Chapter Ten: The Invasion of Aiur

We never had any eyes on the ground for the opening stage of the battle for Aiur so I can't really describe it. All I can really say is what the protoss told us. One day they were living their lives, doing their own thing and then the next the zerg arrived. There had been no warning.

The swarm arrived and like Tarsonis before began to eradicate everything that moved.

It did that.

Liberty's report, volume II

It was a larger mustering than any which had come before it. Across the sector, vast numbers of zerg flocked together for a single purpose, the same purpose which had driven their existence since long before most of them had existed.

Overlords filled the skies around Char, mustering in greater and greater numbers. A number of hatcheries were lifted up from the surface of Char for swift colonization. The mutalisks alone numbered in the tens of billions. Hive clusters across the sector had been emptied for this singular purpose, and now they were heading through warp space.

The Cerebrate prepared himself as he led the vanguard. He would be the first to land to establish a foothold upon Aiur and the rest would follow behind.

The Overmind Spoke. 'My children, the hour of our victory is at hand. For upon this world of Aiur shall we incorporate the strongest known species into our fold. Then shall we be the greatest of creation's children. We shall be... Perfect.

Yet before I can be made manifest upon this world, the way must be prepared.' Then his attention turned directly to the Cerebrate. 'You must seize the Khaydarin Crystals. For within them lies power undreamed of by the Protoss.

Go now, my Cerebrate. Secure the crystals, and bring swift wrath to all who oppose the Swarm!'

He saw Aiur then for the first time. It was covered in the light which emanated from the protoss. He could sense them living out their lives far below. They had many hundreds of settlements on the settlement the Overmind was directing him to alone. Alone he should never have been able to face them. Yet he was not alone.

He was part of the swarm.

Descending upon the world he planted his hatcheries. It was not an efficient process like that of the terrans, it was traumatic for the hatchery and it took hours for it to fully establish itself. Even after that, it was some days before it was working properly. The Cerebrate was deadly afraid that the protoss would come against him then, but they did not.

It had not entered their darkest dreams that the swarm could ever come to this world. Otherwise, they would have had a tighter defense. As it was he operated freely for some time.

In this time he learned that Aiur was nothing like Char. It was a tranquil world of many green fields and flowing rivers. The air was fresh and cool, and the animals and plants here were like those of the jungles on some terran worlds. Yet they were also different, for every inch of them oozed with psionic energy.

To use psionic power on this world was as simple as breathing. Although the Cerebrate felt strange and different than on Char, it was not altogether unpleasant. He felt stronger. More cunning.

Then the protoss came.

At first, it was only a squad of their zealots moving through the ground. They saw his zerg and attacked them. There was a brief skirmish, several of the zealots were killed, and several dozen zerglings died and then the zealots fled back. The Cerebrate did not bother to pursue yet, he knew that what they had seen had been relayed back to the protoss.

He expected they would return soon.

He did not intend to give them the chance. Mustering to him some of his flyers he sent a vast swarm of mutalisks along the cliffs. They soon met a team of dragoons and exchanged fire. Photons cannons supported them, and many of the mutalisks fell. He drew them back, and the dragoons pursued.

No sooner had they left the range of the photon cannons and the trap was sprung. The mutalisks and many others descended on the dragoons and tore them to shreds in moments. The pressing on they attacked the now unsupported photon cannons.

As the battle continued the Cerebrate could sense the growing fear from the protoss. They were slowly learning that the forces arrayed against them were too great. They called for help, but too late. The photons cannons were annihilated and the Cerebrate descended on their nexus, tearing apart every dragoon that stood in his way.

A panic overtook the protoss here, but it was slow to spread to their fellow settlements. They were slow to respond, still mustering their forces. The protoss fled their towns, taking their families and belongings with them as they ran for the other settlements. The Cerebrate let them go, instead setting about eradicating their military installations.

At the same time, he sent a drone to begin establishing a new hive cluster.

First blood had been shed.

Then the invasion began. Out of warp space came the swarm with no subtlety of any kind. They tore through the orbital defense forces who had only just begun to mobilize and the Cerebrate could sense them descending across the planet. New hive clusters were established, only to be eradicated and established again. Protoss settlements were laid to waste as great tides of zerg swarmed down from the sky, and along the ground to assail their defenses. Already the Cerebrate could sense an unending tide of zerg swarming out across Aiur, while new hive clusters were erected and the creep began to spread.

Days passed and the Cerebrate found that he was able to establish his own clusters without fear of assault. The protoss seemed focused on those zerg who were an active threat. He could sense the protoss to the south, east and west contending with zerg on other sides. For now, it appeared to be a stalemate.

So much the better.

He gathered to him a mighty host of hydralisks and mutalisks and when he had erected a powerful hive cluster in the site of the ruined protoss settlement, he sent forth a drone to the Khaydarin Crystal which he sensed directly south of his position. Resistance was weak, everyone was too distracted with the zerg rampaging across the planet to stop it.

The drone reached the Khaydarin Crystal and it was beautiful. So beautiful that it seemed almost a shame to mar something so great. Yet he ordered his drone to begin operations and the creature burrowed into the dirt and began to work.

'The crystal is being harvested.' said Daggoth.

The protoss had gotten organized, however. Responding to the surprise attack they were now deploying the full might of their power against the swarm. Vast golden ships called carriers unleashed tiny vessels that killed many zerg. Scouts surged through the air, their missiles tearing through mutalisks. The zealots rushed at the zerg, slashing through the enemy while dragoons fired in support.

Things called Arbiters hid the protoss from view and so were able to take many zerg by surprise. Whole armies were eradicated by such ambushes. Yet still on came the swarm.

Even so, the protoss surrounding the Cerebrate seemed to have gained victory over their enemies and the crystal proved difficult to carve through.

The Cerebrate could sense the protoss readying for an assault. Then the assault came, not on the new hive clusters, but on his landing site. Scouts and carriers rushed over the cliffs to assault it. Spore and sunken colonies were soon laid to waste while the Cerebrate scrambled his mutalisks to battle while mustering his hydralisks.

Soon they arrived and battle was joined. Scouts and mutalisks dueled, while still more of the Cerebrate's flyers descended on the carriers. For a few moments they dueled, then the carriers began to withdraw while a new line of scouts arrived to cover their retreat.

Yet the Cerebrate sent forth a great host of scourges. Many of them were killed, yet many more got through and exploded. The shields on several carriers went down, and two of them reeled and fell to earth to explode in a brilliant display of blue light. Many more scouts died in a desperate defense before at last, the Cerebrate dared not pursue them any further.

Yet that was not the end, for zealots rushed over the lands to assault the new hive clusters. They crashed against the hydralisks, whose spines were unleashed on the lines. Yet met more engaged them and soon mass carnage ensued. A hydralisk tore to pieces a zealot, only to be cut in half by another, who slew three more before he was shot to pieces along with two others by new groups of hydralisks.

Then came the reavers and a whole section of the zerg line was destroyed, blasted to pieces by an onslaught of blue light. Summoning up his mutalisks the Cerebrate assailed the reavers, tearing them to pieces from the sky, before wheeling them around to flank the attacking protoss. Finally, the attackers broke and retreated.

Satisfied the Cerebrate set about creating more hive clusters in other mineral rich areas while waiting for the drone to continue its efforts. Days passed with no further assaults and the invasion continued. Many lesser protoss settlements had been destroyed, and many of the greater ones had come under heavy assault.

The protoss fielded a formidable defense, greater even than the battle of Tarsonis long ago. Yet the army sent against the protoss was far greater than that which had been sent to Tarsonis. The swarm was relentless in its advance and did not let up for anything. As the slaughter continued the Cerebrate felt a sense of pity for the protoss who were being assaulted.

And yet it was strange. There did not seem to be much concern from the protoss as a whole. Those doing battle with the swarm were taking it seriously, yet the Cerebrate realized that the protoss had not yet begun to commit fully to the battle. The swarm was on their doorstep and yet their leaders seemed to have hardly paid heed to what was happening.

It was as though they were detached from the swarms assaults. As the battle continued there was growing resentment from the protoss of those whom they served. Those that took the place of the Overmind. Battle raged, and yet the forces which surrounded that isolated group of leaders did not commit.

What were they thinking?

Whatever it was, the drone had at last done its work. The Cerebrate called it back to him, yet the journey back did not go so well as the journey too. Even as the drone made for the hive clusters it was assailed by a great host of protoss who slew the creature. The crystal was now lying in the open and the protoss had an army where it once was.

Summoning another drone, the Cerebrate sent forth his armies en masse to do battle. Dragoons and mutalisks, zealots and hydralisks all engaged in bloody conflict while the drone raced through the fray. Grasping the crystal the Cerebrate had his hydralisks form ranks around to protect the drone as they drew back.

They left behind them the corpses of many protoss and zerg. Yet they were not pursued, for the protoss soon came under attack by newly landed swarms. The battle continued to rage while the Cerebrate drew back his drone to the primary hive clusters. 'Daggoth, I've done it!' he said 'We have the crystal!'

Daggoth surged with triumph. 'Cerebrates, the Khaydarin Crystals are now in our possession. Now, all shall tremble before the might of the swarm!'

The full might of the swarm then arrived and descended to the surface of Aiur to continue the assault. Daggoth directed the swarm to areas that were failing, and areas where a swift offensive might lead to victory. Beneath his gaze much more territory was seized beneath the spread of zerg. Over the course of the next few days creep spread across Aiur, and many protoss were forced to relocate to more defensible locations beneath the unending onslaught.

The protoss fought well. But the zerg were only getting started.

The invasion of Aiur had begun.

The Cerebrate just hoped that all this would be worth it.

Authors Note:

Wow, this chapter is really light on the story isn't it? I had to really work at it to find something to pad this chapter out. The Cerebrate's impersonal connection to the war makes it hard to make things interesting. Some people suggested focusing on the other side of the story, but I wanted to take the perspective of the race who is starring in a given story.