Starcraft: Purity of Innocence

Disclaimer: This will be a Starcraft fanfiction which will have a heavy dose of humour/comedy hence leading to possible character OCC. Also, as I have only known the Starcraft games and none of the other media other than by wiki so this fanfiction will be inevitably different from canon after the Brood War. With that said, I hope you enjoy my literary contribution (Note: This fanfiction will take elements from other series).

Chapter 5: Meinhoff Part 2

"Sir, I have good news and bad news."

"What's the good news, Matt?"

"The good news is that the Protoss did our work for us in removing the Zerg hives."

Knowing the bad news, Jim replied, "And I'm guessing the bad news is that they're now on their way here to finish the job."

Nodding in grim affirmation, Matt said, "They may only have one functional nexus left but that is still enough to make that Purifier impervious to our attacks. The only choice we have is to destroy that nexus and then the Purifier."

"How heavily defended is that Nexus?"

Shaking his head, Matt replied, "Too heavy. Selendis is focusing her entire fleet to protecting the Nexus while that Purifier makes it way to the refugee camps. She knows we can't harm it without removing that nexus."

Not liking the odds, Jim swore, "Damn, that will make things difficult for us." Considering his options, Jim knew that it would be possible to somehow force their way through to destroy that Protoss nexus but doing so will effectively strip at least half of the refugee camps of any defenders. Suddenly, an idea struck as he asked, "Matt, are those kids still in communication range?"

Shocked, Matt asked, "Sir, are you really planning what I'm thinking you're planning?"

Grinning, Jim replied, "Depends on what you think I'm planning to do."

Seeing a gleam in Jim's eyes, the same gleam which had almost faded to oblivion ever since the Brood War, Matt did not have the heart to argue against Jim's plan…

Scene Change

Ariel and Egon were still working on the nanites when Jim's image appeared on a computer monitor and said, "Doc, Stetman, I have a question to ask."

Not taking her eyes off the nanite sample, Ariel replied, "It's not ready yet if that's what you're asking."

"No, it's not about that."

Surprised, both scientists turned their attention to Jim as Egon asked, "Then what is it about, sir?"

"Well, I need to know everything that you two managed to find out about those infested terrans…"

Scene Change

Overhearing Jim's plan after having a word with the scientists, Graven Hill, Tosh and Tychus were gaping in surprise as the spectre asked, "Did brother just…?"

Nodding, Tychus swore, "Looks like Jim is still has a knack for coming up with crazy ideas."

Peering at the larger man, the scarred former Umojan, who is now a middleman offering mercenary contracts, named Graven Hill deadpanned, "You don't say?"

Scene Change

"Is that man nuts?" asked a young man named Milo Kachinsky who also overheard Jim's plan.

Knowing Jim's many insane exploits, Swann could only sigh and shake his head as he spoke, "Nope, that's just Jim doing what he does best."

Scene Change

Almost gaping at the plan, Matt had to ask, "Sir, are you serious about it?"

Smirking, Jim asked Matt, "Have I ever been unsure about anything?"

"Nope, not that it stops you from getting into trouble. Like that time when you got drunk and…"

Raising his hands, Jim admitted, "Okay mom, you made your point." His expression then turned serious as he continued to speak, "Look, those kids want to protect the infested terrans and do not seem to particularly care if we succeed in finding a cure. If Dr Hanson can get those nanites ready by the time we're done with the Protoss then we can at least be sure that the kids won't be able to spread the infestation even if they do take the opportunity to create a new Zerg Hive and continue with their original objective."

"But I still think it's too risky an idea. The Protoss hate the Zerg, with good reason I might add, and would never let it slide no matter how good your relations with them may be. That is not even counting the risk of the Dominion taking advantage of that information to slander you if they ever get word about it, or the Zerg taking the offensive against us after we deal with the Protoss!"

Sighing, Jim knew that Matt was right as he spoke, "I know, but we all know that it's impossible to attack both attack the nexus and defend the ALL of the refugees at the same time. The Protoss may be a proud bunch but they're not above taking opportunities and, considering the alternatives, this is the best plan we've got to win this the way we want it."

Forced to agree with Jim, Matt sighed and replied, "Sir, there are times when I honestly hate it when your crazy ideas actually make sense."

Smiling at the exasperated captain, Jim turned his attention to the soldiers and said, "Alright boys, you know the plan." Hefting an over-size rifle, the man added, "Let's roll!"

Scene Change

"Executor, the terrans have retreated from defending the quarantined buildings and are currently evacuating the non-infested ones to their main base."

Hearing the Protoss templar's report, Selendis nodded in approval as she spoke, "A wise move, Friend Raynor. While you may wish to save all of them, sacrificing a few to save the greater whole is sometimes the best course of action no matter how tragic it may be at times."

Suddenly, three large balls of flesh with trailing tentacles fell from the sky and landed onto one of the abandoned camps. Selendis' shock only grew as the group which appeared from the explosions of biological matter were none other than the infested children themselves. Growling at the sight, Selendis mused, "Did Friend Raynor actually… no, surely he wouldn't!"

Scene Change

Rising from the pile of goo, Iris turned her attention to her siblings and said, "Alright, you heard Father's message. We must defend our extended family."

Nodding in mutual understanding and agreement, the other eight children quickly acted to help the establishment of a hive. Burrowing underground, Nydus created as many creep tumours as he could manage. Eclipse on the other hand quickly left the group to scout their surroundings while Ravage, Spinal, Magus and Besieger stood guard near the developing hive. Viral on the other hand proceeded to spread creep over the quarantined buildings. However, unlike normal creep, the creep she created actually hardened into a protective shell over the buildings, thus making it clear that the children intend to protect the infested terrans inside. With the support of the developing creep tumours, the shell would be unlikely to deteriorate anytime soon. Iris on the other hand started creating larvae from her insect-like abdomen while Mutagen manipulated the genetics of both the developing larvae and creep tumours, thus allowing them to actually skip "developmental requirements" of the Zerg breeds, as long as they have the resources to do so.

Seeing the approaching army of Protoss from Eclipe's eyes, Iris warned everyone, "We must hurry, the Protoss will be coming soon and I doubt we can hold them off for long."

Scene Change

Observing the battle from the Hyperion's satellite scans, Matt mused, "Looks like the plan is working, at least for the moment." Repressing a sigh, Matt continued to think, "I still can't believe that Jim would actually give those kids the heads-up. I mean, sure it's not an outright alliance with them but it'll still give people the wrong idea not to mention god-knows what's going on in those buildings."

"Maybe, but you can't argue that the plan has merit, now that I'm seeing it in action, man. After all, why fight a losing battle when you can get your enemies to continue fighting each other for you while you deliver the killing blow?"

Not surprised that Tosh had read his mind, Matt turned his attention to him and argued, "That's assuming that the kids don't try to kill or infest everyone after this." As the infested terrans actually voiced no argument when Jim informed them about the possibility of the Raiders leaving them to the care of the infested children while the Raiders deal with the Protoss threat, Matt cannot help but feel bloody paranoid about the possibility.

Shrugging, Tosh admitted, "There is that risk, brother, but what other choice does he have to win this fight and saving everyone? It's either risking losing those already infested to the children, which we would have to kill if we really want to prevent those infested children from using them against us, or losing them to the Protoss."

Well aware that the Spectre was right, Matt warily asked, "You're not going to say that he's acting like Mengsk, are you?" While it is certainly a stupid if not insanely idiotic notion, it cannot be denied that Jim is currently manipulating the situation to suit his needs much like the Dominion emperor would not to mention that he is willing to risk losing people, infested as they are notwithstanding. While the non-infested terrans were understandably unhappy with the possibility to abandoning their fellows who could still be saved, not even the most bitter of protestors, including Ariel, could deny the potential risks of moving the infested refugees to a safer location. Who knows when the infestation will suddenly turn their loved ones into slavering monsters or into contagious carriers of the infestation? Of course, leaving the infested terrans to the children can be considered a guaranteed loss if Jim's assumption that the children are unlikely to accelerate their mutations, on the grounds that they would have done so already if they could, is proven false.

Smirking, Tosh replied, "And what ever gave you that idea, man? Sure your leader is manipulating those infested kids into protecting their "extended family", and he is leaving those already infested to their care, but he's doing it much the same way he had gotten his own men to help him in getting his revenge against the Dominion, by giving them a choice to oppose his decisions." His expression became grim with hate as he added, "And we both know that the damned emperor will NEVER give anyone that choice."

While disturbed by Tosh's hatred, Matt knew that the spectre had a point as he silently turned his attention to the computer screen and silently prayed that Jim's plan would work…

Scene Change

Seeing the small army of Protoss, comprised of ten zealots, two immortals, four stalkers and even a templar, Eclipse knew that the small group would be impossible for him to take on. However, defeating the group was never his intention as he simply needed to delay them enough for his siblings to complete their defensive outpost.

Creating a handful of a smaller type of bane-grenades called bane-clusters, Eclipse was about to attack the group when he suddenly sensed danger and threw the cluster-grenades at random. Seeing the plasma shields of the hidden dark templars, Eclipse swore as he knew that he was at a disadvantage. Quickly burrowing, the boy hoped that they did not bring any Protoss observers or he was finished. Unfortunately, his hope was in vain as there was indeed one and managed to locate him. However, just as the dark templars and stalkers, which had teleported to the boy's location, were about to finish him off, a nydus worm suddenly erupted from the ground. Seeing his chance, Eclipse made a quick getaway by entering the worm before the Protoss around him could recover and attack. Realizing that they had lost the boy, the dark templars and stalkers could do nothing but destroy the worm so that it would not be able to send Zerg reinforcements to attack them from behind.

Scene Change

"Whew, that was too close!" exclaimed Eclipse as he popped out of the nydus network.

Rubbing his chin, Mutagen said, "The Protoss forces are better prepared than expected."

"Which is not surprising considering what they suffered from the last time they underestimated us," added Iris.

Frowning, Ravage said, "As much as I love a good fight, facing unfair odds is not good if it means that they will kill our extended family after we lose."

Nodding, Spinal said, "So, what do we do?"

Popping out of the ground, Nydus suggested, "How about we send our forces to help Dad attack the base? The Protoss can't ignore that and we can raise the chances of the Protoss losing."

Shaking her head, Iris said, "No, if we do that, the Protoss will consider Father as our ally, thereby considering him as their enemy. We cannot afford to risk that."

"So we just sit here and wait for the Protoss to show up like sitting ducks?" asked Beseiger who obviously did not like the idea.

"Well, we could try fully mutating the refugees we're helping but that could risk betraying Old Man's trust," explained Mutagen.

Raising his hand, Magnus said, "I can help!"

Turning their attention towards the red-haired boy, Iris' eyes widened as she asked on everyone's behalf, "You can do "that"?" Seeing the boy nod, Iris wore a smile and said, "Then I know just the thing…"

Scene Change

The dark templar which moved ahead of the main group were shocked when their forward observer was destroyed. Realizing an impeding attack, the dark templar knew that they would have to retreat as they cannot last long in a fight once detected. However, their retreat was blocked when a nydus norm erupted from the ground, "unloading" the five of the nine infested children who stood before them. Growling, one of the dark templars swore, "In the name of our fallen Matriarch, Raszagal, we will end your miserable lives!"

Returning their glares with their own, the children led by Ravage growled, "Not without a fight you will!" Standing beside her were Eclipse and Besieger while Nydus and Spinal stood behind her. Roaring, the two sides clashed…

Scene Change

"It seems that our Nerazim brethren have engaged the enemy," informed the templar.

"Then we shall depart to aid them," said one of the stalkers before teleporting to their location.

Turning his attention towards the other Protoss soldiers, the templar said, "We must hurry and aid our brethren." Nodding in agreement, the rest of the group was about to make haste when a wave of spines struck the immortals which activated their hardened shields to counter the powerful blows. This was followed by a flying glaive worm which bounced off the Immortals, which could not activate their hardened shields due to its lower damage, before exploding to release corrosive acid upon some of the zealots. Shocked, the struck zealots quickly backed away while a volley of spines struck the templar, causing him to fall back as well. Looking around, the Protoss realized that they were under attack by the infested children. Shocked, the templar asked, "How…?"

Scene Change

Staring at the dissipating shreds of psychic energy, a dark templar explained, "Illusions?" Realising the deception, the dark templar said, "Brothers, we have been deceived, we must return to the others immediately!"

Suddenly, the dark templars and stalkers were caught in globs of slime, slowing their movement and preventing the stalkers from teleporting. Shocked, they turned their attention towards Iris, Mutagen and Viral who had used their abilities to delay their attempt to support their Khalai brethren as well as Magnus who had used his psychic abilities to create convincing illusions of the infested children who were currently engaging the main group.

"Cowardly Zerg, filth!" cursed a stalker.

Glaring at the ensnared Protoss as shocklings and hydralisks appeared from the nydus worm, Iris growled, "None of you shall pass!"

Scene Change

Looking at the battle situation from the Hyperion, Matt reported to Jim, "Sir, the kids are holding off the Protoss better than we thought."

Feeling a little relieved as it means that they can focus on destroying the last Protoss nexus, which was even harder than initially thought, Jim said, "We're almost done punching through their defences. Once we get that last nexus down, we can pull back our forced and concentrate on that purifier."

Nodding, Matt then noticed something and said, "Uh, sir. You might want to hurry. The Protoss are sending "it" straight towards them." While Matt had little sympathy for the Zerg in general, he nevertheless felt obligated to at least let Jim know what's happening to the infested children.

Cursing, Jim said, "Of course, those kids and infested terrans they're protecting will be their first target before purifying the rest." Turning his attention towards his men, Jim ordered, "Alright boys, we need to take out that nexus ASAP. The sooner we take it out the, sooner we can take out the purifier before it starts killing even the non-infested colonists!" Unfortunately, it was easier said than done as the Protoss guards including photon cannons, zealots, immortals, templars, dark templars, phoenixes and even colossi made it difficult to get past the defences even with the aid of mercenary siege tanks and vikings. As the Raiders lack their own schematics for the said vehicles, protecting them was top priority to ensure victory.

Suddenly, an image of Ariel appeared as she reported, "Jim, we managed to prepare a prototype cure. All we need to do is test it on any of the infested individuals and hopefully gain the data we need to complete it."

Grinning, Jim said, "That's good to know, Doc. We'll start testing it as soon as the situation down here calms down. For now, just hold onto it until the fighting is over."

Nodding in understanding, Ariel replied, "Understood, Jim."

Scene Change

Looking at the looming form of the Protoss purifier, Eclipse warned the second group by telepathy, "Guys, we've got purifier inbound!"

Frowning, Mutagen said, "Figures. We can't take out that purifier with that last nexus still active." Turning his attention to Iris, he asked, "What are the chances of Old Man destroying that nexus before it arrives?"

Shaking her head, Iris explained, "Low, Father cannot produce his own siege tanks and vikings. He cannot afford to take risks with them as he needs them to take out the nexus and then the purifier." Focusing her telepathic link to Ravage she asked, "How are things at your side?"

"Not good, those Protoss warriors are no joke! Had we not already learnt how to fight from Mama, we'd be goners for sure."

Concerned for one of their newer members, Iris asked, "And Beseiger?"

"He's holding up. He may be slow but he's tough."

Nodding, Iris said, "We're done with the dark templars and stalkers. We'll get to your position as quickly as possible." Although not killed, the dark templars and stalkers were all incapacitated.

"Better hurry, that purifier brought some friends with it…" said Spinal.

Scene Change

"…and here they come!" cried the albino infested girl as she dodged the energy bolts shot from the incoming phoenixes.

Glaring at the flying Protoss fighters, Ravage warned, "Be careful, those damned ships can lift us off the ground and turn us into sitting ducks!"

"No need to warn us twice!" shouted Eclipse as he dodged another blast from an immortal. Unlike the Iris' group, Ravage's group lacked reinforcements and they have to deal with tougher Protoss warriors hence their difficulty in holding them back. Had it not been for their battle experience as well as Nydus creating a creep tumour to accelerate their recovery while on the battlefield, the children would have been forced to retreat. Aware of the disadvantage, the children would have quickly retreated at the first sign of trouble but were unable to due to the templar using his psionic storm to block their retreat while the zealots quickly surrounded them with their augmented charging attacks. The fact that they would not abandon their own, namely the slow Besieger, was another major reason why they could not retreat.

"These accursed infested terrans are unlike any Zerg I've ever encountered," swore a Protoss immortal.

Nodding a templar said, "Indeed, they fight more like terrans than Zerg."

"Perhaps, but they are hopelessly outnumbered and even with the initial advantage of their surprise attack they cannot hope to take us all," said a zealot who was recovering from shield depletion. While proud warriors, the soldiers knew when discretion is needed to ensure victory and thus took turns to engage the children while those with depleted shields fell back to recover.

"Guys, just leave me and get the hell out of here! We're getting slaughtered at this rate!" cried Beseiger who was being targeted by a phoenix, its energy bolts tearing through his weakened carapace. The zealots and immortals would have killed him off already had Nydus not been supporting him and everyone else with his seismic spines.

"Easier said than done with those zealots surrounding us! Besides, we're not leaving you behind, believe it!" said Eclipse as he tossed another handful of bane-clusters at a pair of zealots, quickly depleting their shields.

"Just hold on for a few more minutes, we are coming to your location!" said Iris as her group hurried to the battlefield.

Barely dodging a phoenix's attack while engaging a Zealot, thus burning off one of her tentacles, Ravage gritted her teeth in pain and shouted, "We don't have a few minutes!"

Shooting pines at the phoenixes, Spinal cried, "Please, hurry!"

Scene Change

"Damn it, I should have sent aid with them form the start!"

"It cannot be helped, Iris. We don't have enough shocklings and hydralisks to aid both groups and if those dark templars and stalkers manage to get away from the trap, they would have surely slaughtered us and then the others. They may not be as tough but their ability to inflict damage is not to be trifled with."

"I know, but it doesn't make me feel any better."

Suddenly, Eclipse telepathically spoke to the incoming group, "Hey, Iris, I got an idea!"

Scene Change

Inside the leviathan, Brain asked Big Momma, "Are we to really stay behind and do nothing while the children fight on their own?"

Nodding, Big Momma explained, "The Queen of Blades made it clear that we are not to personally aid them should they choose to cooperate with the Raiders, only to give them advice as well as provide the resources they need, resources which we have already exhausted. The children are aware of it as well, Brain."

"Perhaps, but I do owe these children my life for what they had done for me. Leaving them to fight on their own while I do nothing is… distressing to say the least."

While understanding Brain's argument, Big Momma said, "Understandable, but this is a direct order from the Queen herself. Both of us know that we cannot oppose her direct orders, not even with the increased free will which we possess. Only the children have a chance to actually do so."

"I am well aware of that. Even so, I still feel that we should do more to ensure their victory. They lack the Queen's ability to recover which means that any death they suffer will be permanent."

Suddenly, Iris telepathically communicated with Brain, "Your concern is appreciated, Uncle Brain, but we are not the helpless children we once were nor are we without any ideas how to survive this right." Focusing her attention to Big Momma, Iris asked, "Big Momma, how well can the Leviathan aim its rear end?"

Scene Change

Jim was almost done destroying the defences around the nexus when Matt suddenly reported, "Sir, we're detecting a Zerg life-form above orbit, and it's HUGE!"

Looking at the screen, Jim;s eyes widened in shock as he saw a creature the size of a mountain nearing the planet's atmosphere. "Is this their equivalent to a mothership?"

Scene Change

"Executor, large Zerg life signature detected!" reported a Protoss templar.

Glaring at the large creature which was at least as large as a large carrier or even a small mothership, Selendis said, "I can see that." Musing, Selendis assumed, "The children must have requested for reinforcements to fully invade this world. If that is so, even Friend Rayonor will be forced to see the wisdom in my decision to purify this world with fire." Her equivalent to a human eyebrow quirked as she noticed something odd and asked, "What…?"

Scene Change

Seeing the Leviathan suddenly shuddering, especially its rear end, Jim's face was pale green in both horror and disgust as he asked Matt, "Matt, please tell me it's just my paranoid imagination."

Feeling the same emotions, Matt replied, "Sir, you might want to warn everyone to close those helmets shut."

Not wasting another second, Jim ordered his men as though their lives depended on it, "Everyone, close those helmets, windows and doors shut! That thing is going to dump!" Even with the brutal battle to destroy the final nexus still on-going, the Raiders knew better than to ignore that order.

Scene Change

"Everyone, burrow! It's going to dump!" shouted Eclipse.

The surrounding Protoss paused as the children, except Nydus who was already underground, suddenly burrowed. While familiar with such tactics, they could not help but wonder why they were digging with such panic when Selendis suddenly screamed telepathically, "My warriors get away from there right now!"

Alas, the Selendis' warning was too late as the Protoss warriors, including some of the phoenixes, were suddenly deluged by a "downpour" of blackish tar-like substance which smelled like what must be the rotting excrement of every member of a Zerg hive concentrated a thousand fold. Their screams of horror as they nearly drowned in the foul substance, which they would later claim was the very embodiment of physical corruption through toxic filth, would haunt the unfortunate Protoss army for many years to come…

Scene Change

Seeing the leviathan's "orbital bombardment", Jim deadpanned, "Matt, we might need air-fresheners, lots of it."

"Judging from amount and concentration of biological excrement we're seeing there, we might as well as request for a nuke," muttered Matt.

"Jim, if that egghead decides to persuade us to go and take a sample of that stuff to him, do me a favour and throw him out of an airlock," said Tychus.

Nodding in agreement, Jim said, "Don't worry, Tychus, I'm NOT letting any of that stuff enter my battle cruiser!"

Egon, a little unhappy at the prospect of being denied what could be invaluable data from the foul substance, begged, "Can't I at least do a field test of that substance?"

Glaring at the scientist's image in the monitor, Jim growled, "If it means letting you touch that stuff, even with a mile-long pole, then absolutely not! I will not have that stuff anywhere near my ship. Who knows how bad that stuff stinks?"

"Will a disposable MULE with some remote testing equipment count?"

Considering that the MULE, a type of unmanned drone, can be disposed of, Jim agreed, "Fine, you can use the MULE, but only because we do not need to take it back to the ship. However, if I catch you trying to smuggle even a drop of that stuff into the ship, I'll either toss you out of an airlock or into the Leviathan that crapped onto the Protoss just now, understood?"

Scene Change

Selendis buried her face into her hands in shame as she muttered, "Those infested brats have humiliated us, again! I do not know what is worse, the fact that we had lost the battle despite defeating the Zerg hives only because Friend Raynor wanted to cure the infested rather than letting us purify them or the fact that the Zerg actually used excrement to defeat my warriors!"

Taking her face out of her hands, Selendis stared at an image which showed the last Nexus being destroyed and then at another image which showed her Protoss warriors staggering out of that pile of tar-like goo which was already starting to harden. Slumping her shoulders as she buried her face into her hands, Selendis said, "The latter, definitely the latter."

Scene Change

When the leviathan's excrement had dried and solidified, the buried children quickly popped out of the ground. Shaking bits of the dried stuff, Ravage muttered, "Eclipse, if it wasn't for the fact that your idea saved our lives, I would have shoved something up your ass."

Wiping the stuff off his body, Besieger asked, "Do I even want to know what gave you that idea?"

Snickering, Eclipse said, "Well, it was something that happened on our first visit into a leviathan and…"

"Eclipse, please don't say anymore, and Besieger, you don't want to know, seriously!" said Nydus.

While Besieger wisely chose not to find out, Spinal grinned as she saw the incoming group and waved, "Hey guys, how did your fight go?"

"A lot more smoothly, and less smelly," said Iris who was glad that her siblings were fine but wished they did not have to resort to actually using Eclipse's insane idea. Even for Zerg, the stuff is foul regardless of their capacity to tolerate it.

With his nostrils plugged with a pair of fleshy blobs, Mutagen said, "I can just imagine Abathur wanting to turn this stuff into a weapon thanks to that idea of yours."

Eclipse resisted the urge to laugh at Mutagen's altered voice due to his plugged nose while Viral muttered, "I'll deal with this." She the created a mat of creep, which have many miniature versions of a leaf colony growing over it, and proceeded to get rid the substance by letting the specialized creep absorb it. The children then left the planet after making sure that the Raiders managed to drive away the Purifier, but not before the "elder" six children gave Jim Raynor their fond goodbyes.

Scene Change

After the Raiders managed to drive away the Protoss purifier, which was unexpectedly easy due to the demoralized state of the remaining Protoss army, they quickly eliminated the defences around the protected quarantined buildings. However, as the infested children took their Zerg creatures and even the mobile spore and spine crawlers with them as they left, there was actually very little opposition. Finding that the infested terrans were thankfully unharmed and have not mutated any more than before, the Raiders administered the nanites into them. Unfortunately, as the children predicted, the nanites could not cure the infested terrans completely despite having the desired effect of retarding or repressing the physical mutations and mental corruptions. Deciding to continue researching for a cure to help them, Hanson decided to stay on Meinhoff alongside with the refugees from various worlds including Agria…

Scene Change

Meeting up with Ariel to give her his best regards, Jim said, "So I guess this is goodbye, Doc. I know you got a lot of cleaning to do down here." Even with the Zerg successfully driven away, there is no telling when they might return, assuming that they had not left anything unpleasant to take the refugees by surprise.

Smiling, Ariel replied, "We'll manage somehow. I just hope you boys stay out of trouble. The Protoss are bound to get upset, especially over that crazy idea of yours which somehow managed to work in your favour."

Shrugging, Jim said, "Well, me and the Protoss go way back. I've helped them out a few times. Figure they might cut me some slack as long as I explain everything to them in detail."

Taking off her glasses, Hanson said, "You know, you could always stay here. Settle down, make a new start." She then wore a wry smile as she added, "And maybe convince the Zerg and the Protoss not to attack us again."

While appreciative of her offer and attempt at humour, Jim laughed and said, "Thanks for offering, but guys like me don't get second chances, darling. We just got to finish what we begun, and I'm planning to finish what I started all those years ago."

Accepting his choice, Hanson gave Jim a light kiss and said, "You're a good man, Jim Raynor. I hope you manage to find your happy ending somehow."

Smiling at the departing doctor after overcoming his surprise at the kiss, Jim said, "Like I said before, darling, I'm not that good."

Scene Change

Inside the Leviathan, Iris announced to the other infested children, "We will need to stop by restock our resources. Once we have collected enough, we will set off to the planet Xil to obtain Xel'Naga artefact."

Besieger, who had developed a broad flat tail as well as centrifugal hooks after recovering from the battle, said, "So what exactly does the Queen want with those artefacts anyway? From what I heard, those things give the regular Zerg the willies." Magus, who had started to develop a an armoured growth with four thin tendrils on his upper back, and Viral, who had developed four vents on her upper back to facilitate the spread of creep spore, were equally curious.

Shrugging, Mutagen admitted, "To be honest, we're not sure ourselves. All we know is that Mom needs these artefacts to prevent the destruction of our species."

Quirking an eyebrow, Beseiger had to ask, "Zerg, or Terran?"

"Both and more, for the coming storm will seek destroy all life in the universe," was Iris' grim reply.

-Chapter Fin-

Note:

Sorry for the late update. I've been focusing a lot on one of my other fanfictions, Naruto: Xenonin, lately. Hope you like this chapter. Also, I edited Chapter 4 a bit due to some grammatical errors which even I cannot stand.