Meeting: Operation

The Golden Armada, Protoss Daelaam

Inside the Mothership of the Golden Armada, the Protoss warriors was prepared for everything. Zarc walked toward the center of the hall, where his forces were assembled. He saw Aiur zealots, Nerazim centurions and shadow warriors, also the Purifiers' sentinels. The robotic Sentries were around. None of his Tal'Darim brethren was seen. His temple furrowed deeply as he muttered.

By Alarak! What does she think? Would they listen to me as my brethren? Pushing his doubts, Zarc communicated with his forces psionically.

"Listen all of you! I am Zarc from Tal'Darim and former Fourth Ascendant. I was appointed as your Praetor by Executor Selendis to lead you all for this mission. I expect nothing than total obedience from all of you!" Everyone turned to him.

Then a cybernetic Templar came to him. His yellow eyes glowed eeriely as he spoke.

"En Taro Adun, Praetor! I am Xqtl from the Purifiers, my Executor Talandar had sent me and several Sentinels to assist you in this mission. He also assigned Sentries for you!" Another warrior with a psi-spear kowtowed .

"En Taro Tassadar! My name is E'klar from Khalai! My brothers and I volunteered to your service!" Zarc disdained both of them, as another warrior greeted him.

"En Taro Zeratul, Commander! My name is Gherizm, I came with Vorazun's blessings to aid you." The Tal'Darim commander noted that the Dark Templar was quite young, unlike the usual Nerazim that he met at the battlefield.

He asked. "I guess you had passed your Shadow Walk."

The young Nerazim replied timidly. "Actually no, Commander. I was unable to complete my ritual. I was immediately assigned here. My elders said I may complete the ritual in actual mission." This admission didn't help, as Zarc scoffed inward

Brilliant! The metal abomination, the foolish Zealot and now…the unblooded youngling! I had to rely my life to these rag-tags? It was too late to summon his brethren, he had to make what he had in hand now. The Tal'Darim begun his briefing.

"As I said before, I expect nothing less than total obedience! You might be informed about the sudden appearance of Kaldir science vessel on the skies of Aiur. Executor sent us to escort and aid the Zerg contingent to extract their own inside the vessel." Everyone inside murmured, but didn't continue.

"Executor ordered the Zerg contingent must not be harmed, unless they started first!" Zarc emphasized. "For myself, that is good! I don't care how or what they do. If they or you were on my way…" He ignited the reddish psi-blade from his wrist.

"…pay the consequences!" Everyone was silent until the Mothership captain called.

"Praetor, the Zerg Swarm informed us that their contingent was ready to be transported to the vessel anytime you wish."

Zarc replied. "Very well, bring them here first! What creature they had send to drag their own?"

"The Swarm said they sent Stukov for the assignment."

Stukov? Infested Terran who had killed the Xel'naga Narud in the End War? Interesting. The Tal'Darim praetor pondered as he inhaled Terrazine.

"Proceed, we will meet them at the vessel!"

=o00o=

The Leviathan, Zerg Swarm

Through his psionic ability, Alexei Stukov managed to gather the Infested Terrans as many as he could find from Char. Sixty of them should be enough. Not too few, not too many to intimidate the Protoss. Beside the Firstborns must bring their own forces, just for escort. However, Zagara also included few Raptor zerglings and Vile roaches for good measure.

As his troops assembled, the former UED vice admiral was disappointed to not find anyone intelligent enough to converse with him. Once infested with the Zerg hyperevolutionary virus, the Infested Terrans became former shadow of themselves. Hollow, brutal and suicidal. Only those who experimented by Narud,would retain their intelligence. Yet, all but him were destroyed when Kerrigan attacked Skygeirr Platform.

Pushing that thought away, Stukov began to command them toward the extraction point where the Protoss would teleport them to their coordinate. He mused inwardly.

I feel like a chessmaster with his mindless pawns…I just wonder if I was doomed being alone among the Swarm. Suddenly, a reply came.

Perhaps you should try harder…

Stukov stunned momentarily. He didn't expect such reply amongst the Infested Terrans and the zerglings. Intrigued, he stopped the others and gestured them to give way toward the speaker. Before him, an Infested Terran stood and he wield his Gauss rifle. Additional appendages came through his hulking armor. The wrigglng tentacles appeared from the cracked side of his helmet.

Pondering awhile, Stukov gave order. "Atten-hut, soldier!" Actually, he didn't expect the Infested followed his order. Yet, he was in shock as the Infested marine performed the order. Now his curiosity was piqued.

"Soldier, open your helmet and introduce your name!" Slowly but sure, the Infested opened his helmet. The right side of his face was obliterated by the wriggling tentacles, yet his left face still remains human with the speck of dirty blond hair, intact left eye and …a functioning mouth. The soldier forced a grin.

"Sergeant…Kubrickan, Commander…you might not remember me, but I once served at UED Expeditionary Force before my…infestation. Then I was taken by the Queen of Blade, of course…not my own volition."

"Interesting!" The Russian mused. "Would you care to explain how you can retain your intelligence, while the others had their brains turned to a mush?"

Kubrickan growled, before he continued. "I had to…thank…the Queen for this. She gave me to the horrible creature to be experimented. When…you know…,the Swarm was broken, I was…transferred to Skygeirr for further experiment…thankfully, the Queen attacked…Skygeirr."

When Kubrickan mentioned 'the horrible creature', Stukov realized he must referred to Abathur. Not mention, he had heard several Kerrigan's experiments like Ethan Stewart and also the mutates in Alliance. Perhaps people like Kubrickan were still out there. He would dealt with this later, but now he had a mission at hand.

He continued. "Could you understand commands? Do you have psionic abilities like me?"

The Infested Marine nodded. "Limited… but enough to communicate my fellow Infested, Commander. If this could help, I can order my fellows."

Splendid! Stukov smiled to himself. If he was a human, he would leaped with joy.

"Very well, Sergeant!" he spoke to Kubrickan. "I am making you as my second-in-command in this mission now. You could deal with your fellow, and I will deal with the rest."

"What mission, Sir?" Kubrickan asked.

"We will extract a Broodmother inside the Protoss vessel. She also made her brood inside. Not only that, the Protoss also assigned their force to escort us. So, it would be get damn bloody to get her." Stukov explained. "Queen Zagara gave me permission to use extreme measures to deal with the wayward Brood, but the Broodmother must be unharmed."

The Infested asked again. "What if the Protoss forced us?"

Stukov sighed. The last thing he wanted is to fight the Protoss, not after they gave him a chance to revenge. Yet, his affiliation was with the Swarm now.

"If that happened." He said. "Avoid it as much as possible, as I say." Kubrickan said no more, and joined with the others. Then all of them went to the center and instantly transported through warp to the destination.

=o00o=

Inside the abandoned Protoss vessel,

The once bright hall, now was dark and sullen. No sign of life inside, the surrounding was covered with creeps. Then the bright light came and something materialized from it. Not for long, Stukov's force came out from the teleportation. As the former vice admiral tried to assess the surrounding, someone called him.

"Alexei Stukov, I presume?" He turned around and saw a black-armored Protoss before him. Its eyes covered with a heavy visor. Around them, the Protoss warriors circled them tightly, with weapons drawn. The Infested Terrans and the zerglings alike, were agitated with the hostile situation. Yet, the Protoss had kept stand down. Stukov gave order to stand telepathically to his force.

"You must be the Protoss Commander who assigned to watch us." He replied cautiously. "I am flattered to learn that my reputation had preceeded me…"

"My Khalai brehtren only knew James Raynor, tainted one." Zarc responded with mocking tone. "Nevertheless, we know that you are the one who killed the Xel'Naga Narud. I am Praetor Zarc."

Winced with his former nemesis' name mentioned, Stukov said. "Pleased to meet you, Commander Zarc…it might look awkward, but we once cooperated during the battle inside the Void. I hoped to maintain such atmosphere."

"That's depends, Alexei Stukov." The Tal'Darim replied. "I am not patient as Our Executor. The sooner we extract the Broodmother from this ship, the better for both of us. Could we trust you to control your minions in line?" Suddenly, the zerglings start to roar,taunting their opponents. The Nerazim and Khalai warriors was readying their weapons. The Sentinels stood before them.

"I can control them not to attacking you now." The Russian glanced to the others. "As long as you keep your warriors away." Gherizm almost pulled his psi-scythe, but his Praetor stopped. Zarc didn't answer, but Stukov could feel that the bastard must be chuckled inside for his audacity.

Zarc continued. "Then we are agreed. You may go first, while we followed from behind." After saying that, he returned to his warriors. The interactions left the former vice admiral fumes in anger.

"Such a rude person! That was un-Protoss like…" He quickly took his cigar and lit them. While puffing the cigar, he turned to Kubrickan.

"Sergeant, lead your fellows first in defensive position. Keep your eyes open to the Protoss, I don't trust the black one." Kubrickan nodded.

"Affirmative!" As the group started to moved, Stukov complained inwardly.

Why don't I have a pleasant experience like Raynor had?

=o00o=

Deep inside the vessel,

They are coming…the Protoss.

No, not only them…he sensed the Terrans.

Broodmother Niadra stirred and awoken. It had been a long time, since they came out from the warp. There was no signs of her Queen. It seemed that they had arrived at Protoss homeworld, Aiur. Her pedipalps cackled.

Never mind . Niadra mused. She would dealt with the intruders first, and then landed on the planet to destroy the Protoss. She would complete her Queen's directive order. The vessels was her home, and she knew every corners too well. If the Terrans stood in her way, then they would pay dearly.

"My brood." She whispered gently. "Destroy the intruders." Upon her order, the host of Raptor zerglings, hydralisks and roaches immediately went to their prey.

=o00o=

A/N: This is the second part of the Extraction Arc. Zarc and Stukov had meet face-to-face with less than pleasant experience, while their target has prepared for them. The intelligent Infested Terran I know other than Kerrigan and Stukov is Ethan Stewart, so very few of them. I create Kubrickan only for Stukov's companion. Perhaps I might use the mutates next time.