you."
Carly was smart enough to not look around and just nodded slightly. Carly sat down quickly and wouldn't move. The Zergling kids ran up to her screeching bloody murder. The warp blade quickly sliced two of them in half . The realization that this was a trap sank in and they turned to run, but well placed rounds to the head stopped that idea. The ones carrying Becca quickly ran into a random tunnel and vanished. With Becca still unconscious he couldn't find her by looking for her thought patterns. This posed a problem he didn't really want to solve but would anyway, couldn't pass up a challenge right? Plus like stated before he liked her and didn't want the zerg to do to her what ever they had in mind.
"Carly, you ok?" He asked helping her up.
She nodded and wavered a little, her head still swimming, she felt like she was going to faint again but shook it off and regained her balance.
"yeah im ok. What are you doing down here anyway?" she asked already back to her normal cheery self.
"Im gonna kill the cerebrates down here, how'd you get caught?"
She shrugged and ran her hand through her hair.
"we were attacking some infested building, and then my team was attacked by those kid zerg things and then blank. I wake up im over some zergs shoulder in here, then you came. Thanks by the way. "
"yeah don't worry about it. This is gonna sound weird but…you gotta strip. I cant have an infested terran tailing me and not know it." everyone knew that if you were infested the infested area would be a greenish brown color. Carly wanted to protest but she knew if she did he'd have to kill her for his own protection. She frowned and started to take off her form fitting bodysuit.
"this doesn't leave the cave alright?"
"yeah whatever, ive seen bodies way better then yours so yeah.
"Maybe, but you love mine the most ."
"get on with it corporal." he said raising his gauss rifle.
She finished stripping and did a 360 slowly.
"Am I good?" she asked blushing a bright red
Oderon spoke up to the commander .
"I don't sense any infestation present on her body nor her mind."
"I see… wait you could sense it?"
"yes if an infestation is present."
"so you ARE just a perverted old man after all."
"….the kettle calling the pot black."
"so why take her and Becca alive?"
"…breeding perhaps although I doubt it."
"wait the zerg can have sex?!"
"id assume so."
"…can protoss?"
"WE are above such barbaric acts such as that." Oderon gushed, getting way to arrogant for Will's tastes.
"yeah your fine sorry you had to do that, but I had to be sure…"
She shrugged and put her suit back on.
"well your stuck with me now. Carly please stay close I… don't want to lose you." the commander tossed her his gauss rifle and continued down the tunnel he thought the kids went down.
Carly nodded and followed the commander wondering if it was better to be unconscious then walking inside a zerg hive.
Cooper's Divine Wind Squadron
(Outside the medical facility)
Cooper was quickly swept up in a dogfight with the Zerg guardians, scourge, and Mutalisks. His wraith was banking and barrel rolling wildly in an effort to throw off the scourge chasing him.
"Kamikaze One, how are we!?"
"Same as always sir!" Kamikaze One said firing his 20mm burst laser into a Mutalisk tailing Cooper.
"So… we're on the verge of death." he said firing his twin burst cannons ripping huge chunks out of the guardians.
"yup."
"wheres kamikaze seven?" cooper asked slicing a Mutalisk in two with his wraith's wing blades.
"shes three klicks from you current position boss."
"right keep defending this area don't let one zerg through."
"Roger sir."
Cooper turned his wraith to his squad mate's position and increased his speed; he instantly caught sight of the smoldering wreckage of Kamikaze seven's wraith. The pilot, Fiona Bell, was crouched behind it firing her gauss rifle at the attacking Zerg. Cooper phased out of his wraith to go assist his pilot. As he fell a guardian lumbered under him firing its acid at the small woman. Cooper simply phased through him and left him a little present inside, a few seconds later it popped like a balloon showering the girl with zerg chunks.
"hey cooper watch it!" she yelled, her heavy French accent warped her words to a cute mix of unintelligible gibberish.
Cooper spun in the air and drew his kukris and his machete; he landed on a hydralisk who was rearing up to impale Fiona. As soon as he landed, he back flipped off the beast and tossed his kukris at the back of its head, his custom knife went straight through its head cutting through skull, carapace, and brain. The kukris flew out the hydralisks face straight at Fiona. The French pilot was fast enough to lean out of the way and catch the hilt she quickly fired on a Zergling that got too close and kicked the bleeding carcass away. Cooper was flipping around the attacking zerg, as he touched them he would quickly implant an explosive or three inside them. A hydralisk tried to dive on him but cooper phased through him. As the warrant officer passed through the monster, he grabbed the beasts spine making it phase through its back. The hydralisk crumpled to the floor and twitched uncontrollably until cooper curb stomped the base of its neck killing it. Cooper skillfully baited the zerg into killing each other, by allowing them to swing or bite at him and hed simply phase through the attack letting it hit the next zerg in place behind him. He backflipped through a charging hydralisk, causing it to plow through another group of hydralisks. The others screeched at him and quickly began to claw each other in a rage. Once he effectively got the zergs fighting each other he flipped his way over to Fiona.
"ok id cover my ears if I were you."
"what took you so long Cooper?"
"seriously id cover em if I were you we can flirt later"
Fiona rolled her eyes and covered her ears. As soon as her ears were covered cooper detonated his bombs, engulfing the area in a destructive ball of fire. Cooper grabbed Fiona and phased into her wraiths wreckage, using what was left of it as a small heat shield. After the blast died out the remaining zerg retreated underground and to the skies.
Kamikaze One flew over the blast area along with the remaining pilots.
"Sir? You and Frenchy ok?"
"yeah we're alive at least Fio just fainted from the heat. I told her to never remove her flight armor just in case we fly near a solar flare or some other inferno. I'll bet she listens now."
Fiona's eyes fluttered open and she sat up and shook her head.
"why does zis always appen to me?" she asked standing up.
Cooper shrugged and caught the zipline to his wraith as it flew by and headed back toward the medical facility.
"showoff" Fiona said crossing her arms.
Cooper's wraith swooped low over the medical facility, he sighed with relief as the survivors were being loaded onto the Terran dropships for evac. Cooper smiled when he caught sight of Marlo and Slingblade. She waved as he flew past, smiling. Cooper did a barrel roll in response. Her grin of relief was replaced by a look of horror as a hydralisk and 3 Zerglings burst from the ground and eviscerated 3 victims. Cooper knew he couldn't fire on them from his wraith and was about to go on foot but as soon as he began to turn around he saw marlo easily killing the zerg with her pistols along with Slingblade's quick one shot kill. Her lithe body was amazingly flexible as she flipped around the zergs quick strikes, how she arm barred a hydralisk he'll never know but as the large monster hit the ground she was already straddling it and emptying her guns into it's face. She ax kicked a Zergling at the base of its spine paralyzing it. The last Zergling ran at her and went for a jumping bite, she was about to kill it in a grand way but Slingblade simply rifle butted it in the face cracking its skull wide open.
"dude…that is so hot." Cooper said to nobody in particular. He was ogling Marlo like… a horney bomb maniac.
He swooped his wraith in low and opened the canopy to check and see if she was ok. As he stood up Marlo was already climbing into the co pilots chair.
"hey… lets go already."
"and where the heck do you think you're…"
"hey do you want an ungodly hot chick to partner up with you, put her precious life in your hands, and maybe repay you later if we don't die. Or do you want to just go with dudes…?"
"…good point and well made."
Harriet's squad
(Mountain pass)
Harriet had just finished crying from the shock of Roberts capture, now she was more angry then sad. She had attempted to go back alone more than a few times.
Alicia's battle cruiser made planet fall to recover the remaining tanks and extract harriet.
"No I like, can't leave him down there without at least trying to help him!" Harriet protested shaking her head.
Alicia sat on an ammo box in front of her and sighed. The situation had changed now the battles had taken a turn for the worst, in space and on the ground.
"Harriet im returning you to the ghost academy now, so please don't make this hard."
"im not leaving general I refuse." The blonde reporter was serious about this.
Alicia regarded her for a moment and hopped off the box and called Nova.
"November, please meet me over where Albion is hovering in ten minutes."
"I'll be there in five."
Alicia turned to harriet and stared at her.
"Miss Monroe sit down, you need to calm yourself. the zerg would rip you apart if you went out alone."
Harriet knew she was right but she was adamant about helping Roberts.
"since I figure you're going to leave anyway, Captain Lampright will accompany you. I'm giving you till this time tomorrow to have completed your task. Commander Williams, warrant cooper. You will immediately make your way to rendezvous point 33-4-92 be there in one hour Lewis you and Nova will find the main hive tunnels and mark them for immediate nuclear annihilation am I understood? " she ordered over the TACOM
The three soldiers immediately rogered up and went to complete their tasks. Lewis almost pissed himself when his canister rifle hummed to life and went back online. Luckily will was close to a surface tunnel and carried carly out, since he was that much faster then her. Will called his strike team as well and told them to either continue on or back out and meet him, but of course the hell hounds were having too much fun with this and opted to stay in the hive Cooper caught sight of them as he flew past.
"need a lift clown?"
"yeah sure a ride would help. Who's the hot chick?"
"oh yeah this is marlone shes the medic from the academy."
"you boned her didn't you?"
"I tried…"
"sucker."
Will grabbed the zipline and hung on as cooper flew out towards the meeting place.
"Darryl what about Becca ?" Carly asked looking up at him, her beautiful olive eyes looked like they were filling with tears.
"don't cry…I'll save her…"
A bold statement. It was one he might not be able to back up even with coopers help.
Chapter 4
Our luck
"So are you two clear on my instructions?" Alicia asked still perched on the ammo box.
The officers nodded,as did Harriet.
"so like, it seems im coming with you again will." She said smiling half heartedly.
Before Will could respond Cooper interrupted.
"wow wow wow…what the hell was that?"
"like what are you talking about?"
"oh Christ shes a flickin valley girl!"
"least she not a ginger kid." Marlo said patting him on the back.
Reese then walked up and saluted in her normal super quick animation.
"hi! Im back and I didn't hurt Crow!" she chirped.
"good this means I don't have to eat you for dinner."
She started giggling and wandered off typing something in her codec.
"ok ma'am we're about too…what the flick are you doin?"
Alicia was zipping up her Ghost combat suit and engaging her canister rifle.
"oh did I forget to mention that I was coming along too?"
"uh yeah, yeah you did. Aren't you supposed to be in space anyway?" will asked while he checked crow over.
"yeah but general duke is up there now so I figured id let him deal with the space battle, if we're lucky he might get shot down." She said smiling warmly.
"dude our CO is crazy." Cooper said.
"and that's why I love her."
"Commander, i…don't do ground ops very often so im not too knowledgeable on how to lead one, so im putting you in charge."
"Sweet."
Harriet tapped will and motioned for him to come over to rhino.
"what is it?"
"umm I like, found Anisa, shes inside the tank but shes been altered…a little"
Will was already opening the hatch before she was done speaking.
"Anisa!"
The little girl looked up from her game of poker with Maritz and smiled at her father.
"hiya Daddy."
Will hugged his child ignoring the pricks of her new spines. He looked her over and shrugged.
"you look kinda cool like that now that I really look at you."
"I know, grrrrr!" growled Anisa, imitating Carly's signature grrrr.
Will pat his child on the head and picked her up.
"maritz you owe me money don't think I'll forget!" she yelled as he took her out the tank.
"Reese, could you watch Anisa for me while the mission is in play?"
Reese nodded and led anisa away the two who were almost identical mind wise instantly were playing around oblivious to the situation.
Will and Alicia climbed into Crow and Cooper and Marlo boarded Phoenix. Harriet climbed into Rhino with Maritz and Dizzy.
Crow turned and took off running to the mission site, followed by the others.
"We got Zerg." Cooper announced with an air of pure happiness.
"right in front of the mission zone right?"
"yup."
"good more fun for us!"
The close combat specialists put their vehicles on auto pilot and left them on the ridge.
"crow and rhino will give us some cover fire, and Phoenix will do strafing runs." Will explained loading his guns.
Cooper did a last minute demolitions check and climbed out of his Wraith. Marlo followed suit and checked her guns and her remaining medigel. Harriet and Dizzy Left Rhino, leaving Maritz behind to fire the Proton cannon.
"ok we've got till 2300 tomorrow to have rescued Roberts and anyone else captured by the Zerg. If it doesn't look human shoot it."
Will, Cooper and Alicia dove off the cliff side and cloaked out. They held onto the side of the cliff with their combat knives and skidded most of the way down. The three jumped into the fray at random times. Will spun through the air and sliced a hydralisk into four pieces with his blades. Cooper rolled through a group of Zerglings and left one of his T2's inside the one in the middle. He flipped past the confused zerg to regroup with will. Alicia landed on a rock and used her psi abilities to will the zerg to get closer to the unfortunate Zergling. After the Zerg followed her command she slinked her way over to the guys with harriet in tow.
"BOOM!" Cooper yelled detonating the Linear charge.
The shockwave from the explosion was huge blowing the small group right next to the cave mouth.
Cooper sat up grinning.
"THAT was most excellent." He said standing up.
"theres sand in my bra and like, its so not cool." Whined harriet, feeling around for her glasses.
"Honey you're not supposed to have anything on under this, its supposed to hug your body and lie along every curve you have to offer…" Alicia said as she ran her fingers all over Harriet she put her glasses back on her and licked her lips, unintentionally giving the guys boners.
"Boomer, what did you do to get a CO like her?" Lampright asked his friend.
"ask will im just an innocent bystander." He retorted.
"…we need to make a time machine coop, and watch this every day over and over." Will said grinning.
Even Marlo was blushing at Alicia's openly flaunted sexuality.
"wow is she always like that?"
"yup. Alicia that's enough we have a time limit remember? "
"Give me and miss Monroe a second we have to fix her problem. And no you cannot watch."
All the guys collectively groaned and leaned against the cave walls, marlo out of curiosity went to join the other women. Their giggles and Harriets squeals, made for a very vivid image.
"this is bullshit." Cooper said playing with a grenade.
"yeah this kinda crap only happens in anime and whatnot." Will replied shaking his head.
The ladies returned with marlo and Harriet both beet red.
"soo can we get to work now?"
"oh yes of course, we'll make sure no zerg get inside, now shoo."
"dude we just got the shaft…" Cooper mumbled.
"no way, screw that you put me in charge remember?"
She opened her mouth to say something but abruptly closed it after remembering she did in fact give him total control of the ground op.
"…dammit."
"your comin with us, like it or not."
"this is NOT how this was supposed to happen." Alicia whined picking up her canister rifle.