A Time For Heroes by Vegitto24
Author's Note: Hi this is my first fanfiction of Starcraft. This story is inspired by Blizzard's award winning expansion pack, the Brood War. Any character that is from the original game are property of Blizzard Entertainment. Please forgive my grammar as English is my second language. Please read and review so that I may improve and continue the next chapter. Thanks.
Prologue
It was year 3025 approximately one billion light years away from planet Earth in the Koporulu Sector. In the wake of disasterous battle against Queen of Blades, Captain Raynor and his Mar Sara militia established a secret base of operations on planet Dantes IV. His scv crews began contructing several of starports and factories around the base. The atmosphere of the planet was similar to Tarsonis, with rich air and unknown plants and animals. Dantes IV layed on the outer rim territories of Koporulu Sector. With Zerg Swarm taking over most of the terran colonies like locusts destroying anything in its way, Raynor hoped that his base won't be discovered until his troops are ready. It reminded Raynor that he was once a martial working for the Confederacy but he tried to ignore that thought. More important to him right now was to gather as many militant groups that survived the last battle and form another alliance to resist Zerg. He kept contact with the Protoss Fleet because Raynor believed that only by combined force of Terran and Protoss can he overcome Zerg Swarm and Sarah Kerrigan. Zeratul and his fleet's last known location was near planet Aiur still battling the Zerg Swarm. A losing battle that Raynor tried to convince him to avoid and Zeratul completely ignored his advice..
"This is Recon 1 reporting to Captain Raynor, please respond over." A desperate message was heard over the communicator that was sitting on Raynor's desk. Raynor jumped from his desk chair and quickly grabbed the communicator.
"Recon 1 status report, over" Raynor ordered. A moment of silence and then all he can hear was a static. "Repeat! This is Captain Raynor, status report please over."
"We've been discovered by Zerg overlords and are under heavy attack! Request immediate reinforcements! I repeat my unit is under heavy attack from Zerg! Requesting immediate back up over!"
Jim Raynor sighed. Just what I needed. He hesitated for a moment. "My order was clear Recon 1. Under no circumstances you were to engage the enemy! I'll try to send a rescue team but if possible withdraw from your position immediately, is that clear?" Nothing but static was heard over the communicator. John is in trouble! What am I supposed to do? John Howard was the commander of Recon 1. He's been Jim Raynor's right hand man since they deserted the Sons of Korhal after Mensk betrayed Kerrigan. John was young and inexperienced but he followed Raynor without any doubt. "Damn it! Now what shall I do? Computer, what is the survival possibility of my recon unit in 48 hours?" Raynor quickly input the data and asked.
"In about 48 hours captain, your recon team will lose more than half of its troops,' the computer responded. "Wait, I picked up several Protoss warships closing on Recon 1"s position. They might be able to help us."
A ray of hope sparked in Raynor's eyes. "What luck! Computer, send a distress call in all possible enscrypted channels to Zeratul," Jim said.
Chapter 1: Rescue Mission
Zeratul was furious when his zealot warriors fell one by one to lurkers that were attacking from ground with sharp spines. Ambush, damn and I thought we could sneak in.. "Damn it! We can't hold this position! All units fall back to the command ship," Zeratul yelled.
"But sir, we can continue our attack if we bring our observers," one of his lieutenants protested.
"It will be too late! I won't let any more of my men slaughtered! Now, you have orders lieutenant!" He quickly boarded one of the shuttles that was waiting. The protoss warriors boarded other shuttles as zerglings charged their position. Fortunately, Zerg air units were not on sight but several hydralisks gave a chase until they realized the shuttles were out of range.
Zeratul entered his command room after inserting his fingerprint on the interface. It was a new rule he and remaining Protoss commanders implemented after several of his warriors staged a mutiny and assasinated couple of his commanders while trying to take over a warship. The plot was quickly put down thanks to the dark templars that he placed around the suspicious officers. The dark templars were able to stop the mutiny before it was out of control. But he couldn't afford to lose any more of his commanders because he'll need their leadership skills in the upcoming battle with Zerg.
As he stepped inside, one of the communications officer stood up and saluted with right hand over the chest which meant "welcome back" in Protoss language.
"Anything to report, Captain?" Zeratul asked without saluting back. He believed that traditions were made to be broken and that the reason why Protoss Conclave was destroyed was that they followed strict traditions.
"Yes sir, we received an enscrypted distress call from Dantes IV. I believe it's that Terran named Raynor but I can't be sure," the officer reported. Zeratul sat on his chair and sighed.
"Patch it through, Captain," he ordered as he straightened out his uniform. "This is Captain Raynor of Mar Sara Militia. My recon unit is under heavy attack and I believe your fleet is nearby. Request immediate assistance."
"I thought so. Put him through on the main screen," Zeratul quickly ordered. In a moment screen popped with Jim Raynor with solemn face like he always does. Ever since he found out that Kerrigan backstabbed him and Zeratul he lost his smile. He was wearing some kind of military uniform and standing on some unknown planet with his communicator on. Zeratul wasn't sure what kind of uniform he was wearing because he still was not used to Terran clothing. "Good to see you again, Jim," Zeratul greeted. Yes, with Raynor's help I might be able to retake Aiur and rebuild our civilization.
"Hey old buddy, how's going? Look, this is no time for reunion. I would love to chat about old days but my men are in trouble fighting Kerrigan's minions. Do you mind if you could give assistance?" Raynor said in a desperate voice.
Zeratul didn't know well about Terran customs but he liked him. Besides, Raynor helped Tassador destroy the Overmind back on Aiur. Without Raynor's help Zeratul and Artanis would not have survived that battle. "Consider it done," Zeratul replied shortly. "Listen, why don't I move into your location after all this. My men need to regroup if you know what I mean," Zeratul asked politely.
"Sure, you are always welcome among us. I'll send my coordinates in a moment," without hesitating Raynor answered quickly. "It's 7495 delta quadrant in the far outer rim territory. You can't miss it."
"Thank you, Captain. I'll send a fleet of carriers with Artanis in charge. He should be able to help your men. See you on Dantes IV," with that remark, the screen turned black.
"I heard your conversation with Raynor, what are your orders, Zeratul?" Artanis asked as he stepped inside the command room.
"Ah, good. Executor take your fleet and proceed to Planet Tarsonis. Raynor's men are hard pressed and it's our duty to save them, understood?" Zeratul commanded. "Listen Artanis. I know you are eager to prove yourself in battle and you are doing it for Aiur but this time you need to rescue as many of Raynor's men as you can and fall back, all right? After your rescue mission, you are to proceed to Dantes IV. That is where my fleet is heading too."
Artanis frowned and tried to say something and then gave up. "Yes, I understand. I shall do my best sir!" Artanis responded.
"Good. We are going to combine our force with Captain Raynor. You know he is resourceful and bold. If we can help each other we might be able to achieve our goal," Zeratul commented and sat back on his chair. Artanis left the command room and headed towards the hangar wodering if this war will ever be over.
Lieutenant John Howard, the commander of Recon 1 was fighting hard as his men began to stagger and fall one by one. He didn't mean to alert the whole Zerg hive. When his team found the zerg hive on Tarsonis Howard believed that it would be a good idea to sneak in and destroy some of the zerg structures. Howard ordered some of his men to burn the spore colony lying far away from the center of the hive. Howard didn't think it was a trap as his firebats approached the spore colony. The ground began to shake and in a few seconds hydralisks and zergling appeared from underground and overwhelmed the firebats. Damn it we are going to die! A disaster struck when several of zerglings charged his position. His men were running out of ammo real fast and most of his firebats were dead. "The rescue team is on the way! All men fall back! Squad 1 will give cover fire," he radioed his troops. "Shit!" Howard screamed as one of the zerglings jumped him from behind.
"Lieutenant!" one of his men shouted. The zergling was about to slit his throat with its sharp teeth when all of a sudden a spark of light came from out of nowhere and the zergling was obliterated. "What was that?" the marines looked around with fear.
"Terrans, we are here to help," a familiar voice was heard from back and then Protoss warriors appeared from thin air. "This is Artanis the Templar and Executor of the Protoss Fleet. All of you should head towards those shuttles that are waiting. We will cover your back," Artanis continued. The terran marines cheered at Protoss warriors as the zealots sliced through zerglings like a knife through butter.
"You heard the executor, all men fall back to the shuttles!" Lieutenant Howard quickly gave the order. Several of the dragoons appeared and attacked the spore colony from far away. Their spark charge destroyed the colony in a matter of minutes. "Thank you, Artanis we owe you one," Lieutenant Howard said as the shuttles began to move far away from Zerg hive.
"Don't worry about it. We are in this together and I'm glad that I was able to rescue your men on time," Artanis replied.
The Prottoss strike force withdrew from Tarsonis and headed towards Dantes IV without realizing that someone or something was observing from far away. Kerrigan, the self proclaimed Queen of Blades was listening to their conversation from beginning using her potent powers. Very interesting... terran survivors regrouping on Dantes IV with Protoss? Pathetic! Sarah was marked with a smirk on her face. A smirk that was of evil. One of Kerrigan's cerebrates entered the chamber that she was in.
"Your highness, what is your wish?" he asked.
"Ah, cerebrate. Glad that you could come. I want you to follow those Protoss warships and find Raynor's hidden base. However, I don't need you to destroy them yet. I want them to fully mobilize their remaining force in one place. Then we can destroy them in one swoop, do you understand?" The cerebrate nodded. He exited the chamber and began mobilizing his brood. He was a hybrid of terran and zerg. Instead of making him a suide zombie, Kerrigan gave him knowledge to his mind because she believed that she could not trust any of the remaining cerebrates. She was planning to execute them all when the time came.