For Mother Russia.
Aleksandra Zaryanova, one of the world's strongest women, a celebrated athlete who sacrificed personal glory to protect her family, friends, and country in a time of war.
Aleksandra was born in a remote Siberian village that was on the front lines of the Omnic Crisis, which began some thirty years ago. Although Russian forces defeated the robots and shut down their omnium, the region was devastated by the conflict. Only a child at the time, Aleksandra was surrounded by the post-war destruction, and as she grew older, she swore that she would gain the strength to help her people recover.
Focusing on weightlifting and bodybuilding, Aleksandra was identified by the national athletics program as a potential star. She trained extensively, moving up the ranks while representing her country, and was expected to shatter longstanding records in the upcoming world championships.
But on the eve of the tournament, an attack came from the long-dormant Siberian omnium, and her village was thrust into war once again. Aleksandra immediately withdrew from the competition and rushed home to enlist in the local defense forces, sacrificing the life of fame and fortune she might have had.
Now at the age of 28 and armed with a Particle Cannon that is nicknamed Мститель , meaning "Avenger". It was ripped from the hull of an armored vehicle during battle, the Particle Cannon is far too heavy for most soldiers to carry unassisted. Zarya now serves as a symbol to some, a stalwart fellow soldier to others. But for Aleksandra, it is a chance to use her great strength to protect the ones she loves.
However she is not the only Russian who has entered the Nexus.
Meet Alexei Stukov, a former Vice Admiral.
Stukov grew up on Earth, rising through the ranks of the United Powers League alongside his friend Gerard DuGalle. Both men were competitive throughout their youths and constantly played at getting the best of one another. Unlike DuGalle however, Stukov spent most of his military career in top-secret research rather than in actual combat, constantly striving to push the limit of conventional technology and physical theory to increase the effectiveness of UPL troops in warfare. His views on the subject were considered unconventional.
Despite research taking up most of his time, Stukov was not completely unfamiliar with combat, his awards showing this. He won the Crux de Valor with combat tags and for his involvement in the quelling of the Ishanti Uprising, three Bronze Gammadons. Family matters were not unfamiliar to him either, fathering four children.
But as expected it did not take to long until something went horribly wrong.
The discovery of alien species in the Koprulu sector changed the UPL's stance to their wayward colonies along with its own power structure. Now serving the United Earth Directorate, Stukov was appointed as second-in-command of an expeditionary force to bring the Koprulu Sector and its inhabitants under UED control. Serving under DuGalle, Stukov departed Earth for the galactic fringe.
Shortly after arriving in the sector, Stukov and DuGalle witnessed a demonstration of the zerg attacking the base of a Terran Dominion colony. DuGalle had released the zerg onto an unsuspecting colony to "observe" them in warfare. Stukov was indifferent, claiming to know "all about the zerg" from seeing tapes "a hundred times" but DuGalle forced him to watch, claiming that the live demonstration would instill a resolve within the Vice Admiral that recorded dissections could not. In this he was correct, Stukov resolving to go "all the way." After seeing enough, the Aleksander then withdrew and left the besieged colonists to die by the zerg.
Stukov tried to blockade Braxis when the protoss visited, for reasons unknown to him. The protoss were able to penetrate the blockade, and eventually Stukov had to give up the chase.
Later, Stukov ordered a Captain of the UED fleet, newly awakened from cryogenic hibernation, to assault Braxis and take control of its capital city of Boralis within two standard hours. Unfortunately, the attacking forces were hampered by a lack of vespene gas. When the UED met the Confederate Resistance Forces, its commander, Lieutenant Samir Duran offered his services and skills in return for amnesty. Stukov was initially suspicious, but when Duran said that he could show an alternate route that leads to the rear of Boralis, Stukov accepted his aid and formally declared Duran and his troops as new conscripts of the UED.
When Stukov realized that Duran had deliberately moved his forces out of place so as to allow the zerg to pass, Stukov finally grasped that their inconspicuous ally had not only been playing them from the start, but likely had been infested by the zerg as well. With this new revelation, Stukov immediately fled back to Braxis with his troops loyal to him, where he activated the Psi Disrupter.
DuGalle was livid, especially since Duran was goading him. He ordered Duran to execute Stukov for treason against the UED, a task Duran gladly accepted. Stukov's personal forces resisted the UED, but eventually Duran located Stukov and shot him. Duran promptly vanished. With his dying breath, Stukov told DuGalle that Duran had been manipulating him from the beginning, was almost certainly infested by the zerg and may have been for a long time.
Stukov's last words were punctuated when the outer walls of the psi disrupter were breached by a massive wave of zerg, triggering alarms and possibly setting off the disrupter's self-destruct sequence. At DuGalle's request, the remainder of Stukov's personal forces assisted the UED forces in their efforts to recapture the disrupter from the zerg and succeeded in time.
But death was not the end of the Vice Admiral's pain. After being 'spaced', he was captured by the zerg. He was resurrected and infested by a cerebrate, Kaloth, as an experiment in creating infested human leaders, to turn them into leaders of their own colonies. Stukov also held Doctor Emil Narud responsible for his creation.
His infestation gave the zerg some knowledge of the United Earth Directorate.
The Kimeran Pirates raided a Terran Confederacy installation. According to the stolen data, the Confederates were studying how to revive terrans using zerg reanimation techniques. One subject of these experiments was an infested terran named Morik, who had maintained some of his sanity. When the Pirates left, taking Morik with them, they were followed by cloaked Wraiths...
Stukov hired mercenaries to destroy enemies who had conveniently settled on the same dark planet, including the Kimeran Pirates. The Kimerans were mostly or completely wiped out by Stukov's mercenaries.
Eventually, Stukov gained control of a zerg brood and moved to Braxis. The protoss discovered them quickly, while Stukov was still maturing into the role. His weakness was reflected by poor efficiency in the zerg; the suicidal infested terrans were much less potent. Nonetheless, Stukov could rely on a large zerg and renegade terran force. The terran component was not wholly reliable; doubts about Stukov's sanity pushed many toward leaving the infested terran's service.
The protoss developed a nanite serum to reverse Stukov's infestation. Assaulting Braxis and delivering the serum was entrusted to a small joint terran and protoss force led by Jim Raynor and Taldarin, a dragoon. Raynor, a protoss ally, joined the operation at Artanis's request. Once on the surface, Raynor and Taldarin were joined by terran troops defecting from Stukov, including a Skullder pilot. Additional help came by freeing Stukov's protoss prisoners.
Stukov was cornered and captured after heavy fighting. The serum freed Stukov from the zerg long enough to escape with Raynor and Taldarin. Stukov lamented the serum's effects.
The protoss then burned Braxis' surface from orbit.
After that, thanks to an alliance with the Queen of Blades Sarah Kerrigan, Stukov finally managed to exact his revenge.
And now both Russian warriors were facing each other. Zarya thought she had met an abomination due to Stukov's appearance. But Stukov himself looked at his opponent with small interest.
"I must admit. I never expected to run in to someone from my homeland in a place like this. Tell me your name young lady" Stukov said in a rather gentle tone, despite his raspy zerg voice.
"Aleksandra Zaryanova. But you can just call me Zarya" Zarya answered, still with her guard up "What are you?".
"I may be more monster than man. But was once a proud soldier of our beloved homeland. I am Russian, just like you" Stukov answered.
Zarya did not trust him for an obvious reason "You indeed look like a monster. I see no reason not to end you right now".
Stukov chuckled "Death is something I would welcome at this point. But the question is: Are you even capable of killing me?".
Zarya readied her cannon "Let's find out".
Stukov got ready aswell. And a battle broke out.
Zarya fired of her cannon and a beam of pure destruction was sent towards the older Russian. Stukov rolled to the side and used a hand gun he carried to return fire the best he could while running to avoid the beam. Zarya avoided the bullets fairly well, then her canon had to re-charge. Stukov used the opening to lash out with his mutated arm.
Zarya ducked under it and when he brought it down on her, Zarya blocked the hit with her cannon and kicked Stukov in the gut, making him stuble back. Stukov smiled before putting more power in to a blow that sent Zarya flying back. Zarya rolled across the ground, holding on to her cannon, if she dropped it she would be in real danger.
Zarya looked up and gasped when Stukov sent an ball that almost looked like a chemical bomb. It was an direct hit and Zarya was covered in deadly smoke. Stukov watched the scene and sighed.
"It does not make me happy to kill someone from my beloved homeland. Rest in peace comrade" Stukov said and was about to leave until he heard a voice.
"Comarade? You sure are stuck in the past aren't you old man?" Stukov turned his head and saw Zarya stand back up with a shiled around her.
Stukov smiled "Perhaps this will be more interesting after all".
Zarya fired of orb bombs to get a better area control. Stukov being the experienced soldier he is, stood his ground, using his infection powers to keep Zarya on her back foot. Zarya decided it was time for her trump card. She charged up her cannon to full power, planing to fire the vortex.
"Time to end this!" Zarya declared.
"I agree" Stukov said as he sent his mutated arm and swallowed up Zarya's cannon just as she fire...
And explosion sent both soldiers away. When the dust cleared Zarya looked at her trusty cannon, it was trashed, she would need to find some tools to repair it... but then she gasped as she looked up to see Stukov stand up. He looked at his mutated arm wish was not as bulcky as before, he could still use it, but it was not the size of a normal arm and lacked the raw power it had before.
"Not bad... it will take me a week before my arm has healed completely..." Stukov said before looking at Zarya "I fear this is it for you, young lady".
Zarya glared and got back before pounding her fist in to her palm "I am not done yet. Let's settle this in a good old fashioned fist fight".
Stukov smiled "I may be old and a bit rusty. But I did not earn my rank by being unable to handle myself in close combat. I will be more than happy to take you on".
Both got in to a smiple boxing stance, ready to settle this.
Zarya and Stukov performed a series of slugs and kicks at one another, each making a few blows each time. Stukov managed to make a few slashes at Zarya with his claws, but each slash seemingly did little to hurt the younger Russian. Zarya herself also delivered a few blows, but Stukov himself tanked them thanks to his mutated body being stronger than a normal human. The two matched each other, blow for blow.
Stukov wasn't quick enough to block the solid punch from Zarya, which stumbled him, only for Stukov to leap back and give her a solid left hook with his mutated arm, knocking Zarya back and onto the ground. Zarya rolled back on to her feet, ready to continue the fight and continue it did.
Zarya immediately dashed forward throwing her fist forward. Stukov stood his ground, crossing his arms to block Zarya's punch with little effort. Stukov shook it off and lunged forward, but Zarya managed to get around him and grabbed him by the waist. Before he could tell what was happening, The former vice admiral found himself lifted into the air and then slammed headfirst into the ground as Zarya performed a suplex on him.
Groaning slightly, Stukov whirled around out of her grip. Jumping back on to his feet, Stukov connected a powerful uppercut into the bottom of Zarya's chin, sending her flying in to a tree.
Shaking her head and spitting out some blood, Zarya quickly got up and charged back in, tucking her shoulder to ram into Stukov. The infested human had a different idea however, and jumped clear over Zarya. The moment he touched down, Stukov leapt forward and landed a solid blow into the back of Zarya's skull, causing her to stagger.
Without wasting a beat, Stukov grabbed Zarya by the shoulders and dragged her back. At the same time, he brought his knee up, burying it deep into Zarya's spine and earning a hefty grunt from the former sport girl. Gritting her teeth, Zarya reached back over her shoulders and grabbed onto Stukov's arms. With a mighty heave, she threw him over her head and into the ground.
Stukov got back up, brushing off his clothes before getting ready to fight again. Zarya was breathing hard, then she let out a battle cry as she charged back in, throwing punch after punch. But Stukov blocked one and punched Zarya in the gut, Zarya tried to attack again, but once again she was knocked back.
Stukov slamed his palm in to Zarya's chest, making her fly back and landed flat on her back. It was over, she had lost. Stukov walked over to his defeated opponent, focused some healing fluid in to his and and made it drop in to Zarya's mouth.
Zarya coughs alot, feeling the urge to throw up. But her injuries has healed. She looked up at Stukov and said only one word "Why?".
"Like I told you, I have not met another Russian for a long time now. Meeting you here has reminded me of the green hills of our homeland. I am happy to see Russia is still strong and has soldiers like you protecting it" Stukov explained before turning around and began to walk away "Maybe one day we can swap stories with eachother. Take care, my fellow soldier".
After he was gone Zarya could not help but to smile "Thank you... comrade".
.
Got to say, this was fun to write and I am rather happy with it. Two badass and loyal Russians, both having to give up their old life goals in protection of their homeland. While Stukov got the worst end of the deal, still don't change that both are powerful soldiers of a strong country.
Well, tell me what you think.