Chapter 02: The Journey
Part 03: Contact
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"But... they aren't moving... are they? And.. is that blood?!"
Amy was now close enough to spot some red stains around the few motionless Zerglings laying in the bushes alongside the way.
"What happened here? Are there Terrans? Or more Zerg?!"
She took stance and heard Jack hissing.
Right, I need to be ready! C'mon Amy!
She readied a thorn in her hand and after two flawed attempts the two plates on her arm clanged together forming her shield.
Ok, need to practice... that... Now! Focus!
Slowly she approached the first corpse. Nothing was in sight that could have caused this, although she could recognize some more Zerg bodies at the end of the way. The one in front of her was deranged heavily, claw marks littered across its body.
Uach... again bloody corpses. It gets to be the usual around here, it seems... What happened. Maybe... I can sense something.
She closed her eyes and stilled her mind. First she just focused on the slight upset presence next to her. Then she sensed something else.
What? Is this? It's all so fuzzy! I.. don't understand.
It felt like random noises bubbling around a distance in front of her. Not like one clean entity she knew from Jack. Just a bunch of blurry figures emitting all kinds of feelings.
Uargh! This... makes me dizzy...
Amy opened the eyes again and took a moment to maintain balance. Then they proceeded slowly towards the edge of the jungle. They past more dead bodies, even a Hydralisk laid at the foot of a tree. Eventually she could hear some screams and screeches in the distance.
Is this the war?!
Very cautiously she continued her way, always ready to strike at anything. She wasn't sure what to expect.
But... I don't hear any gun fire.
She focused once more. With every step the mess in her head grew bigger.
I... don't get it. What happens?!
"My... My Queen?!"
A distorted and edgy female voice appeared in Amy's head. She twitched at the sudden interruption.
Wha...what was.. Who is there?
"My Queen... I... am glad you... returned. ... Your presence... honors me... I could... need your... guidance."
The voice paused every couple of words as if it wasn't certain what to say.
Wh..what is this? ... What do you want?! I'm no queen! Leave my.. mind!
"My Queen... You... Hear me? I..I beg you... Please heed my call!"
Now the Terran-Zerg woman stopped earning a confused look from her companion.
Doesn't... she hear me? Why can I hear her but she can't? Whoever this woman is and however she is capable of doing this, she better stop. I don't like this.
She was sure it wasn't Kerrigan as the voice sounded as one of an 80 year old woman who definitely smoked way to many cigars during her lifetime while Kerrigan had a smooth yet furious voice of a young woman.
"My Queen... are... you coming?"
Amy continued her cautious stroll towards the end of the path. It seemed both the cliff as well as the jungle ended there too. She noticed there was a large plain ahead. More bodies were littered here and there. A moment later a big, floating, brown balloon came into sight. It reminded her to the one she saw right before she met Kerrigan although that one had been more purple. This one was also missing the number of yellow eyes all over its body.
Is this one of those Over... aeh.. Lords?! I don't know... I'd say Overlord.
Even more cautious now, she tried to see more all around. Jack however seemed to have a different idea. All of a sudden he charged forward releasing a loud hiss.
"JACK! WAIT! I mean.. STOP! ZERGLING!"
She yelled after him – no use. He was charging towards the opening.
Why is he charging forward? I..I should follow him. He had saved my life... but should I really? ... Ah screw it!
Gathering all her courage she followed him. One thorn ready in her hand and the shield up front she ran past some more bodies. With each step the weird feeling in her head rose as did the screams of some Zerg up ahead. She noticed more Zergs on the plain. Some Zerglings and Hydralisks next to some she haven't seen before.
They..they are fighting each other! What happens here?!
Some of the Zerglings lunged at one another, clawed and bit without hesitation. Most of them were covered in blood – their own or from others, Amy couldn't tell. She at least saw the Overlord was dripping from a wound, the blood running down one tentacle on his lower side. Finally she arrived on the huge plain. She slowed down while getting an overview of the situation.
Why are they fighting?
To her left on the ground below the Overlord there was a group of unknown Zergs. Some small ones and in front of them one with a rather strange body. It had a slender upper body, a big head and large bottom with many spider-like legs. They all stood in a pool of grey goo near the cliff while some Zerglings and Hydralisks were fighting each other at the edge of it.
Amy saw most of them were wounded and covered on blood. The Zerglings were jumping and running around trying to hurt others. The Hydralisks however didn't move much but relied on their long arms with large talons. Some of them were even shooting something at enemies at range – large spikes which buried themselves deep into anything in their way.
Seem to be similar to my thorn!
Next to those Zergs there were some Amy hadn't seen yet. Bulky creatures with a darker shell than the other Zergs.
Even though his owner had slowed down Jack kept charging at other Zergs. Some of them eventually noticed the new combatants and advanced towards them. The Terran woman shook of her curiosity and looked back at her pet still charging forward.
"JACK!"
What... He... I can't... Can I? Arg.. I have to! Go Amy! Move!
She continued to follow her companion when all of a sudden a loud screech emitted from the strange Zerg in the group. Amy could see its big head pointing up high and the upper body shaking.
"My Queen! The rampant Zergs!"
What? Rampant? Wait... is she... that thing?
Meanwhile Jack had reached his first opponent. He evaded the pounce of the other Zergling with a quick hop to the right before ramming his long talons in the its side. He pierced the shell and blood splattered out of the fresh wound. The now squealing Zergling tumbled around still focusing the other one.
Amy noticed more and more Zergs were rushing towards them while still threatening and clawing each other. Yet a small group remained at the edge of the pool seemingly not interested in the new participants.
I don't get it. Who is fighting who? Its just a mess...
She tried to ignore all the fuzz in her head and focused on the unavoidable fight. All of a sudden she notice a weird sensation in her arms and legs. She had felt that before. At the time, when the Marine – Wedge or Biggs, she didn't know – had grabbed her and threatened her life. She felt a restlessness rising in her limbs.
This tingling... do they want to fight? Do they have a mind of their own? ... What happens to me?
Nearly reaching Jack and his enemy she kept her distance and looked for the next one.
Jack kept circling around the wounded Zergling until he made a move. A feinted attacked caused the other Zergling to sidestep rather clumsy nearly losing its balance. Jack used the opening and lunge at him clawing its head and body. Under pain, blood and screeches the opponent sank to the ground.
Well he sure knows how to defend himself... I'd better not disappoint him then. Should I trust those Zerg... instincts?
Amy passed him and charged straight up to the next approaching Zergling. Her Zergish legs nearly moved on their on. She held her shield head on and thrust her arm to release a thorn. It flew a little further and faster than the last time she tried yet it missed its target by about half a metre.
Yeah.. nice try...
The approaching Zerg jumped at her which she dodged with a step to the left. While the Zergling passed her she rammed her left claw into its side. With a quiet clanging her claws hit the shell. She felt the blunt impact all up her arm. The Zergling landed behind her stumbling slightly.
She turned around, her opponent already preparing to attack once again. Another lunging jump followed but now Amy countered straight on. A wide swing of her arm and her shield plate slammed onto its snout. Both of them tumbled backwards but Amy was way faster to regain her balance. The Zergling was still staggered from her attack. She felt another thorn to be ready in her right.
Now or never!
Charging forward she pushed the thorn into her palm, thrust both and plunged it in between the eyes of the Zergling. The point burrowed itself through the carapace and in the head of the creature. Blood squished through her fingers from the wound. With a wimping squeal the Zerg reared up one last time before collapsing down on the floor.
There she stood. Towering over the dead body. Her chest heaving, Adrenaline rushing through her veins from the encounter. Blood dropping from her hand. She felt superior, dominant, strong.
...
Everything was blurred out of her vision. Only she and the lifeless Zerg were important in this moment. Her arms trembled slightly from the excitement.
Then something hit Amy's left shoulder which threw her out of her state. She turned her head and saw a spike tumbling down in the grass.
What?! Why... COME ON! What are you doing?!
The sarcastic question remained unanswered. The Terran woman quickly checked her shoulder but the thick shell had protected her. She then turned around and refocused on the ongoing battle. The Zerg were now fighting just a few metres in front of her. She noticed some of them were forming a line keeping the battle away from her.
They... are protecting me?
"My Queen, are you injured? Please... do something! Calm... the rampant Zerg!"
Another screech from the strange Zerg echoed over the plain. Amy looked over. There seemed to be less tumult now around the other group.
Calm them?! The heck do I calm them? Who does she think I am?! A or the Queen, obviously... The Queen... of Blades?
She shivered at the thought of her.
Oargh! Focus! The battle and stuff, right?
Her eyes went back to the crowd. She took her fighting stance once again and cautiously made her way to them.
But whom do I fight? Are they really on my side?
It was a mess ahead of her. A Hydralisk just pierced another one with its huge claw. One of the bulky Zergs tackled through two Zerglings sending them into the air. Squeals, screeches and grunts filled the area accompanied by blood, scraps of shell and some Zerg intestins. For Amy all those Zergs looked the same. She couldn't even tell Jack apart from other Zerglings.
I... Who?!
All of a sudden a Hydralisk made a large downward swing towards the Terran woman. She was just fast enough to raise her shield and block the claw from slicing up her body. The impact made her go down on a knee. She looked up. The massive body of the half-worm half-reptile Zerg towered over her.
Damn... they are strong.
The sharp claw – more than half as long as Amy herself – was still pushing her down. She thrust her 'loaded' palm to the lower body of the attacker. The thorn entered its skin right beneath the beginning of its lower worm-like part. Blood ran down from the wound. Amy then noticed there were quite some more wounds all over its body.
It's this wounded and still this strong!? You need to do something.
Her arm started to get numb and she knew she couldn't stand this much longer. With a jerk she pushed the claw to the side while rolling to the other. A little dizzy she turned to the Hydralisk. Its right claw stuck deep down in ground. The left however hang threatening over Amy. Its head was turned towards her, hate and anger flickered in the eyes.
Oh no!
With a screech of the Hydralisk the claw slashed down, Amy was too slow to react. She could block the move and felt tip reaching her torso. Its force pressed the air out of her lungs and made her fall to the ground. Yet she didn't feel the pain. The hardened suit withstood the sudden pierce of the claw. She didn't even feel the claw on her chest anymore.
What... happened?
The lying woman risked a look. Behind a strand of her segmented hair she could see the claw to be hanging in mid-air. The Zerg had stopped. A deranged expression clad its face. Now she noticed another pair of claws covered in blood were sticking out of the 'chest' of the Hydralisk. Those apparently belonged to another one standing behind her enemy.
It withdraw the talons from the body spilling some blood. It looked over to Zerg-Terran once before turning away and leaving. The lifeless body of her opponent slowly collapsed down in the grass. Amy crawled backwards to avoid getting hit by the claw once more.
They... really help... me... Why?
She rose onto her feet, her body tired of the action and stress. Wiping the strand aside she took a view over her surroundings. The fight seemed to come to an end. All the remaining Zergs scattered themselves around the battlefield. Some began feasting on the corpses. They buried the fangs into their kind again and again. Blood and intestines drool into the grass. It reminded her of her time of awakening.
Uargh.. that is disgusting... They..they were of the same kind... weren't they?
She couldn't watch it and averted her gaze and looked down her body. Some drips of blood were scattered on her body and a small scratch was right on her breast bone.
That... must have been the claw. If it hadn't stop... I might as well be dead... Just... how many times do I need to be saved by those freakin' Zerg!?
It really bothered her as the Zerg or rather the Queen of them was responsible for this yet they saved her now for the fourth time.
Although... they were the reason I got into this... Well it was-
"Jack!"
Now she remembered her pet had been in this battle.
"Zergling! Where are you?! JACK!"
A/N: This was quite fun to write. Can't wait for more fighting scenes.
Also hope you had some good holidays. I myself will leave home for a week now and also won't get to write for some time. Expect the next part in roughly 2 weeks. Cya =)
pt1oef: Well Amy is a Hybrid yes, but she's not like Kerrigan. She just got to know the Zerg a little better and the story is about her development.