Chapter Two: A Volunteer
Kerrigan made her way through the hive clusters on Char. As she walked, she noted a flurry of activity as drone worked to rebuild the shattered defenses. The battles with the protoss and terrans had left the swarm with massive losses. After driving the last of the Dark Templar off the planet, Kerrigan had been left with the cleanup.
It had been a complete mess. Duke had been evacuating with the protoss, and she'd been unable to pursue him. She'd hoped to wipe out the General before the end, but Tassadar had ruined that.
And then the Overmind had disappeared.
One moment he had been there. Then his will had left her. And she'd been left alone. The swarm as a whole had floundered in confusion, and she'd had to keep them busy. At the very least there hadn't been another Garm Brood incident.
What had happened on Aiur? And why had no one told her anything?
She entered her infested command center and felt both of them within. Daggoth and Kaloth were both there, speaking privately. What were they doing here? And why had no one been in communication with her?
Kerrigan waited a moment, then spoke. "Kaloth, Daggoth."
They looked up. "Kerrigan, I see you've returned." said Kaloth.
His voice held a note of hostility. So he was still holding a grudge for Zasz. It would be best to start with success. "Yes." said Kerrigan. "I've successfully driven most of the protoss off of Char. Their towns and cities have been laid to waste. Those that remained fled with General Duke during his evacuation.
"Only the space station, Char Aleph is not ours. The protoss there are observing and defending. But they aren't doing much else."
No answer. Kerrigan shifted, turning things over in her mind. Finally, she could bear it no longer.
"Is the Overmind dead?" asked Kerrigan, trying to keep the lump out of her throat.
Kerrigan got the sense they were looking at each other. Then Kaloth regarded her. "We don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?" asked Kerrigan incredulously. "We were sent away before the final confrontation." said Kaloth. "We watched from afar. Tassadar attempted a suicide attack upon the Overmind. Both vanished."
Kerrigan sighed. "Then he is dead."
"It isn't that simple. The Overmind said he might lose the confrontation that was coming and left Daggoth in charge." said Kaloth. "But we don't really know what kind of confrontation it was.
"He also specifically told us that he would not speak to us directly anymore.
"Even if he were victorious, we would not be able to commune with him."
Kerrigan shifted. "Then what is our plan of action?"
"A number of plans, actually." said Kaloth. "For now I've ordered the withdrawal of all our broods from terran space. We've left behind a number of hive clusters we established and put them on the defensive."
"While the Dominion is occupied we may rebuild the swarm." said Daggoth. "The protoss and terrans have suffered grievously. They will not be in a position to attack us for some time."
"And aside from that?" asked Kerrigan.
"We will continue our infestation of terran subjects." said Daggoth. "I have succeeded in creating long-lasting specimens. With time we will be able to understand how to replicate their essence."
"What about Zeratul and the Dark Templar?" asked Kerrigan.
"They've been accounted for." said Daggoth. "Explain, Kaloth."
Kaloth came forward. "We've managed to locate Shakuras at last. We will be able to launch an invasion soon."
Kerrigan shifted. Kaloth was suggesting a full-on invasion? That wasn't like him? He sounded eager. "Isn't that a bit reckless?"
"Are you lecturing me on being reckless?" asked Kaloth.
Kerrigan flinched. Kaloth's voice was hostile, and his will was sharper. He was very different from how he had been last time they'd spoken. She did not want to have to fight him.
"The Dark Templar are a serious threat to the swarm." said Daggoth. "They must be destroyed before they can do further harm. If they should teach their use of the void to our enemies, we could face a serious threat.
"For now, however, we are waiting."
Kerrigan paused. "For what?"
"Aiur is all but fallen. Most of the population has fled or died." said Kaloth, and she felt like he would be shrugging. "Those that remain are scattered. Without it, the protoss empire has fractured.
"The survivors have no choice but to flee.
"Daggoth and I believe they will run to Shakuras."
"Why not one of their outlying colonies?" asked Kerrigan.
"Ideologies that have lasted millennia do not shift overnight." said Kaloth. "The other worlds of Aiur were loyal to the Conclave, not Tassadar. In time some may convert. However, the government of the khalai are the Conclave's appointed governors."
"With the Conclave destroyed, each one of them now will do as they believe is right." said Daggoth.
"What of Judicator Aldaris?" asked Kerrigan.
"Aldaris is not in command of the khalai." said Kaloth. "He rules at the pleasure of Fenix, Zeratul, and Artanis, because he is the best administrator. Without Tassadar or the Conclave, there is no single leader for the protoss."
"We might be able to use this to our advantage." said Daggoth. "Kerrigan, what were the results of your tests?"
And here came the bad news. "I've managed to achieve some success with the infestation process. When Zasz was doing all of that he focused on chemicals and such. But drugging terrans into submission destroys their minds.
"Mental domination is also an option. However, that requires a very personal touch. I doubt anyone here has time for that." She paused. "Unfortunately most of my specimens were destroyed by Tassadar before he left. I've had to improvise.
"Fortunately I've found some… volunteers."
"Meaning?" asked Kaloth.
Kerrigan shifted. "While you were gone I got in contact with several enemies of the Dominion. We've been in a costly war of attrition. I thought making an alliance might help end it.
"We terrans have a saying: The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
"And which enemy of our enemy are we speaking of?" asked Kaloth.
And then Duran emerged from where he had been tailing her. His thoughts were difficult to read. Like Arcturus, but not quite. Arcturus' thoughts remained in one place. But they sort of faded into his self-image, so you were never quite sure what he was playing at. He was proud and dangerous, like a tiger. Duran, on the other hand, was always shifting and changing, like a serpent.
"Greetings to you gentlemen." said Duran. "I am Samir Duran of the Confederate Resistance Forces. And I wish to offer you my services and skills in return for immortality."
There was dead silence. Daggoth tensed. Then Kaloth motioned, and the doors opened to reveal half a dozen infested terrans who moved close to him. "Amazing. Duran, my species has been undertaking a full-scale attempt to genocide yours. Why are you taking our side?"
Duran remained cool and collected. "Simple enough. I have studied the swarm extensively, and I am fascinated by your biology. I wish to learn more about you and continue my research indefinitely. Seeing as the zerg do not age, I figure we can help each other out."
Kaloth scoffed. "…You're an utterly repulsive creature; you know that, don't you?"
"Kaloth, you don't even-" began Kerrigan.
"Do you think I don't know how you got into power, Duran?" asked Kaloth. "I remember what you did. I know what you were involved in. My mind has the thoughts and memories of many Confederate scientists within it. And several Confederate ghosts you experimented on."
"Surely, noble cerebrate, you do not mean to condemn me for the very virtues which you exalt the Overmind?" asked Duran.
Kaloth ignored him and turned to Daggoth. However, Kerrigan could feel his fury. The infested terrans drew closer. "Daggoth, if I might, Duran's first act in my memory was betraying the basic tenets of human morality. And for what? In pursuit of his own private gain. Which means he will gladly do the same to our tenets. His next act was betraying the Confederacy to keep his power intact.
"And when the Dominion did not trust him, he immediately betrayed them. This time to the Confederate Squadrons. And now he has apparently betrayed them in turn. So he can serve an entity which, so far as he knows, desires the complete annihilation of his species.
"Any being so devoid of loyalty or moral character is completely unsuitable to be part of the swarm. If we infest this one, he will almost certainly betray us as soon as it is inconvenient."
"What do you suggest?" asked Daggoth.
Kaloth remained silent. "…Well, he is a psychic of some power. A dissection might yield more reliable fruit."
This was terrible. Kerrigan had been working for months on this alliance. She'd nearly been shot to pieces just getting a meeting. Now Kaloth was going to ruin it all. "Duran hasn't betrayed the Confederate Squadrons, Kaloth."
"Oh really?" asked Kaloth. "He must be having a slow day."
"I am here as an official representative of Commander Alan Schezar." said Duran. "He wishes to form an alliance with you."
"Of course he does." said Kaloth. "Shall I call for the dissection?"
"We can use his help." said Kerrigan.
"Oh, yes, that is an interesting theory." said Kaloth. "And you've made so many brilliant predictions that always turn out right in the past." Well, that wasn't exactly fair.
"Like how you said Raynor was no threat to us. Oh right. That was a disaster. Or your decision to confront Tassadar directly. Oh, wait. That was also a disaster. Or perhaps the time you hunted down Zeratul…
"Oh wait. That was a disaster.
"Are you seeing a pattern when it comes to judgment calls Kerrigan?" Okay, so it was somewhat fairer than Kerrigan would like to admit.
"Look Kaloth, we're not in a good position." said Kerrigan. "Mengsk has a powerful alliance with the protoss. In a few years, he'll have a military machine that could overrun us.
"If we cooperate we'll be able to influence the terran sector.
"Schezar will probably backstab us at some point. But right now, both of us are on the ropes. They need us as much as we need them."
Kaloth would have been rolling his eyes if he'd had them. His scorn was almost visible. "I've said my piece. Daggoth, it's your call."
Daggoth remained silent. He seemed to be scanning over Duran. "Leave us."
The command was to Duran, who bowed his head. "Of course." he said and departed.
Daggoth regarded Kerrigan, then Kaloth. His thoughts were turning things over. "Duran is not what he appears. I do not believe he is as other terrans."
"No, really?" asked Kaloth; sarcasm evident. "Most terrans have something called a conscience."
"It doesn't matter." said Kerrigan.
"Really? And what brings you to that conclusion?" asked Kaloth.
"Look," said Kerrigan, "I'm sure that Duran thinks he's going to be able to backstab us. But he's not. Once we've infested him, he'll be part of the swarm. Resignations aren't accepted. I know that from first hand exprerience." Her life as a human seemed so far away now. She hadn't even thought of it until now. "We've got nothing to worry about."
"Once we have infested him we will have the means of tracking his movements." noted Daggoth. "We may also gain insight into his plans."
"Or we could rip him limb from limb and steal the information from his tortured consciousness." noted Kaloth. "That would also give us the means to track his movements, once we melted down his flesh for nutrients."
"Yes," said Kerrigan, "but then we wouldn't be able to make an alliance with Schezar. The man went head to head with Arcturus and almost won. Not to mention seized control of one of our brothers.
"He could be a powerful ally."
Daggoth considered the matter. "Go to Duran. Tell him that we will grant him what he wants. And that we wish to speak with Schezar directly."
Author's Note:
So, on a separate not, I'm going to be spending a lot of time on things that take place behind the scenes in Brood War. For instance: How exactly did Kerrigan end up working with Duran? Never explained in canon. Too important to drop from the plot.
